Key events
Yup, Dimitrov takes set three off Molcan 6-1 to trail 2-1, while Rublev serves out for a 6-4 lead over Cazaux. He now knows he can move through the first week of a slam, but the question is whether he can beat a higher-ranked player when it really matters. This time, it’s Medvedev seeded to meet him in the last eight, and though he’s nasty on hard, there are worse draws.
Murray finds himself a break-back point, but running in, he can’t flip over a drop, Moutet holds through deuce, and leads 4-2 in the second.
Moving around the courts, we have: Diaz Acosta 2-3 Isner; Cazaux 3-5 Rublev [8]; Kasatkina [13] 2-6 1-1 Parks; Kokkinakis 3-6 4-6 5-3 Hsu.
Griggzy Dimitrov is another beginning a comeback – perhaps. Two tiebreaker-sets down to Alex Molcan, he now leads 4-1 in the third.
Thanks Bryan and hi again; we’ll go straight to Grandstand, where Moutet has break point at 3-6 2-2 advantage … and when Murray swipes a backhand long, he leads 3-2. Might that signal a switch in momentum?
That’s all for me. Handing it back over to the sure hands of Daniel Harris.
Arthur Fils beats Tallon Griekspoor [24] 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 7-5!
The French teenager has gone the distance over nearly four hours for his first main-draw victory at a grand slam over on Court 10. He’ll face Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the second round for a potential meeting with Britain’s Cam Norrie in the round of 32.
Jessica Pegula [3] beats Camila Giorgi 6-2 6-2!
Pegula has taken care of business in her first-rounder on Ashe, brushing aside Giorgi in 82 straightforward minutes. A second-round tie with the winner of today’s match between Patricia Maria Tig and Rebecca Marino awaits.
The killer stat? Pegula was 40-of-43 on first-serve points won in the match (with eight aces), including 15-of-15 in the second set. If the 29-year-old American keeps serving like that, she’ll be a tough out in this event.
Thanks Daniel. Katie Boulter was all smiles after meeting the press following her first ever main-draw win at Flushing Meadows. The British No 1 has finally re-established her spot inside the top 100 after falling out of it four years ago due to a stress fracture in her back and was happy to build on her title in Nottingham and a second consecutive Wimbledon third round.
“I feel like the first time that I [reached the top 100], I was probably running on a lot of steam the whole time, an empty tank, which clearly you could see in the end it paid off in my body,” Boulter said. “I feel like now I’ve really built a solid base. It’s taken me a while, probably more than a lot of people. But the base that I have built, I feel in a position that I can springboard off it rather than me just trying to chase and trying to chase.
“I was playing some unbelievable tennis back then, but I feel in a much better position now physically as well than I did back then.”
Boulter’s first-round win projects a new career-high ranking in the No 53 range, but seventh-seeded Caroline Garcia’s defeat just now has opened things up in her neighborhood of the draw.
Righto, I’m off for a minor recess. Here’s Bryan Armen Graham to chill with you for the next little bit.
We’re still on serve on Grandstand, Murray leading Mouter 3-2, but as I type that and at the end of a sapping point, he lays a gloriously oblique backhand slice that breaks the sideline and Moutet, though he dives, can’t make it. That’s sensational behaviour, and Murray leads 4-2.
Madison Keys [17] beats Arantxa Rus 6-2 6-4!
A happy Maddy is such a delight to behold, and she meets Wickmayer or Zvonareva next. I worry she’s missed her chance to win one of these, given Swiatek and Sabalenka are now where they are – i can’t see her beating either in a big match – but you never know.
Wang Yafan beats Caroline Garcia [7] 6-4 6-1!
Next for her is Katie Boulter, who won’t fail to notice the number seven seed’s path through the draw is now available to her.
We said earlier that Moutet likes the needle. Here it is.
But he finds himself 15-40 down, finding a service winner to save Murray’s first break point, then an ace down the middle. And from there, he closes out, a spinning backhand volley sealing the deal.
Michelson beats Ramos-Vinolas 4, 3 and 4; Jarry beats Van Assche 6-3 3-6 6-2 7-6(3). The winners meet in round two.
She’s wearing them in dayglo yellow today, but I enjoy and desire Arantxa Rus’ shorts.
Murray and Moutet swap holds as their match kicks off. On Ashe, Pegula, whose improvement is prodigious but not yet reflected in Slam performances, leads Giorgi 6-2 1-1, and on Court 5 Wang is 6-4 4-0 up on Garcia who, I imagine, is sharing her displeasure with the world.
