Grand Slam tennis returned after 211 days as the US Open began in a bubble with masks and no crowds in New York, the first Major of a coronavirus-affected world on Monday.
The sound of silence notwithstanding, it was a smooth day on court with the women’s draw following the form guide to begin with and just the one top-10 seed upset in the form of ninth seed Diego Schwartzman, who was stunned by a rallying Cam Norrie.
Karolina Pliskova, the unexpected top seed after a spate of withdrawals, had no trouble reaching the second round while world No 1 Novak Djokovic continued is unbeaten streak in 2020 after winning the Cincinnati title on Saturday.
US Open, day 1 men’s roundup: Djokovic rolls on; Zverev edges Anderson, seeds Schwartzman, Isner out
US Open, day 1 women’s roundup: Top seed Pliskova sails, Osaka battles, Gauff out in first round
However, the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic that has shaken the sports calendar was very much present after France’s Benoit Paire was tested positive after retiring from his first-round match at the same venue last week but his contacts were allowed to continue at the Grand Slam, with a few added precautions.
Here are the big talking points from the first day of the 2020 US Open:
Naomi Osaka makes a statement
Over the last few months, even with no tennis happening, Naomi Osaka has risen in stature as a social icon for her stand on the racial injustice in America. She carried this activism to the main court of the US Open, amplifying the voice of protest.
She entered the court – poignantly the one named after Arthur Ashe – wearing a face mask with the name of Breonna Taylor, the African-American nurse shot dead by police who raided her apartment in Kentucky in March. She said she has six more masks, with names of racial injustice victims, she hopes to wear at the US Open. The masks won’t be enough, she said, but at least she will start a conversation at a global stage.
“I’m aware that tennis is watched all over the world, and maybe there is someone that doesn’t know Breonna Taylor’s story. Maybe they’ll Google it or something. For me, just spreading awareness. I feel like the more people know the story, then the more interested they’ll become in it.”
— Naomi Osaka
The 22-year-old has been vocal about the Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police, not hesitating to even call out other top players for their silence or tokenism. Last week, she said she would withdraw from her semi-final at the Western & Southern Open following the shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Wisconsin, joining the sports boycott in the US. She later reversed that decision and played.
Earlier this year, she spoke about how one of her biggest regrets is not speaking out what she was thinking. She has changed that and how.
From record-breaking earnings to strong anti-racism stand: Firebrand Naomi Osaka stands apart
For those who have followed Osaka’s early career, who as recently as two years ago was a shy and soft-spoken player when she won her first Major in a controversial final against Serena Williams, her evolution is evident. Osaka using her voice on a platform like the US Open is an important statement.
p.s. She also did well on the tennis court, winning in three after Misaki Doi pushed her to a decider.
Controversy over USTA’s coronavirus protocol
Even as the first day of tennis went off smoothly, the off-court chaos was in stark contrast. The US Open oragnsiers came under the scanner for their safety protocols after a player tested positive for Covid-19 despite all the precautions taken for admission in the bubble.
France’s Benoit Paire was removed from the US Open men’s draw, to be replaced by Marcel Granollers. (Interestingly for India, Prajnesh Gunneswaran would have been part of the main draw had this been announced before Thursday and he had actually flown to New York before his hopes were dashed.)
However, unlike last week at the Western & Southern Open where two players were removed from the tournament just for being in contact with a trainer who tested positive, the US Open allowed the people in contact with Paire to compete.
US Open: Questions raised as few players placed in ‘bubble within bubble’ after Paire tests positive
Several players including Richard Gasquet, Adrian Mannarino, Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Kristina Mladenovic had been in contact with Paire. These competitors were placed in what one of them described as a “bubble within a bubble.”
The USTA confirmed that a number of players were now being tested on a daily basis, rather than every four days and they are now also only allowed to leave their hotel room to travel to the US National Tennis Center.
Other players complained about the lack of information about the whole thing while Paire complicated matters by saying: “I hesitate to tell what is really going on in this Fake Bubble.” The double standards were not forgotten by tennis fans either.
While these are early days, this is a potential bombshell for US Open in an uncertain time for everyone.
Coco Gauff’s earliest Slam exit
In a relatively short span, 16-year-old Coco Gauff has grown into one of the most followed tennis players with performances at the big stage to match. In her first year on tour, she claimed a WTA title and reached the second week at two Majors, all before turning 16. Her run at Grand Slams included wins over Venus Williams and Osaka, which is perhaps why the early exit of an unseeded player and the reaction to it is a talking point.
The world No 51 lost in the first round of a Major for the first time but it should be noted that she was up against a seeded and experienced player. Anastasija Sevastova, the 31st seed, beat the American 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 despite a fightback in the second set.
Interestingly, this was the Latvian’s first win of 2020. But Sevastova herself is a potent player in New York having reached two quarter-finals and the semi-finals in 2018.
There was a lot of chatter about the disappointment of Gauff going out early but it just goes to show the depth of the WTA draw and the characterisation of marketable athletes.
Zverev shows grit in tough opener, and gets a surprise
Alexander Zverev, long considered to be the next big thing, finally broke past a mental barrier to reach his first career Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open earlier this year. But it has been mostly downhill results from then on, with a first-round exit to Andy Murray last week at the Western & Southern Open.
Therefore, an opener against former finalist Kevin Anderson at the US Open was expected to be a tough test for the 23-year-old who has not advanced past the fourth round at Flushing Meadows. But the German fifth seed raised his game and held his nerve to secure a battling 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 win.
His recovery from being broken while serving for the first set and then losing the second at the final moment was impressive. While his second serve is still dodgy and could be his breaking point, he showed that he is finally learning to problem-solve on court.
After the match, there was a surprise in store as his brother Mischa was beamed in on the large screen from home. Having followed him into tennis, it was a nice moment for Zverev junior.
Honorable mention:
Cici Bellis’ US Open return
The former American teen prodigy returned to the site of her first big break as a 15-year-old and pulled through a terrific win after dropping the first set in an agonsing 15-13 tiebreak. The 21-year-old’s story is remarkable, having undergone four surgeries on her right arm that was sawed in half. She has come back to tennis after almost two years away.
Why Cici Bellis’ strong return to Grand Slams is one of the stories of Australian Open
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