Tennis, US Open: Defending champions Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff ease into second round

Defending champion Novak Djokovic eased into the second round of the 2024 US Open with a straight-sets victory over qualifier Radu Albot on Monday as Coco Gauff launched her defence of the women’s title with a convincing victory.

Djokovic, seeking his 25th Grand Slam title and his first since his victory at Flushing Meadows last year, wasn’t his sharpest self.

But he was more than a match for 138th-ranked Albot, breaking the Moldovan six times on the way to a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory.

He notched a men’s record 78th match win on Arthur Ashe Stadium, where he said the “electric” energy of the night session was unlike any other.

“The night sessions here are best in the world,” said Djokovic, who capped the action on a day that drew a record 74,641 spectators according to the US Tennis Association.

That included a day-session crowd of 42,886 and a record-setting night-session crowd of 31,775.

“There’s an incredible energy, and with the new rule this year that the crowd can move around, there are a lot of things happening,” the four-time champion said.

Seeded second behind Jannik Sinner, Djokovic is vying to become the first man to repeat in New York since Roger Federer won five straight US Opens from 2004-2008.

He’s coming off an emotional triumph at the Paris Olympics, but Djokovic has yet to capture a Grand Slam title this year.

He had 10 double faults among 40 unforced errors, but was nevertheless in full control throughout the two hour, seven minute contest that ended shortly before midnight.

Gauff, meanwhile, powered into the second round with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over France’s Varvara Gracheva.

The 20-year-old American fired 10 aces and needed just 66 minutes to beat 66th-ranked Gracheva. She saved eight break points – including two with aces in the final game.

“It is definitely a lot of pressure this tournament but I’m just enjoying it,” said Gauff, who is seeded third behind world number one Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.

“Last year was incredible, so I'm just bringing those vibes and whatever happens, happens.”

Gauff has battled through an erratic season since capturing her maiden major last year and her tune-up tournaments saw her fall in the third round at Toronto before she crashed out of her first match as the defending champion in Cincinnati.

A little tough

“The last few weeks have been a little bit tough,” Gauff said. “But today was I think the best tennis I've played in a while.”

American Ben Shelton opened the action on Ashe with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over 2020 champion Dominic Thiem.

Shelton’s triumph marked an end to Thiem's Grand Slam career, the Austrian having announced he would retire at the end of 2024 after several injury-plagued seasons.

“I just want to say thanks for all the support,” Thiem told fans. “It’s been 10 years since I first played here, I had my greatest success on this court.”

Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany needed four sets to get past lucky loser Maximilian Marterer 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2.

Sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 and eighth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway advanced with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2 win over China's Bu Yunchaokete.

Ruud next faces French veteran Gael Monfils, who beat Diego Schwartzman 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in the Argentinian's final Grand Slam appearance as he heads into retirement.

Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the second round with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, seeded eighth, eased into the second round with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 victory over Spanish qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera.

Olympic women's singles gold medallist Zheng Qinwen of China, seeded seventh, rallied from a set down to beat Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

US Open day 1 results - collated

Men

1st round

Casper Ruud (NOR x8) bt Bu Yunchaokete (CHN) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2

Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1

Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) bt Jan Choinski (GBR) 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3

Shang Juncheng (CHN) bt Alexander Bublik (KAZ x27) 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4

Ugo Humbert (FRA x17) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

Francisco Comesana (ARG) bt Dominic Stricker (SUI) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3

Matteo Berrettini (ITA) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-3

Taylor Fritz (USA x12) bt Camilo Ugo Carabelli (ARG) 7-5, 6-1, 6-2

Brandon Nakashima (USA) bt Holger Rune (DEN x15) 6-2, 6-1, 6-4

Arthur Cazaux (FRA) bt Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 6-1, 6-3, 6-3

Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) bt Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 5-7, 7-5, 1-0 - retired

Lorenzo Musetti (ITA x18) bt Reilly Opelka (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 1-6, 6-1, 7-5