Back on Armstrong, Keys now leads Rus 6-2 4-2, and might she be finding equilibrium, whereby she no longer tosses matches in which she should beat inferior players? I’d love to see it, because far worse players have won majors.
Michael Mmoh beats Karen Khachanov [11] 6-2 6-4 6-2!
That’s another kicking, Mmoh equaling his best-ever US Open performance; he meets Diaz Acosta or Isner next.
Jarry has a lot of support out on Court 13 and after breaking Vas Assche back to save the fourth set and himself a fifth, he leads 4-2 in the tiebreaker so is just three points from round two.
Cameron Norrie [16] beats Alexander Shevchenko 6-3 6-2 6-3
That’s a proper good hiding, administered in just 90 minutes. Next for Norrie, it’s Kokkinakis or Hsu; currently Hsu leads 6-3-2-3.
Also for you:
Murray hasn’t ever played Moutet but they’ve practised together and says he’s got a great tennis IQ. Generally, Murray disposes of players of his ilk because he has similar plus better power and hands; it’s time to find out.
“He’s tricky, says Calv Betton of Moutet, Murray’s opponent. “No real power, runs a lot, makes it awkward, winds people up. Weird loopy lefty forehand.”
Sounds like me (save the running a lot, making it awkward, and loopy lefty forehand parts).
Mmoh is all over Khachanov, now up two sets and a break, while Fils has forced a decider against Griekspoor. Molcan just sneaked the first set off Dimitrov 7-6(9), Hsu leads Kokkinakis 6-3 1-1, and at 6-4 6-2 3-1, Norrie is almost back in the locker room.
Next on Grandstand: Andrew Murray v Corentin Moutet.
Ekaterina Alexandrova [22] beats Laylah Fernandez 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4!
The 2021 runner-up goes, while Alexandrova meets Jacquemot or Tsurenko next. Fernandez just can’t find her best form, though she might just be getting there and at 20, has plenty of time yet.
It’s proper hot, apparently, which it is not in north London. And Fernandez looks a bit ragged now, after three hours of play, 4-5 down to Alexandrova in the decider … and Alexandrova finds a lovely forehand winner, cross-court, to raise match point at 30-40…
Nozza serves out for a 6-2 6-2 lead the breaks to 1-0, but we’re not going to forget he’s wearing fatigue-style shorts.
Norrie’s playing really nicely and he breaks Shevchenko again for 6-3 5-2; Alexandrova breaks Fernandez back immediately and they’re locked at 4-4 in the decider.
Alexandrova nets and Fernandez, not that long ago a break down in the decider, is now a break up and needs just two games for victory at 4-3 in the third. On Ashe, Pegula breaks Giorgi in the first game of the match, Keys leads Rus 5-1, and Michelson holds a 6-4 5-3 advantage over Ramos-Vinolas.
Ah, and as I type, Norrie – a set up – breaks Shevchenko for 3-2 in the second.
Mmoh clinches the second set to lead Khachanov 6-2 6-4. Khachanov reminds me of the former UFC fighter Sam Stout, who was known as “Hands of Stone” – despite lacking knockout power – because on the tour, he’s unrenowned for his dexterity. And for now, Mmoh is too much for him.
Next on Ashe: Giorgi v Pegula [13].
Hello, Daniel back again. On Armstrong, Keys, hoping to build on a decent Wimblkedon showing – she lost in the last eight to Sabalenka – leads Rus 2-0; Dimitrov [19] and Molcan are 3-3; Fils is a break up on Griekspor, trying to force a decider, likewise Van Assche against Jarry; Mmo leads Khachanov 6-2 5-3; Vondrousova leads Han 1-0 with a break; and Fernanez has just broken Alexandrova back.
Leylah Annie Fernandez, a memorable finalist here in 2021 when she lost to Emma Raducanu, is struggling in her match against Ekaterina Alexandrova. The Canadian is 3-0 down in the deciding set.
GB’s Cameron Norrie has won the first set of his match against Alexander Shevchenko, 6-3. On ESPN, they are chatting about a twice quarterfinalist here, who has announced this year’s US Open will be his last. Although you’ll probably remember him from a certain match at Wimbledon back in 2010.
After 17+ years on the @atptour, it’s time to say goodbye to professional tennis. This transition won’t be easy but I’m looking forward to every second of it with my amazing family.
