TENNIS – Past winners Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner walloped their US Open first-round opponents on Arthur Ashe Stadium yesterday, as home fans eagerly awaited 2023 champion Coco Gauff in the evening programme.
Ticketholders enjoyed a third day of round-one action yesterday thanks to the tournament’s newly expanded, 15-day schedule that organisers hoped would accommodate more fans after three straight years of record-breaking attendances.
The Wimbledon winner Swiatek arrived in New York in pristine form after hoisting the trophy at the Cincinnati tune-up tournament and cruised past Emiliana Arango 6-1 6-2 in an hour, never facing a break point.
The 2022 champion next plays the Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens.
It was the first of two lopsided affairs on Ashe, as the top-ranked men’s defending champion Jannik Sinner swatted aside his Czech opponent Vit Kopriva 6-1 6-1 6-2, setting up a meeting with Australian Alexei Popyrin.
The Italian entered the 2024 tournament under a cloud of controversy after it was revealed he had escaped a doping ban despite failing two drug tests but had the crowd firmly on his side this time around.
Across the plaza, 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti outlasted big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4 6-4 in the first match of the day at Louis Armstrong Stadium and he will next play Belgian David Goffin.
American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova rolled past Australian Kimberly Birrell 6-3 6-2 in the second match on Armstrong, sending over 17 winners to just four from her opponent.
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