Australia’s top men’s tennis player, Alex de Minaur, successfully commenced his US Open journey by defeating Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri in straight sets. Ranked seventh, De Minaur secured a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win, overcoming delays and a two-hour rain interruption. Up next, he will compete against Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp in the tournament’s second round.
Despite challenging weather conditions in New York that have led to a packed schedule, De Minaur displayed resilience on the court. He managed to break Guerrieri twice in each set and only conceded his serve once, completing the match in under two hours of effective play. As the tournament progresses, De Minaur might face the demanding task of playing three consecutive matches in as many days, aiming for a strong performance in the competition.
In the women’s draw, Australian Maya Joint put up a valiant effort against ninth seed Elina Svitolina, ultimately losing 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4. Joint made a notable achievement by becoming the first Australian woman to claim a set against a top-10 opponent at this year’s tournament.
Elsewhere, Daria Kasatkina exited the tournament after a defeat by Spain’s Paula Badosa, while Taylah Preston faced a 6-1, 6-1 loss to American Taylor Townsend. Additionally, Kim Birrell was unable to advance, falling to Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova with a scoreline of 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.