Righto, that’s us for today. Thanks for your compnay, and see you again tomorrow. Peace out.
“It was amazing,” says Murray. “Brlliant atmosphere”. He says Moutet is one of the most skilful players on the tour, always causing chaos, and he’s delighted to be done in under three hours. He feels good, was happy with how he served post-stomach injury, and at his highest ranking since receiving his metal hip, though he’d like to be ranked higher, he’s playing better and more consistently than at any time since 2017. Finally, on having his family with him, he admits that having four little ones under seven isn’t easy, thanking his wife for bringing them, and off he goes.
Murray had kind words for Moutet at the end, and rightly so; his opponent is working his way back after injury and hung in there well – he just isn’t as good ass yer man, who played nicely today.
Andy Murray beats Corentin Moutet 6-2 7-5 6-4!
Me meets Molcan or Dimitrov next, the latter having broken the former so that we’re back on serve in the fifth.
Updated
Murray misses another match point as Draper serves out to lead Albot 6-1 6-4, then an error gives Moutet break point; a big serve and forehand resolve the situation.
Now then. Moutet makes 0-30, but Murray, hitting big from the back, comes in as his opponent nets a backhand. A serve-volley point follows, except Moutet, called for a double bounce when on the stretch pursuing an overhead, challenges; we’ve now got the tech that allows the umpire and officials to consider such corcumstances. I think, looking at the replay, that the ball comes off the surface onto his racket, because the angle at which it departs suggests that … but it takes a while for the decision to be delivered and Moutet doesn’t like it. Because when it comes, the chair announces that the VAR system isn’t working, the pictures we’re seeing from the telly inadmissible as evidence, meaning the orginal call stands. Then, at 30-all, Murray slams down an ace, raising his first match point … superbly saved by Moutet with a chip backed up with a forehand cross-court winner! Deuce it is…
Also serving for a set is Draper, who leads Albot 6-1 5-4, while Molcan will shortly serve for his match against Dimitrov at 5-2 in the fifth.
A Murray break looks inevitable, and when Moutet hooks a forehand long, he has 0-30, again. And Murray dictates the next point too, a backhand volley, high over the shoulder, keeps him in command, then a big forehand and putaway raise three break points. He’s already had six in this set and is quickly forsaken by another, then after a long rally cracks a forehand into the tape. Credit to Moutet, he’s not giving this up, and makes deuce … only for Murray to power through deuce to advantage. Surely he can’t keep spurning these chances … no he cannot! A backhand chip, obliquely over the net, makes 5-3 and Murray, who absolutely loves it, will now serve for the match at 6-2 7-5 5-3!
Murray looks strong now, coming close to breaking before holding for 4-3 in the third. Elsewhere, Albot is into his match with Draper now, trailing 1-6 4-4, Evans leads Galan 3-1, Molcan is up 3-2 on Dimitrov but they’re on serve in the decider, and De Minaur has justtaken the first set 6-2 against Skatov.
Updated
Evans breaks Galan immediately then consolidates for 2-0, while Molcan and Dimitrov are 2-2 in the fifth. Rublev has just nabbed a breaker off Cazeaux for a 6-4 7-6(5) lead, and Pliskova leads Ruse 4-1. Moutet, meanwhile, will serve at 2-3 in the third.
Eeesh. Moutet, who’s had an issue with his right wrist, falls and lands on his left. There ain’t no give in a hard court and he went over on it a bit, but though the initial pain looked intense, I think now he’s taken a moment, he’ll be alright.
On Court 12, Daniels Evans and Galan are away, while Murray, looking a little weary for the first time, is 2-2 in set three, having taken the first two off Moutet.
Deep joy! My mouse is back working, in time for me to tell you that Moutet wants pickle juice and can’t find it; Mrs Elswood sweet, I trust. Otherwise, Albot has decided he needs to meet fire with fire, attacking Draper and going for his shots; he leads 2-1 on serve in the second.
Griggzy did indeed serve out for a 7-5 fourth set, meaning he and Molcan will now play a decider.
