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08/30 19:25 CDT Jessica Pegula, Daniil Medvedev and Marta Kostyuk among the
early winners at the US Open
Jessica Pegula, Daniil Medvedev and Marta Kostyuk among the early winners at
the US Open
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Jessica Pegula was one of the first players to compete at the
U.S. Open, and she learned last year that starting Sunday provided some nice
relief.
"It is a little bit weird, but I did kind of enjoy that I could breathe for the
next couple of days and everyone else is still freaking out about whether
they're going to win their first round," she said.
The head start is great --- unless it's a head start back to the airport.
"We were just talking about it, and I said, it's so nice to play on Sunday when
you win. But if you lose it's not nice, because you feel like the tournament
didn't even start and you're out of it," No. 11 seed Marta Kostyuk said.
Pegula and Kostyuk both won easily and now the get the benefit of any extra day
of rest before returning for the second round.
Novak Djokovic began his quest for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title on
Sunday night against Mariano Navone, with the match getting paused during the
first set so that the roof above Arthur Ashe Stadium could be closed because of
rain that suspended play on the outer courts. Djokovic, 39, most recently lost
his opening match earlier this month at Cincinnati.
The No. 3-seeded Pegula beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2. She said she was
nervous early, which makes sense given what could be at stake for the 2024 U.S.
Open runner-up.
Pegula leads the women's tour with 46 wins this season. She has two titles and
has reached three other finals. Pegula can become No. 1 in the rankings if she
wins her first major title and No. 2 Elena Rybakina loses before the semifinals.
Pegula next faces the winner of the match between Venus Williams and fellow
wild card Sofia Kenin. They were set to play in the nightcap at Ashe, and
Williams and sister Serena are scheduled to play doubles together.
"I felt really nervous before I went out there, but I know my coaches were
like, ?You didn't really look that nervous. We thought you played great,'"
Pegula said.
The No. 11-seeded Kostyuk sure did, beating Storm Hunter 6-4, 6-1 for a strong
start to the year's final major after reaching the semifinals at the French
Open and Wimbledon.
A Sunday start but the champions don't begin until Monday It was the second year of a Sunday start, though some of the biggest headliners don't begin until Monday. Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka plays her opening match against Camila Osorio, before Carlos Alcaraz, who won his second U.S. Open title last year, plays his first singles match since April after recovering from a right wrist injury. Past U.S. Open champions Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek, Sloane Stephens and Stan Wawrinka are also on the Monday schedule, along with Wimbledon women's champion Linda Noskova and men's contenders such as Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe. Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, shook off his miserable preparation for the tournament by beating Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. The No. 7 seed was just 1-3 in the North American hard-court swing, usually a time he thrives. "Last couple of weeks was not easy," Medvedev said. "But I'm happy that today I managed to produce high-level tennis." Other winners Sunday included No. 9 Elina Svitolina, No. 19 Jasmine Paolini and No. 31 Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up. No. 27 seed Barbora Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, lost 7-6 (4), 6-2 to Kamilla Rakhimova. American Tommy Paul, the No. 20 seed, bounced back from losing a first-set tiebreak to Coleman Wong to win 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3. Wong a year ago became the first man from Hong Kong to win an Open-era Grand Slam men's singles match on the way to reaching the round of 32. Maric Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion, and 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud both withdrew with injuries on the opening day.
The U.S. Open is in the process of getting a new look Though the main draws didn't begin until Sunday, action at the U.S. Open has already been going on for nearly a week. Large crowds gathered for the mixed doubles tournament, an exhibition headlined by Roger Federer's return to Flushing Meadows and the singles qualifying tournaments, with admission to the grounds free. Fans who came for the first time Sunday may have noticed a tournament in transition. The U.S. Open is in the second year of a three-year renovation of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main venue at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The improvements in the $800 million project include the addition of some lower-level seating, upgrades and additions of entertainment areas and the construction of a player performance center. "Please pardon our appearance while we are reimagining spectacular," reads a sign above the entrance to Ashe. The project is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2027 U.S. Open. ___ See AP's full tennis coverage here
A Sunday start but the champions don't begin until Monday It was the second year of a Sunday start, though some of the biggest headliners don't begin until Monday. Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka plays her opening match against Camila Osorio, before Carlos Alcaraz, who won his second U.S. Open title last year, plays his first singles match since April after recovering from a right wrist injury. Past U.S. Open champions Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek, Sloane Stephens and Stan Wawrinka are also on the Monday schedule, along with Wimbledon women's champion Linda Noskova and men's contenders such as Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe. Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, shook off his miserable preparation for the tournament by beating Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. The No. 7 seed was just 1-3 in the North American hard-court swing, usually a time he thrives. "Last couple of weeks was not easy," Medvedev said. "But I'm happy that today I managed to produce high-level tennis." Other winners Sunday included No. 9 Elina Svitolina, No. 19 Jasmine Paolini and No. 31 Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up. No. 27 seed Barbora Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, lost 7-6 (4), 6-2 to Kamilla Rakhimova. American Tommy Paul, the No. 20 seed, bounced back from losing a first-set tiebreak to Coleman Wong to win 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3. Wong a year ago became the first man from Hong Kong to win an Open-era Grand Slam men's singles match on the way to reaching the round of 32. Maric Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion, and 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud both withdrew with injuries on the opening day.
The U.S. Open is in the process of getting a new look Though the main draws didn't begin until Sunday, action at the U.S. Open has already been going on for nearly a week. Large crowds gathered for the mixed doubles tournament, an exhibition headlined by Roger Federer's return to Flushing Meadows and the singles qualifying tournaments, with admission to the grounds free. Fans who came for the first time Sunday may have noticed a tournament in transition. The U.S. Open is in the second year of a three-year renovation of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main venue at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The improvements in the $800 million project include the addition of some lower-level seating, upgrades and additions of entertainment areas and the construction of a player performance center. "Please pardon our appearance while we are reimagining spectacular," reads a sign above the entrance to Ashe. The project is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2027 U.S. Open. ___ See AP's full tennis coverage here
