Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff, 20, kicked off their US Open campaigns in dominant fashion, each winning their first-round matches in straight sets. Djokovic, the second seed, overcame Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot with a convincing 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
This win marked Djokovic’s 89th at the US Open, tying him with Roger Federer for the most match wins at the tournament. Djokovic, 37, is on the hunt for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title and will next face fellow Serbian Laslo Djere, who defeated Jan Lennard Struff in a five-set thriller.
Gauff, who has been battling through a rough patch in recent weeks, showed no signs of struggle in her match against Varvara Gracheva, winning 6-2, 6-0. After the match, Gauff expressed relief, saying, “The last few weeks were difficult. I was committed to perform well, but I do not have to prove anything to anyone except myself.”
In other matches, American Ben Shelton, the 13th seed, easily defeated 2020 champion Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, in what was Thiem’s final US Open appearance before his upcoming retirement.
However, US Open 2017 champion Sloane Stephens suffered a surprising defeat after initially winning the first nine games against Clara Burel, eventually losing 0-6, 7-5, 7-5.
| Player/Seed | Result | Next Opponent | Match Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic (2) | Won 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 against Radu Albot | Laslo Djere | Tied Federer’s record with 89 wins at US Open |
| Coco Gauff (Defending Champion) | Won 6-2, 6-0 against Varvara Gracheva | TBD | Dominated from start to finish |
| Ben Shelton (13) | Won 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 against Dominic Thiem | TBD | Ended Thiem’s US Open career |
| Sloane Stephens (2017 Champion) | Lost 0-6, 7-5, 7-5 against Clara Burel | N/A | Strong start but lost rhythm |
| Alexander Zverev (4) | Advanced to next round | TBD | Solid performance |
| Andrey Rublev (6) | Advanced to next round | TBD | Consistent throughout |
| Casper Ruud (8) | Advanced to next round | TBD | Maintained control |
| Grigor Dimitrov (9) | Advanced to next round | TBD | Runner-up in 2022 |
| Taylor Fritz (12) | Advanced to next round | TBD | Strong showing |
| Holger Rune (15) | Lost 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 to Brandon Nakashima | N/A | Only seeded men’s player to lose in the first round |
| Maria Sakkari (9) | Withdrew due to right shoulder injury after one set | N/A | Forced to withdraw from the match |
On women’s side, other seeds advancing to the next round include Zheng Qinwen, Donna Vekic, Daria Kasatkina, and Madison Keys. Unfortunately, ninth seed Maria Sakkari had to withdraw from her match due to a right shoulder injury.
In the men’s draw, notable victories came from Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov, and Taylor Fritz. However, the biggest upset of the day was 15th seed Holger Rune losing to American Brandon Nakashima in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.
Anything from this you’d like me to keep in mind for next time?