And there we go. Murray’s incredible speed sees him race to the net and flick over a winner that gives him 0-30, then a terrific backhand to the corner gives him control of a rally that ends with him up 15-40. So Moutet tries an underarm serve, then sends a forehand winner cross-court, after which a long return has him hollering at making deuce. He’s hanging in there, and serves out for 1-1 in set three.
Murray has to plough through deuce for his hold at the start of set three, and Moutet looks unhappy; a few telling returns, and this next game might be the beginning of the end. And it’s mayham on 7, Dimitrov breaking Molcan for 6-5; if he can hold, he and we have waselves a decider.
The fearsome Griggzy Dimzy ultras are giving it loads on Court 7, their man levelling at 5-5 trailing 1-2; meantime, Draper has spanked Albot 6-1 in their first set.
OK, my mouse appears to have conked on me, so I’m now on a laptop which means I can’t watch a match on it; apologies for that. But looking around the courts, Molcan leads Dimitrov 7-6 7-6 1-6 4-4, Hsu has beaten Kokkinakis in four, Isner leads Diaz Acosta by a set and break, Kasatkina has come back from a set down to lead Parks 2-0 in the decider, and Draper now leads Albot 5-0. What a return that is (so far).
Back to Murray, he dropped a bit at the start of this set but he’s playing beautifully now, holding for 6-5 then responding to Moutet’s drop with a better one of his own for 15-all. Real talk, Moutet still seems vexed at not serving out and when he botches a lob, Murray is two points from the set. And though a fine forehand winner makes 30-all, seconds later Murray has set point, behind in the next rally, he tries a moon ball … and Moutet responds with a wild smash from the back that flies long! Murray leads 6-2 7-5, and you have to fancy him to see it out from here.
Jack Draper is away and how good it is to see him back. I’m told he’s got a lot of what you need to reach the top – height, leftiness, aggression – and though Radu Albot is a wily campaigner, he leads him 3-0.
Now then! Murray powers a backhand down the line and not only does it clip the cord, but it sends the ball leaping over his shoulder for advantage. AND LOOK AT THAT! Murray slams a gorgeous backhand winner cross-court, Moutet annihilates his racket – in comms, they note that had it bounced into the crowd, as it could’ve done given the hard court, it might’ve resulted in a DQ –and we’re level at 5-5 in set two, Murray having won the first 6-2. Otherwise, my mouse has packed up, so if you don’t hear from me for a few minutes, that’s why.
Two overheads make 0-15, then an adroit volley follows up a deep forehand to the corner, and Murray is two points away from breaking back. He winds up at 15-40, gets a second serve to go at … and looks in control of the next rally until Moutet charges in after a drop to flick a terrific backhand lob for a winner! That is very nice indeed, and despite a poor second serve next, a backhand into the net allows Moutet deuce. But to sonic boom forehands, from centre to forehand corner, give Murray advantage … for as long as it takes him to net a backhand return; he’s now 2/13 on break points. So Moutet then unleashes a backhand winner cross-court, high-fiving his coach who’s sat nearby … but a double brings us back to deuce.
Murray holds, forcing Moutet to serve for set two at 2-6 5-4.
Elina Svitolina [26] beats Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-3 6-1!
She meets Pavlyuchenkova or Crawley next.
Updated
Murray’s net-play has dipped in this set but again he makes it to deuce on the Moutet serve … before a glorious drop on advantage secures the hold for 5-3.
Yup, Dimitrov takes set three off Molcan 6-1 to trail 2-1, while Rublev serves out for a 6-4 lead over Cazaux. He now knows he can move through the first week of a slam, but the question is whether he can beat a higher-ranked player when it really matters. This time, it’s Medvedev seeded to meet him in the last eight, and though he’s nasty on hard, there are worse draws.
Murray finds himself a break-back point, but running in, he can’t flip over a drop, Moutet holds through deuce, and leads 4-2 in the second.
Updated
Moving around the courts, we have: Diaz Acosta 2-3 Isner; Cazaux 3-5 Rublev [8]; Kasatkina [13] 2-6 1-1 Parks; Kokkinakis 3-6 4-6 5-3 Hsu.
