Former champion Coco Gauff launched her US Open campaign with a hard-fought win over unseeded Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round, as the American navigated a big test following a late coaching shake-up ahead of the year's final Grand Slam.
Gauff, who arrived in New York after splitting with mentor Matt Daly and hiring biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan to address her lingering service issues, made a shaky start under the prime time glare of Arthur Ashe Stadium but eventually won 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5 on Tuesday.
The 2023 champion dropped the opening game on her delivery and produced a flurry of errors but soon shook off the cobwebs and grabbed a 5-4 lead with an ace out wide, eventually taking the first set with a decisive break.
"There were chances for it to be a straight-sets win, but it was tough," Gauff said.
"I felt she was getting so many balls back and I was trying to push her back, and she's standing on top of the baseline. It wasn't the best but I'm happy to go through to the next round."
Tomljanovic, who famously battled past Serena Williams in three sets at Flushing Meadows in 2022, was in need of a similar fightback when twice major champion Gauff built up a 4-2 lead in the second set.
The Australian rallied bravely from there to move ahead 5-4 before squandering two set points, but composed herself quickly and forced a tiebreak, where she raised her game again to make it one set apiece.
A nervous Gauff served consecutive double faults at 5-4 in the decider before regaining composure to surge ahead 6-5 and wrap up the win with a sublime backhand winner to massive cheers from the home crowd.
Gauff faces another tough outing in the next round against Paris Olympics silver medallist Donna Vekic.
The twice champion made her Louis Armstrong Stadium entrance with an elaborate rose-adorned ponytail that she later ditched for practicality, but not before making a statement at the floodlit evening session.
The nerves showed at the start but ultimately not in her statistics - seven thunderous aces, zero break points faced in the second set, and a perfect six-for-six conversion on break chances in a match she wrapped up in 83 minutes.
In other matches, American 14th seed Tommy Paul made light work of Elmer Moller, beating the Dane 6-3 6-3 6-1.
Greek 26th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas shrugged off an early setback to move past Frenchman Alexandre Muller 4-6 6-0 6-1 7-6(5).
Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Britain's Billy Harris 6-4 7-6(8) 6-4.
Italian 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti bounced back from a first-set stumble to beat Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4 6-4.
In the late game of the day third seed Alexander Zverev beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-2 7-6 6-4.
Swiatek and Sinner cruise through
In the early session, past winners Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner walloped their first-round opponents on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Ticketholders enjoyed a third day of round-one action on Tuesday thanks to the tournament's newly expanded, 15-day schedule that organisers hoped would accommodate more fans after three straight years of record-breaking attendances.
The Wimbledon winner Swiatek arrived in New York in pristine form after hoisting the trophy at the Cincinnati tune-up tournament and cruised past Emiliana Arango 6-1 6-2 in an hour, never facing a break point.
"Every year is kind of tough, because New York is just so loud, you know, and it's hard to find that balance off the court," she said.
"But I've got to say I'm probably good at it compared to other players, so I'm really trying to be in my bubble."
It was the first of two lopsided affairs on Ashe, as the top-ranked men's defending champion Jannik Sinner swatted aside his Czech opponent Vit Kopriva 6-1 6-1 6-2, setting up a meeting with Australian Alexei Popyrin.
The Italian entered the 2024 tournament under a cloud of controversy after it was revealed he had escaped a doping ban despite failing two drug tests but had the crowd firmly on his side this time around.
Across the plaza, 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti outlasted big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4 6-4 in the first match of the day at Louis Armstrong Stadium and he will next play Belgian David Goffin.
American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova rolled past Australian Kimberly Birrell 6-3 6-2 in the second match on Armstrong, sending over 17 winners to just four from her opponent.
Amanda Anisimova made a confident start to her US Open campaign, earning a 6-3 6-2 first-round win over Australia’s Kimberly Birrell.
The American eighth seed is chasing another shot at Grand Slam glory, building on a strong season that included her maiden WTA 1000 title in Doha and a run to the Wimbledon final, where she suffered a crushing 6-0 6-0 defeat to Swiatek.
"It's been a special year, I'm just enjoying the journey. I try to have fun every day but these are the moments I enjoy the most. I lost in the first round last year, so I'm really happy to have done better than that."
The 23-year-old, who returned to action last year after a long mental health break, was barely troubled in a one-sided affair.
Meanwhile on the Grandstand, Marin Cilic became the latest former champion to exit the tournament as 23rd seed Alexander Bublik eliminated the Croatian 6-4 6-1 6-4.
Offer of help after meltdown
Andrey Rublev said he was open to helping fellow Russian and childhood friend Daniil Medvedev deal with his emotions after an extraordinary public meltdown at the US Open that compounded a woeful year at the Grand Slams.
Medvedev lost 6-3 7-5 6-7(5) 0-6 6-4 to Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in a chaotic clash on Sunday where the 29-year-old former champion launched a tirade against the chair umpire and whipped up a jeering crowd that prevented his opponent from serving.
The 13th seed was facing match point and a bruising defeat when a photographer walked onto Louis Armstrong Stadium court as Bonzi misfired his first serve. The umpire then allowed Bonzi another first serve, triggering Medvedev's antics.
The 2021 New York champion managed to prolong the contest but was unable to cross the finish line and smashed his racket before looking dejected at his seat after his first round one exit at a hardcourt Grand Slam for eight years.
"If he wants to change and needs help, he has me, a lot of other friends and family that will help him," said Rublev, who has known Medvedev since their kindergarten days. "But it's his life and his decision what he needs to do."
Amid calls from German six-times Grand Slam champion Boris Becker and others for Medvedev to seek professional help, Rublev said it was the player's call on how to approach the issue.
"Only he knows what is happening. I think he needs to take some time because it was a tough loss, but I will text him. The year he's had in the Grand Slams hasn't been easy."
The 29-year-old Medvedev's defeat in New York means he has won only one match at the majors all year, with that victory coming at the Australian Open in January.
