Australia’s top-ranked men’s tennis player, Alex de Minaur, successfully launched his US Open journey with a decisive win over Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri. De Minaur, who is ranked seventh, triumphed with a score of 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. His match was initially postponed and further disrupted by a two-hour rain delay. Next, he is set to compete against Botic van de Zandschulp from the Netherlands in the tournament’s second round.
De Minaur displayed a commanding performance, breaking Guerrieri’s serve twice in each set while only losing his serve once. He managed to conclude the match in less than two hours of actual play, despite the weather-related interruptions. The ongoing rain in New York has led to a crowded match schedule, which might require De Minaur to play three consecutive days as he aims for a significant progression in the competition.
In the women’s singles, Australian player Maya Joint made a notable appearance by becoming the first Australian woman to win a set against a top-10 opponent in this year’s tournament. However, she ultimately fell to the ninth seed, Elina Svitolina, with scores of 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4.
Other Australian players faced challenges as well. Daria Kasatkina was eliminated by Spain’s Paula Badosa, while Taylah Preston was defeated 6-1, 6-1 by American Taylor Townsend. Additionally, Kim Birrell exited the tournament following a match against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, who won 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.