Griggzy Dimitrov is another beginning a comeback – perhaps. Two tiebreaker-sets down to Alex Molcan, he now leads 4-1 in the third.
Thanks Bryan and hi again; we’ll go straight to Grandstand, where Moutet has break point at 3-6 2-2 advantage … and when Murray swipes a backhand long, he leads 3-2. Might that signal a switch in momentum?
That’s all for me. Handing it back over to the sure hands of Daniel Harris.
Arthur Fils beats Tallon Griekspoor [24] 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 7-5!
The French teenager has gone the distance over nearly four hours for his first main-draw victory at a grand slam over on Court 10. He’ll face Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the second round for a potential meeting with Britain’s Cam Norrie in the round of 32.
Jessica Pegula [3] beats Camila Giorgi 6-2 6-2!
Pegula has taken care of business in her first-rounder on Ashe, brushing aside Giorgi in 82 straightforward minutes. A second-round tie with the winner of today’s match between Patricia Maria Tig and Rebecca Marino awaits.
The killer stat? Pegula was 40-of-43 on first-serve points won in the match (with eight aces), including 15-of-15 in the second set. If the 29-year-old American keeps serving like that, she’ll be a tough out in this event.
Thanks Daniel. Katie Boulter was all smiles after meeting the press following her first ever main-draw win at Flushing Meadows. The British No 1 has finally re-established her spot inside the top 100 after falling out of it four years ago due to a stress fracture in her back and was happy to build on her title in Nottingham and a second consecutive Wimbledon third round.
“I feel like the first time that I [reached the top 100], I was probably running on a lot of steam the whole time, an empty tank, which clearly you could see in the end it paid off in my body,” Boulter said. “I feel like now I’ve really built a solid base. It’s taken me a while, probably more than a lot of people. But the base that I have built, I feel in a position that I can springboard off it rather than me just trying to chase and trying to chase.
“I was playing some unbelievable tennis back then, but I feel in a much better position now physically as well than I did back then.”
Boulter’s first-round win projects a new career-high ranking in the No 53 range, but seventh-seeded Caroline Garcia’s defeat just now has opened things up in her neighborhood of the draw.
Righto, I’m off for a minor recess. Here’s Bryan Armen Graham to chill with you for the next little bit.
We’re still on serve on Grandstand, Murray leading Mouter 3-2, but as I type that and at the end of a sapping point, he lays a gloriously oblique backhand slice that breaks the sideline and Moutet, though he dives, can’t make it. That’s sensational behaviour, and Murray leads 4-2.
Madison Keys [17] beats Arantxa Rus 6-2 6-4!
A happy Maddy is such a delight to behold, and she meets Wickmayer or Zvonareva next. I worry she’s missed her chance to win one of these, given Swiatek and Sabalenka are now where they are – i can’t see her beating either in a big match – but you never know.
Wang Yafan beats Caroline Garcia [7] 6-4 6-1!
Next for her is Katie Boulter, who won’t fail to notice the number seven seed’s path through the draw is now available to her.
We said earlier that Moutet likes the needle. Here it is.
But he finds himself 15-40 down, finding a service winner to save Murray’s first break point, then an ace down the middle. And from there, he closes out, a spinning backhand volley sealing the deal.
Michelson beats Ramos-Vinolas 4, 3 and 4; Jarry beats Van Assche 6-3 3-6 6-2 7-6(3). The winners meet in round two.
She’s wearing them in dayglo yellow today, but I enjoy and desire Arantxa Rus’ shorts.
Murray and Moutet swap holds as their match kicks off. On Ashe, Pegula, whose improvement is prodigious but not yet reflected in Slam performances, leads Giorgi 6-2 1-1, and on Court 5 Wang is 6-4 4-0 up on Garcia who, I imagine, is sharing her displeasure with the world.
Back on Armstrong, Keys now leads Rus 6-2 4-2, and might she be finding equilibrium, whereby she no longer tosses matches in which she should beat inferior players? I’d love to see it, because far worse players have won majors.
