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Coco Gauff, of the United States, returns a shot over the net to Varvara Gracheva, of France, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships in New York on August 26, 2024. | Photo credit: AP
Coco Gauff advanced to the second round of the US Open on Monday, beginning her title defence with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Varvara Gracheva, while defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic prepares to repeat his title under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Third seed Gauff hit 10 aces and needed just 66 minutes to beat 66th-ranked Gracheva. She saved eight break points – including two with an ace in the final game.
“There’s definitely a lot of pressure at this tournament but I’m enjoying it,” said Gauff, seeded third behind world number one Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.
“Last year was unbelievable, so I’m just bringing the same vibes and whatever happens, happens.”
Gauff has endured an irregular season since winning her first major title last year, losing in the third round in Toronto in her tune-up tournaments and was eliminated in her first match as defending champion in Cincinnati.
“The last couple of weeks have been a little bit tough. But today I feel like I played the best tennis I’ve played in a long time,” Gauff said.
Four-time champion Djokovic, who is seeded second behind world number one Jannik Sinner, is bidding to become the first man to win a double title in New York since Roger Federer won five consecutive US Opens from 2004-2008.
“Hopefully it will change this year,” said Djokovic, who reflected on his disappointing season after winning an emotional gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
The win capped a years-long quest for Djokovic, who is hampered by a knee injury in 2024.
Having consistently fallen behind Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic faces the prospect of going without a Grand Slam title for a year for the first time since 2017.
The 37-year-old, whose 24 Grand Slam titles put him tied with Australian legend Margaret Court for the most titles, says he still remains excited for the “pillars of our sport”.
And that’s especially true at the US Open, where he will face Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot in the night session.
“I can’t wait to come under the lights,” Djokovic said. “The noise of the stadium, the energy is different from anything else.”
American Ben Shelton took the lead over Ashe with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over 2020 champion Dominic Thiem.
Shelton’s win brought an end to Thiem’s Grand Slam career, with the Austrian announcing he will retire at the end of 2024 after a number of injury-plagued seasons.
“I just want to say I’m grateful to all of you for your support,” Thiem told the fans. “It’s been 10 years since I first played here, I’ve had the greatest success on this court.”
Krejcikova advances
Fourth seed Alexander Zverev of Germany needed four sets to beat lucky loser Maximilian Marter 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2.
Sixth seed Andrey Rublev beat Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 and eighth seed Casper Ruud of Norway advanced by beating Bu Yuanchaokaite of China 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2.
Ruud will next face French veteran Gael Monfils, who beat Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. It will be his final Grand Slam match.
Wimbledon women’s champion, eighth seed Barbora Krejcikova, advanced to the second round with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 win over Spanish qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera.
Olympic women’s singles gold medallist, seventh seed Zheng Qinwen of China, came back from a set down to beat Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
“At the beginning, every ball (from Anisimova) went in and I couldn’t do anything,” Zheng said.
“Slowly I started getting into the rhythm,” said Zheng, who finished second to Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open and could face the second seed from Belarus in the quarter-finals.
Sabalenka concludes the night session at Louis Armstrong Stadium against Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon.
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