Alex de Minaur, Australia’s top-ranked men’s tennis player, successfully launched his US Open journey with a decisive straight-sets triumph over Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri. De Minaur, ranked seventh, secured the victory with scores of 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. His initial match had been postponed and later disrupted by a two-hour rain delay, but he managed to conclude it in under two hours of play. Next, he is set to compete against Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp in the tournament’s second round.
The win came amidst a chaotic schedule due to ongoing rain in New York, which could potentially lead to De Minaur playing three matches in as many days as he aims for an extended run. Throughout the match, De Minaur consistently broke Guerrieri twice per set and surrendered his serve only once, demonstrating his dominance on the court.
In the women’s division, Australian Maya Joint made headlines despite her defeat. She pushed ninth seed Elina Svitolina to three sets, eventually falling 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4. Joint’s performance marked the first time an Australian woman has taken a set from a top-10 opponent at this year’s tournament.
Other Australian players faced challenges as well, with Daria Kasatkina exiting after a loss to Spain’s Paula Badosa. In addition, Taylah Preston was overpowered 6-1, 6-1 by American Taylor Townsend. Meanwhile, Kim Birrell faced a tough battle against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, ultimately losing 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.