Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic overcame early tests to reach the U.S. Open second round before the Grand Slam descended into chaos late on Sunday when Daniil Medvedev launched a tirade at the match umpire and fans disrupted his opponent’s service game.
New York’s famously rowdy fans caused a six-minute delay by refusing to stop jeering and booing midway through Medvedev’s 6-3 7-5 6-7(5) 0-6 6-4 defeat by Benjamin Bonzi on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The controversy began when a photographer entered the court prematurely after Bonzi missed his first serve on match point at 5-4 in the third set, prompting chair umpire Greg Allensworth to award the Frenchman another first serve for the disturbance.
An incensed Medvedev exploded at the official and whipped up the crowd, preventing a rattled Bonzi from serving.
Medvedev, the 2021 champion at Flushing Meadows, fought off the match point and took the set in a tie break before bageling Bonzi in the fourth to set up a decider.
It was not to be his day, however, as Bonzi composed himself to secure a dramatic win.
Under the tournament’s new extended 15-day format, first-round singles action is being contested from Sunday to Tuesday rather than over two days as in previous years, spreading out the star attractions and allowing access for another 70,000-odd spectators.
World number one Sabalenka was among the marquee names on the opening day’s schedule and the Belarusian fed off the vocal Arthur Ashe crowd to overcome determined Swiss Rebeka Masarova 7-5 6-1. Novak Djokovic has had plenty of time to recuperate after his run to the Wimbledon semi-finals but the Serb needed to find an extra gear to battle past Learner Tien 6-1 7-6(3) 6-2 as he launched his latest bid for a record 25th major title.
Victory in draining conditions under the lights made Djokovic the first player since the sport turned professional in 1968 to win 75 straight opening-round matches at Grand Slams.
Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton enjoyed more straightforward wins.
Last year’s finalist Fritz beat compatriot Emilio Nava 7-5 6-2 6-3 while 2023 semi-finalist Ben Shelton eased past Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse 6-3 6-2 6-4.
Fourth seed Fritz and sixth seed Shelton have emerged as two of the brightest hopes to end a 22-year U.S. men’s drought at their home major, as their women’s counterparts have long carried the torch for American tennis.
Emma Raducanu, the first qualifier to win the tournament four years ago, moved into the second round for the first time since hoisting the trophy when the Briton beat Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara 6-1 6-2. Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, who lost to Raducanu in the final four years ago, defeated compatriot Rebecca Marino 6-2 6-1 while 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova saw off Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3 7-6(3).
Former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko made smooth progress with a 6-4 6-3 win over Chinese qualifier Wang Xiyu before last year’s New York runner-up Jessica Pegula got past Mayar Sherif 6-0 6-4.
There were a handful of surprises, as qualifier Janice Tjen earned Indonesia’s first victory in a Grand Slam main draw in 22 years when she knocked out 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4 4-6 6-4 to book a match-up with Raducanu.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines got the crowd on their feet as she battled back from 1-5 in the deciding set to defeat Denmark’s 14th seed Clara Tauson 6-3 2-6 7-6(11) at the Grandstand.
Pegula, Paolini, Azarenka advance to second round
Fourth seed Jessica Pegula advanced into the second round of the US Open with a straight-sets win over Egypt’s Mayar Sherif.
Playing the night session match on Ashe Stadium, Pegula got off to a blistering start to win the first set 6-0. In the second set, Sherif found her rhythm and broke the American to take a 4-1 lead. However, Pegula regained her focus and her form to win five games in a row and complete the 6-0, 6-4 win in one hour and 15 minutes. She will next meet Anna Blinkova, who defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3, 6-1 in another first-round clash.
Meanwhile, No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini dismissed qualifier Destanee Aiava 6-2, 7-6(4) to reach the second round of the US Open for the third time in six main draw appearances.
In another match, Victoria, making her 18th career appearance in New York, put her grit on display on Court 12 and worked her way past American qualifier Hina Inoue, 7-6(0), 6-4.
Playing her first match since Wimbledon, Azarenka battled through fatigue and a pesky main draw debutante to book her 49th career US Open win.
Azarenka finished the two hour and four-minute contest with 35 winners to 14 for Inoue, and she won 36 of 54 points that lasted four strokes or more.
She set up a second-round clash with either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Dayana Yastremska.