Michael Mmoh beats Karen Khachanov [11] 6-2 6-4 6-2!
That’s another kicking, Mmoh equaling his best-ever US Open performance; he meets Diaz Acosta or Isner next.
Jarry has a lot of support out on Court 13 and after breaking Vas Assche back to save the fourth set and himself a fifth, he leads 4-2 in the tiebreaker so is just three points from round two.
Cameron Norrie [16] beats Alexander Shevchenko 6-3 6-2 6-3
That’s a proper good hiding, administered in just 90 minutes. Next for Norrie, it’s Kokkinakis or Hsu; currently Hsu leads 6-3-2-3.
Lol when you’re sick of the BS 😂 Coco is sending me 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/xq9GiePS4B
— Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) August 29, 2023
Also for you:
Murray hasn’t ever played Moutet but they’ve practised together and says he’s got a great tennis IQ. Generally, Murray disposes of players of his ilk because he has similar plus better power and hands; it’s time to find out.
“He’s tricky, says Calv Betton of Moutet, Murray’s opponent. “No real power, runs a lot, makes it awkward, winds people up. Weird loopy lefty forehand.”
Sounds like me (save the running a lot, making it awkward, and loopy lefty forehand parts).
Updated
Mmoh is all over Khachanov, now up two sets and a break, while Fils has forced a decider against Griekspoor. Molcan just sneaked the first set off Dimitrov 7-6(9), Hsu leads Kokkinakis 6-3 1-1, and at 6-4 6-2 3-1, Norrie is almost back in the locker room.
Next on Grandstand: Andrew Murray v Corentin Moutet.
Ekaterina Alexandrova [22] beats Laylah Fernandez 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4!
The 2021 runner-up goes, while Alexandrova meets Jacquemot or Tsurenko next. Fernandez just can’t find her best form, though she might just be getting there and at 20, has plenty of time yet.
It’s proper hot, apparently, which it is not in north London. And Fernandez looks a bit ragged now, after three hours of play, 4-5 down to Alexandrova in the decider … and Alexandrova finds a lovely forehand winner, cross-court, to raise match point at 30-40…
Nozza serves out for a 6-2 6-2 lead the breaks to 1-0, but we’re not going to forget he’s wearing fatigue-style shorts.
Updated
Norrie’s playing really nicely and he breaks Shevchenko again for 6-3 5-2; Alexandrova breaks Fernandez back immediately and they’re locked at 4-4 in the decider.
Alexandrova nets and Fernandez, not that long ago a break down in the decider, is now a break up and needs just two games for victory at 4-3 in the third. On Ashe, Pegula breaks Giorgi in the first game of the match, Keys leads Rus 5-1, and Michelson holds a 6-4 5-3 advantage over Ramos-Vinolas.
Ah, and as I type, Norrie – a set up – breaks Shevchenko for 3-2 in the second.
Mmoh clinches the second set to lead Khachanov 6-2 6-4. Khachanov reminds me of the former UFC fighter Sam Stout, who was known as “Hands of Stone” – despite lacking knockout power – because on the tour, he’s unrenowned for his dexterity. And for now, Mmoh is too much for him.
Next on Ashe: Giorgi v Pegula [13].
Hello, Daniel back again. On Armstrong, Keys, hoping to build on a decent Wimblkedon showing – she lost in the last eight to Sabalenka – leads Rus 2-0; Dimitrov [19] and Molcan are 3-3; Fils is a break up on Griekspor, trying to force a decider, likewise Van Assche against Jarry; Mmo leads Khachanov 6-2 5-3; Vondrousova leads Han 1-0 with a break; and Fernanez has just broken Alexandrova back.
Leylah Annie Fernandez, a memorable finalist here in 2021 when she lost to Emma Raducanu, is struggling in her match against Ekaterina Alexandrova. The Canadian is 3-0 down in the deciding set.
