NEW YORK/STARNBERG, August 28, 2024
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek didn’t show her best tennis during Tuesday’s first-round match at the US Open but overcame a challenge from Russian lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova in Arthur Ashe Stadium, winning, 6-4, 7-6(6).
Swiatek hit 22 winners but also produced 41 unforced errors. The top seed from Poland served for the match at 5-4, but Rakhimova broke back to level the set. She then had to save three set points in the tie-break before finally securing the victory in one hour and 52 minutes.
World No. 1 @iga_swiatek saves three consecutive set points and clutches out the win! pic.twitter.com/452cUB8weo
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2024
“At the beginning, I felt good, but then I got tight, and my opponent used it,” said Swiatek. “I was just trying to get back to my game. I’ve just been trying to adjust to the court. I’m pretty sure day by day, I’m going to get more rhythm.”
The 23-year-old from Poland will next take on Ena Shibahara of Japan.
Sinner beats McDonald
On the men’s side, Jannik Sinner also took some time to find his footing in his US Open opener. However, once the World No. 1 hit his stride, he cruised to a second-round spot at the hard-court major.
Sinner battled past home favorite Mackenzie McDonald 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, setting up a second-round encounter with another US-American, Alex Michelsen. Despite struggling in the first set as McDonald skillfully controlled the baseline rallies, the 23-year-old Italian proved too strong from that point onward, ultimately securing a two-hour, 23-minute victory.
“I started not in the best way, for sure, but the first match in every tournament is not easy,” said Sinner in his on-court interview. “You have to accept it. He played really, really well at the beginning and I tried to stay there mentally, tried to get into a rhythm. I did that at some point in the second set and then just tried to keep going, so I’m very happy to be in the next round. It’s the first time that I won here on this court after some attempts, so I’m very happy about this.”
Evans, Khachanov break record for longest US Open match
In other action, Daniel Evans of Great Britain and Karen Khachanov from Russia broke the record for longest US Open match, surpassing the 1992 semi-final between Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang, which lasted five hours and 26 minutes.
Tuesday’s encounter, in which Evans upset the No. 23 seed Khachanov by a score of 6-7(6), 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4, lasted five hours and 35 minutes. Evans won the match’s final six games after trailing 4-0 in the fifth set.
5 HOURS AND 35 MINUTES!!!
Take a bow, Dan Evans and Karen Khachanov 👏 pic.twitter.com/noiPnkVDGU
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2024
