Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina all won their first round matches as the top seeds blazed through the opening day of this year’s US Open.
The top four did not drop a set in their R1 matches.
World number one Swiatek was pushed hard by lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova (6-4, 7-6), whilst world number two Sabalenka cruised past Australia’s Priscilla Hon (3-6, 3-6). Meanwhile, defending champion Coco Gauff handed France’s Varvara Gracheva a bagel (6-2, 6-0), whilst Elena Rybakina downed Destanee Aiava (6-1, 7-6).
Swiatek, Sabalenka still ramping up
Despite winning in straight sets, the top two players admitted their first round wins weren’t as easy—or comfortable—as they looked.
Swiatek raced quickly to take a 4-0 lead in the first set. However, Rakhimova showed that she wouldn’t just roll over and not put up a hard-fought contest against the world’s best. With a chance to go five games up, the pressure was on the Russian to try and stay in the set.
And she responded well, as she did not yield a single point with the Pole erring her way to a defeat in the fifth game. Rakhimova continued to stifle Swiatek out as she broke the latter’s serve in the next game, and subsequently taking the seventh game en route to winning three straight games.
From then, it was back and forth until Swiatek polished her serve and avoided errors to take the first set.
The second set was a nail-biter, with both players trading game after game. That was until Rakhimova turned things up a notch and won three straight games to go 5-6 up.
Swiatek held on to deny Rakhimova the set as the reigning French Open winner forced a decider. But consecutive errors hounded her as Rakhimova secured three set points. The 2022 US Open winner would eventually show nerves of steel as she rallied the deficit to finally close things out on her serve.
Speaking after the match, the five-time Slam winner admitted that pressure mounted on her during the match.
“At the beginning [it was] good but then I got a little bit tight and my opponent used that, so I was trying to get back to my game,” she said.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, still wasn’t up to the level she would’ve liked but coasted through her Aussie counterpart nonetheless.
“I’m happy that even though I didn’t feel my best I was able to stay in the game and to put so much pressure on my opponent. I’m quite happy with the level today,” she said.
Last year’s finalist, the 2023 Australian Open champion blasted 27 winners to Hon’s 12, whilst converting 13/18 net points and 4/7 break points.
Favoured by SBOTOP US Open 2024 odds to lift the title, Sabalenka will be facing Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in the second round.
Gauff’s good start and Rybakina’s coaching changes
Gauff was a semi-finalist in Australia and Roland Garros earlier this year. She also won a maiden doubles Grand Slam title in the latter. But even as she is ranked third, Gauff has yet to win any other singles title apart from winning one in New Zealand at the start of the year.
Still, it’s not too late, and what a moment it would be if she wins in Flushing Meadows for the second year in a row. Well, as things stand, she passed the first test in flying colours.
Gauff was ruthless against Gracheva, dominating her French opponent from start to end.
Gracheva was competitive at first, putting pressure on Gauff as she forced six break points before finally giving in. The second set was a far cry from the first one, with Gauff winning a total of 28 points to her opponent’s 13.
After the match, Gauff reflected on the pressure of being a reigning champion.
“If you defend something, that means you won something. If you did it, that means you can do it again. Whether I do it again this year or not, I’m gonna do it again. Whether it’s 2024 or not, I will do it again,” she said.
Elsewhere, Elena Rybakina’s victory was overshadowed by her recent split with long-time coach Stefano Vukov.
Rybakina had won eight titles with Vukov which included her Wimbledon championship in 2022.
However, she denied giving further details when asked about it.
“Well, I don’t want to talk about it too much, but yeah, that was our decision, to split,” she said.
According to US Open 2024 news, their decision to part ways was announced just a few days before the tournament began.
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