GB’s Cameron Norrie has won the first set of his match against Alexander Shevchenko, 6-3. On ESPN, they are chatting about a twice quarterfinalist here, who has announced this year’s US Open will be his last. Although you’ll probably remember him from a certain match at Wimbledon back in 2010.
After 17+ years on the @atptour, it’s time to say goodbye to professional tennis. This transition won’t be easy but I’m looking forward to every second of it with my amazing family.
— John Isner (@JohnIsner) August 23, 2023
The @usopen will be my final event. Time to lace ‘em up one last time. ❤️ ♥️ 💜 pic.twitter.com/GyRTXGNK8G
19-year-old home hope Alex Michelsen, who won the Wimbledon boys doubles last year, is a set up against Albert Ramos Viñolas who, at 36, is just about old enough to be his father. This year’s US Open marks the 20th anniversary of the last grand slam singles title for an American man.
No 3 seed Daniil Medvedev rounds out a straight sets 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 victory over 34-year-old Attila Balázs, who has only made the second round of a grand slam once in a career that has been plagued by injury.
Jabeur speaks after a victory during which she looked far from 100%.
“It wasn’t an easy match, she plays unbelievable. I’m not feeling my best today and thanks guys for cheering for me,” she says. “I’m glad that I got the win, especially that I showed myself that I can push and do better on the court.”
Jabeur is asked what she said to Camila Osorio at the net after the match.
“She is such a nice person, she asked me if I’m feeling OK. I told her: ‘Not really’ … I apologised for bringing the doctor on court because I did not do it on purpose. I know it is tough sometimes to play a player who is injured or not feeling well but she took it very well.”
The crowd then sing happy birthday to her (it was actually yesterday but seeing as she wasn’t playing then, we can forgive them).
Righto, I’m off for a break; here’s Tom Lutz to coax you through the next little bit.
Ons Jabeur [5] beats Camila Osorio 7-5 7-6(4)!
She didn’t look at all great there, struggling with heat, illness and who knows what else. But she found a way to win, will get better from here, and that is a monstrous effort from her.
Updated
Osorio glides a tame backhand into the net, Jabeur leads 6-4, and now has two (more) match points…
Norrie has broken Shevchenko immediately for 2-0; Jabeur leads Osorio 4-3 in their second-set tiebreak, on serve.
This is nuts. Serving for the match a second time, Jabeur again finds herself down 0-40, a forehand clobbered down the line reducing her arrears. Next, a drop and winner, then a return flies wide, and can Jabeur bring it home from deuce? Er, no. A forehand flies long, a backhand is swatted wide, and after four consecutive breaks, here comes a breaker!
Zverev leads Vukic by two sets and break now, so is nearly home; Mmoh will shortly serve for set one, leading Khachanov 5-2; Jabeur makes 0-40, , Osorio goes long with a backhand down the line, and jabeur will shortly serve for a second 7-5 set at 6-5.
Osorio has serious moxie, making 0-40 in short order. And when a backhand return lands close the baseline, she secures the love break-back! The last thing Jabeur wants here is a decider, but she’ll have to do better than that to avoid one.
Jabeur raises match point at 30-40 only to slice a forehand into the net. No matter; she smites a flat forehand winner cross-court … but Osorio lands a crucial forehand close to the line which eventually secures her deuce. From there, she cements her hold, so Ons will have to serve for it at 7-5 5-4.
Samsonova has beaten Liu, which means Cameron Norrie will soon be out; Murray is on after Alexandrova and Fernandez, the former currently leading 7-6 3-3.
Zverev now leads Vukic 6-4 6-4 while on Armstrong, a glorious get from Jabeur, followed by a lob, is just ridiculous. She does, though, find herself two break points down, saving the first via hitting from the back and the second with an ace. From there, she races through deuce and is a game away.
Medvedev takes the first set against Balazs 6-1 and looks far too good for his Hungarian opponent, because he is.
Updated
Berrettini wins that second set against Humbert to lead 6-4 6-2, so I’m going to watch Jarry 6-3 3-6 Van Assche. Meantime, Griekspoor leads Fils 2-0 in the third, the first two sets having been shared and, as I type, Jabeur breaks Osorio for a 7-5 4-3 lead. It’s been messy, but she’s two games away from round two.
