Alex de Minaur, Australia’s top-ranked male tennis player, successfully kicked off his US Open journey with a commanding victory over Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri. Despite facing delays due to New York’s persistent rain, the seventh-ranked De Minaur secured a straight-sets win of 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. His next challenge will be against Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp in the tournament’s second round.
Throughout the match, De Minaur showcased his skill by breaking Guerrieri’s serve twice in each set while conceding only one break himself. The match, although interrupted by a two-hour rain delay, was completed in under two hours of actual playing time. However, the weather-related disruptions have led to a packed schedule, and De Minaur might face the possibility of playing three matches over three consecutive days as he aims for a deep run in the competition.
In the women’s competition, Australian Maya Joint made a notable impact despite her loss. She took a set from ninth-seeded Elina Svitolina, marking her as the first Australian woman to achieve this feat against a top-10 opponent at the US Open this year. Svitolina eventually triumphed with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4.
Other Australian competitors had less success in the tournament. Daria Kasatkina was defeated by Spain’s Paula Badosa, while Taylah Preston experienced a heavy loss, going down 6-1, 6-1 against American Taylor Townsend. Kim Birrell also faced defeat, losing her match 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 to Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova.