Sinner, Alcaraz survive scares as Paul, Pegula lead US charge

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz survived US Open first round wobbles on Tuesday to stay on course for a semi-final showdown as two-time champion Naomi Osaka made a tearful and colourful return to Flushing Meadows.

Tommy Paul and Jessica Pegula led the American charge into the second round as they closed out the action on New York’s showcourts, while defeats for Danille Collins and Shelby Rogers left them waving goodbye to Grand Slam tennis.

World number one Sinner fought back from a set and break down to defeat 140th-ranked Mackenzie McDonald in his first match since being embroiled in a doping test controversy.

Alcaraz, the third seed and 2022 champion in New York, overcame a second set blip to defeat 186th-ranked qualifier Li Tu of Australia 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Italian Sinner battled to a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 win over American opponent McDonald on Arthur Ashe Stadium, racing away with 18 of the last 22 games.

The 23-year-old was returning to action just a week after it was revealed he had failed two drug tests in March.

However, he escaped a lengthy ban when officials decided he wasn’t at fault for the presence of banned anabolic agent clostebol in his system.

Alcaraz, who won the first of his four Grand Slam titles in New York in 2022, opened the night session against Tu who hasn’t won a match on the main tour this year.

‘He surprised me’: However, Tu thrilled the crowd as he went about his task of facing a player who is attempting to become only the third man in the modern era to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year.

After being outplayed in the opening set, Tu levelled the tie on a fifth set point in the second.

But Alcaraz crushed any hint of a shock result by running away with the clash to record his 15th successive Grand Slam match win.

Naomi Osaka, who missed last year’s tournament after giving birth to her daughter Shai, stunned 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko.

Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 88, came through 6-3, 6-2 for her first top 10 win in four years.

The Japanese star crunched nine aces in her 19 winners and committed just five unforced errors to her opponent’s 21.

Her tennis was as striking as her outfit. Osaka arrived on court with a brightly-coloured, giant bow on the back of her jacket and a frilly skirt over her playing dress.

To complete the ensemble, the 26-year-old attached small bows to the heels of both shoes.

Fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev, who shattered Novak Djokovic’s dream of a calendar Grand Slam by claiming the 2021 US Open, went through with a four-set victory over Dujan Lajovic.

Greek 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has never made the second week at the tournament, was stunned 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 by Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Stan Wawrinka slipped to a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 loss at the hands of Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci.

Two former women’s champions were knocked out.

Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 winner, lost in three sets to sixth-seeded Jasmine Paolini while 2021 champion Emma Raducanu fell to 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin.

Paul and Pegula sail: Paul beat Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-4 6-2 5-7 6-2, the 14th seed fending off 11 of 13 break points in front of the diehard fans who stayed late into the night under the lights at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Paul, who struggled in the run-up to New York with early exits from Cincinnati and Toronto, looked to have it all wrapped up until he dropped serve in the eighth game of the third set.

He roared back in the fourth set, however, winning the first two games and breaking Sonego again in the fifth. He will next play Australian Max Purcell.

Sixth seed Pegula knocked out compatriot Rogers 6-4 6-3 in the last match of the night on Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was also the last match of Rogers’ Grand Slam singles career, though she is set to play in the doubles.

“I expected to feel a lot of emotions but the main one, I think, is just gratitude,” said Rogers.

Collins, who will also play doubles, has enjoyed a storybook final season and said she was at peace with her decision to step away from the game.

Agencies