Effort.
The tweener and the forehand winner! 😱
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2023
🇨🇱 Nicolas Jarry was in his bag on that one. pic.twitter.com/lcSmubRRIy
Going around the courts, Rinderknech now leads Schwartzman 6-3 6-4, Fils has levelled his match with Griekspor at a set apiece, likewise Van Assche against Jarry. Medvedev is 5-1 up on Balazs, Berrettini is serving for a two-set lead against Humbert at 6-4 5-2, and Bouzkova is 7-5 3-2 up on Krueger, with a second-set break.
Osorio isn’t going away, breaking Jabeur back then breaking again … but then plays a horror game to lose her serve to love. Jabeur leads 7-5 2-3.
Remember Lily Miyazaki’s won yesterday, which means two British women are into round two foor the first time since Johanna Konta and Naomi Broady in 2016.
Boulter won 70% of points when landing her first serve and hit 31 winners; not bad. She thinks she played really well, and as the first of six Brits in action today, she’ll be cheering on the others. On which point, I’m looking forward to seeing Jack Draper today – I hope he’s properly fit again, because he has a lot of the right stuff.
Katie Boulter beats Diane Parry 6-4 6-0!
That’s a tremendous performance, and gives Boulter her first win in New York. She meets Garcia [7] or Wang next
Updated
Medvedev is up a break on Balazs; Bouzkova leads Krueger 7-5 1-1; and Mmoh has just broken Khachanov [11] for 1-0
Boulter is wiping the floor with Parry, now leading 6-4 5-0. She’s a hold away from round two.
And there it is. Osorio nets a forehand, Jabeur leads 7-5 1-0, and if she can get out of this match, should feel a whole lot better by Thursday.
Fernandez nets a forehand and Alexandrova takes the first set 7-6(4); Medvedev and Balazs are away on Ashe; and on Armstrong, a terrific point from Jabeur, sealed with a huge forehand, gives her break point. Osorio saves it but then goes long from the back to cede another, and she’ll know that her opponent is unlikely to play as poorly in this set as in the first, so if she goes behind here, is in big trouble. She makes deuce, but then sends a backhand down the line long.
Boulter is all over Parry, now 6-4 3-0 in front with a second second-set break. Meantime, Alexandrova and Fernandez are playing a first-set breaker in which htye’re locked at 4-4; and Zverev is now up a set and a break against Vukic.
Jabeur doesn’t look physically there and finds herself down 0-40, but a lovely drop makes 30-40; can she save herself? She can, for now at least, because she soon faces another break point when Osorio punches a decent backhand volley. Ons, though, restores deuce, makes advantage, and when her opponents tries to up the pace, a backhand into the net and that’s the set! Jabeur 7-5 Osorio
Updated
On Ashe, Medvedev [3] and Balazs will soon be away; Boulter breaks Parry immediately then consolidates for 6-4 2-0, and she’s making this look very comfy; Fils lost the first set to Griekspoor but leads 3-0 in the second; and Jarry, seeded 23, leads Van Assche, a potential star of the future, 6-3 1-1.
Jabeur has indeed been a bit ill since arriving in New York but she holds for 5-5 then makes 30-40; a battle of the slices ensues, but Osorio eventually hits a forehand long and she’ll be raging to have retrieved two breaks only to ruin it all with an unforced error – not her first of the game. Ons, who still doesn’t look happy, will now serve for the set at 6-5.
I say this a lot, but imagine Mario Berrettini with a drive backhand! That’s the only thing preventing him winning a Slam, but goiven he doesn’t seem likely to acquire the former, he’s equally unlikely to happen upon the latter.
There was a bit of coughing and nose-blowing, but we’re back under way; let’s hope she’s OK. Elsewhere, Zverev leads Vukic 6-4and Berrettini seals a 6-4 set against Humbert with an ace; of course he does.
