Coco Gauff kicked off her U.S. Open title defense with a dominant win over Varvara Gracheva, showing that her game is in better shape than recent results indicated. Gauff’s 6-2, 6-0 victory put her in the second round and silenced any doubts about her current form. The 20-year-old American spoke about proving expectations to herself and not carrying the burden of high expectations. Another young American, Ben Shelton, also had a strong start at Ashe Stadium, defeating Dominic Thiem. Former champion Sloane Stephens suffered a surprising first-round loss after taking an early lead in her match.
Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, faced Radu Albot in the night session. The day also saw seeded women’s winners including Zheng Qinwen and Madison Keys, while Maria Sakkari retired due to a shoulder injury. Among the men’s seeds advancing were Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov. Meanwhile, former U.S. Open champion Thiem played his final match, bowing out to Shelton amidst a gracious send-off from the New York crowd.
The U.S. Open also introduced a new policy allowing fans to move around during matches, a departure from traditional tennis etiquette. Players like Gauff and Kasatkina shared their perspective on the change, with some noting the potential for distraction and others welcoming the evolution of the fan experience. Overall, the opening day of the tournament provided a mix of exciting matches, surprising upsets, and a glimpse into the future of fan engagement at tennis events.
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