The @usopen will be my final event. Time to lace ‘em up one last time. ❤️ ♥️ 💜 pic.twitter.com/GyRTXGNK8G
— John Isner (@JohnIsner) August 23, 2023
19-year-old home hope Alex Michelsen, who won the Wimbledon boys doubles last year, is a set up against Albert Ramos Viñolas who, at 36, is just about old enough to be his father. This year’s US Open marks the 20th anniversary of the last grand slam singles title for an American man.
No 3 seed Daniil Medvedev rounds out a straight sets 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 victory over 34-year-old Attila Balázs, who has only made the second round of a grand slam once in a career that has been plagued by injury.
Jabeur speaks after a victory during which she looked far from 100%.
“It wasn’t an easy match, she plays unbelievable. I’m not feeling my best today and thanks guys for cheering for me,” she says. “I’m glad that I got the win, especially that I showed myself that I can push and do better on the court.”
Jabeur is asked what she said to Camila Osorio at the net after the match.
“She is such a nice person, she asked me if I’m feeling OK. I told her: ‘Not really’ … I apologised for bringing the doctor on court because I did not do it on purpose. I know it is tough sometimes to play a player who is injured or not feeling well but she took it very well.”
The crowd then sing happy birthday to her (it was actually yesterday but seeing as she wasn’t playing then, we can forgive them).
Righto, I’m off for a break; here’s Tom Lutz to coax you through the next little bit.
Ons Jabeur [5] beats Camila Osorio 7-5 7-6(4)!
She didn’t look at all great there, struggling with heat, illness and who knows what else. But she found a way to win, will get better from here, and that is a monstrous effort from her.
Osorio glides a tame backhand into the net, Jabeur leads 6-4, and now has two (more) match points…
Norrie has broken Shevchenko immediately for 2-0; Jabeur leads Osorio 4-3 in their second-set tiebreak, on serve.
This is nuts. Serving for the match a second time, Jabeur again finds herself down 0-40, a forehand clobbered down the line reducing her arrears. Next, a drop and winner, then a return flies wide, and can Jabeur bring it home from deuce? Er, no. A forehand flies long, a backhand is swatted wide, and after four consecutive breaks, here comes a breaker!
Zverev leads Vukic by two sets and break now, so is nearly home; Mmoh will shortly serve for set one, leading Khachanov 5-2; Jabeur makes 0-40, , Osorio goes long with a backhand down the line, and jabeur will shortly serve for a second 7-5 set at 6-5.
Osorio has serious moxie, making 0-40 in short order. And when a backhand return lands close the baseline, she secures the love break-back! The last thing Jabeur wants here is a decider, but she’ll have to do better than that to avoid one.
Jabeur raises match point at 30-40 only to slice a forehand into the net. No matter; she smites a flat forehand winner cross-court … but Osorio lands a crucial forehand close to the line which eventually secures her deuce. From there, she cements her hold, so Ons will have to serve for it at 7-5 5-4.
Samsonova has beaten Liu, which means Cameron Norrie will soon be out; Murray is on after Alexandrova and Fernandez, the former currently leading 7-6 3-3.
Zverev now leads Vukic 6-4 6-4 while on Armstrong, a glorious get from Jabeur, followed by a lob, is just ridiculous. She does, though, find herself two break points down, saving the first via hitting from the back and the second with an ace. From there, she races through deuce and is a game away.
Medvedev takes the first set against Balazs 6-1 and looks far too good for his Hungarian opponent, because he is.
Berrettini wins that second set against Humbert to lead 6-4 6-2, so I’m going to watch Jarry 6-3 3-6 Van Assche. Meantime, Griekspoor leads Fils 2-0 in the third, the first two sets having been shared and, as I type, Jabeur breaks Osorio for a 7-5 4-3 lead. It’s been messy, but she’s two games away from round two.
Effort.
Going around the courts, Rinderknech now leads Schwartzman 6-3 6-4, Fils has levelled his match with Griekspor at a set apiece, likewise Van Assche against Jarry. Medvedev is 5-1 up on Balazs, Berrettini is serving for a two-set lead against Humbert at 6-4 5-2, and Bouzkova is 7-5 3-2 up on Krueger, with a second-set break.
Osorio isn’t going away, breaking Jabeur back then breaking again … but then plays a horror game to lose her serve to love. Jabeur leads 7-5 2-3.