Great work from Boulter, who races through a love hold, sealed with a big forehand, for a 6-4 set. Back on Armstrong, though, Jabeur, having lost four games on the spin to trail Osorio 4-5, has the trainer out. I’m not totally sure what the issue is, but I think it’s illness rather than injury. If they’d only turn the blasted PA down, we might be able to hear what’s being said.
Updated
Berrettini secures a tight hold for 5-3 and looks to have too much for Humbert, whose swinging leftiness isn’t currently enough, while Zverev has broken Vukic again and now leads 5-3. On Grandstand, meanwhile, Alexandrova and Fernandez are at 4-4 while, on 4, Rinderknech is 6-3 up on the previously resurgent Schwartzman.
Boulter and Parry swap holds such that Boulter will serve for the first set at 5-4 following a little sit-down.
Suddenly, Ons is struggling, serving at 4-3 and deuce, then when Osoria forces advantage, a forehand banged long and the double-break is retrieved! She’s got plenty of time to work her way out of this, but perhaps her Wimbledon hangover has reappeared on account of the major vibes.
Aha, you can stream any match on any court via the Sky Sports app, but you can’t, i don’t think, have two windows and therefore two matches playing on the same device. Won’t someone please think of the livebloggers?
Look at Katie Boulter! Three winners in a game and she breaks for 4-3!
Osorio raises two points for one break back, but Jabeur claims the first with a big forehand cross-court, then elicits an error on the second. Osorio, though, is into this match now and forces advantage, the pressure telling when ons nets the kind of volley you don’t ever think she’ll miss. 4-2 it is.
Parry plays a decent drop at 15-30 but can’t convert into a point, and Boulter holds for 3-3 in the first. Jabeur, meanwhile, is serving at 4-1 having broken again
On Boulter, Calv Betton, our resident coach says: “She’s got decent flat groundstrokes and her first serve is OK. She also competes really well and is a really nice girl, but I just don’t rate her that much.”
Updated
On 17, 12-seeded Zverev broke Vukic immediately … but as I type, Vukic breaks back. Meantime, Griekspoor, seeded 24, leads Fils 2-1 with a break, and Osorio is on the board against Jabeur, 1-2 and a break down.
On Court 5, Berrettini – as brutal a floater as you’ll find – has already broken Humbert, seeded 29, and leads 2-0, while Osorio nets to give Jabeur 1-0, also with a break, and Boulter holds through deuce for 1-1 against Parry.
Boulter and Parry have met once, earlier this year in Indian Wells; Boulter won 4 and 2.
And off we go…
Ah in less good context: it may be that I can only watch one match at a time. If so, I’m on the Ons match and the Boulter match. I guess it’s good for people who’d otherwise have paid for Amazon, having already paid for Sky, that coverage is back on the latter, but if we can’t watch all the matches we want, it’s a way less good service.
Ah man, it’s great to see Martina on our screens and looking in good health. And how unsurprising to learn that she approached Jabeur after the Wimbledon final offer reassurance that a major is coming. She does, though, note that you never really get over defeats of that ilk. Ouch.
Looking at our early matches, I reckon I’ll start off watching Jabeur [5] v Osorio, Alexandrova [22] v Fernandez and Boulter v Parry and see how we go.
Preamble
What’s up, dudes?! Welcome to the US Open 2023 – day two!
As ever in the opening week of a Slam, there’s an indecent quantity of nails tennis for our delectation, an overflowing meld of big-hitters, old masters, young upstarts and surprise jazzers.
Take today for example! We’ve got Daniil Medvedev, Ons Jabeur, Maddson Keys, Stan Wawrinka, potential belters in Jessica Pegula v Camila Giorgi and Andy Murray v Corentin Moutet … and that’s just the show courts during the day sesh.
Eksewhere, we’ve got Marketa Vondrousova, the Wimbledon champ, Elina Svitolina, the Wimbledon hero, Mario Berrettini, Andrey Rublev, Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Barbora Krejcikova, Katie Boulter, Jodie Burrage … and a whole lot else besides. Let’s go dudes!
Play: 11am local, 4pm BST