Francisco Cerundolo (ARG x29) bt Sebastian Ofner (AUT) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2

Tomás Etcheverry (ARG) bt Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-3

Alexandre Muller (FRA) bt Adam Walton (AUS) 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-3, 6-4

Alexander Zverev (GER x4) bt Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2

Andrey Rublev (RUS x6) bt Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5

Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) bt Christopher Eubanks (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10/8)

Mitchell Krueger (USA) bt Hugo Grenier (FRA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5

Jirí Lehecka (CZE x32) bt Márton Fucsovics (HUN) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 3-0 - retired

Sebastian Baez (ARG x21) bt Luciano Darderi (ITA) 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-0, 7-6 (7/4)

Tallon Griekspoor (NED) bt Sumit Nagal (IND) 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6)

Rinky Hijikata (AUS) bt Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x9) bt Kyrian Jacquet (FRA) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

Ben Shelton (USA x13) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2

Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) bt Luca Nardi (ITA) 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/5)

Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) bt Dominik Koepfer (GER) 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2

Frances Tiafoe (USA x20) bt Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5

Alexei Popyrin (AUS x28) bt Kwon Soon-woo (KOR) 7-5, 6-2, 6-3

Pedro Martínez (ESP) bt Maks Kasnikowski (POL) 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (10/6)

Laslo Djere (SRB) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-7 (7/9), 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-2

Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) bt Radu Albot (MDA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-4

Women

1st round

Barbora Krejcikova (CZE x8) bt Marina Bassols (ESP) 7-6 (7/3), 6-2

Gabriela Ruse (ROM) bt Julia Grabher (AUT) 6-2, 6-4

Taylor Townsend (USA) bt Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-2, 7-5

Paula Badosa (ESP x26) bt Viktorija Golubic (SUI) 6-0, 6-3

Victoria Azarenka (BLR x20) bt Yuliia Starodubtseva (UKR) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1

Clara Burel (FRA) bt Sloane Stephens (USA) 0-6, 7-5, 7-5

Diane Parry (FRA) bt Wang Xiyu (CHN) 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5)

Wang Yafan (CHN) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE x9) 6-2 - retired

Emma Navarro (USA x13) bt Anna Blinkova (RUS) 6-1, 6-1

Arantxa Rus (NED) bt Ana Bogdan (ROM) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)

Harriet Dart (GBR) bt Chloé Paquet (FRA) 6-1, 6-2

Marta Kostyuk (UKR x19) bt McCartney Kessler (USA) 6-2, 6-3

Elina Svitolina (UKR x27) bt Lourdes Carle (ARG) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) bt Oceane Dodin (FRA) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1

Tatjana Maria (GER) bt Solana Sierra (ARG) 6-2, 6-3

Coco Gauff (USA x3) bt Varvara Gracheva (FRA) 6-2, 6-0

Zheng Qinwen (CHN x7) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2

Erika Andreeva (RUS) bt Yuan Yue (CHN) 6-3, 7-6 (9/7)

Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) bt Tamara Korpatsch (GER) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

Jule Niemeier (GER) bt Dayana Yastremska (UKR x32) 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4

Donna Vekic (CRO x24) bt Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 6-4, 6-4

Greet Minnen (BEL) bt Magdalena Frech (POL) 7-5, 7-5

Peyton Stearns (USA) bt Lesya Tsurenko (UKR) 6-1, 7-5

Daria Kasatkina (RUS x12) bt Jaqueline Cristian (ROM) 6-2, 6-4

Madison Keys (USA x14) bt Katerina Siniaková (CZE) 6-4, 6-1

Maya Joint (AUS) bt Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-4, 7-5

Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) bt Ann Li (USA) 6-4, 6-4

Elise Mertens (BEL x33) bt Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x29) bt Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) 6-7 (4/7), 6-0, 7-5

Iva Jovic (USA) bt Magda Linette (POL) 6-4, 6-3

Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) bt Lulu Sun (NZL) 6-3 - retired

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x2) bt Priscilla Hon (AUS) 6-3, 6-3