US Open: Coco Gauff eases into second spherical at Flushing Meadows as Jan Choinski loses marathon match

Coco Gauff cruised into the second spherical of the US Open to make the proper begin to her title defence, as Britain’s Jan Choinski misplaced a gruelling match within the males’s draw.

Gauff solely dropped two video games as she beat French participant Varvara Gracheva 6-2 6-0 and appeared again on type after a disappointing build-up to the match this month.

After reaching the semi-finals of the French Open in June, third seed Gauff has struggled and had early exits in Toronto and Cincinnati this month through the build-up to the US Open.

“It was definitely a lot of pressure this tournament but I’m just enjoying it. Last year was incredible but I’m just bringing those vibes here and whatever happens, happens,” mentioned Gauff, who will play Germany’s Tatjana Maria within the subsequent spherical.

“It’s an honour to be back on Arthur Ashe and playing in front of you guys.”

Gauff broke Gracheva within the third sport and made it a double break to go 5-2 up as she started to search out her rhythm.

The American dominated the second set to “bagel” her opponent – which is whenever you win the set with out dropping a sport.

“If I played this match last week, I feel like it would have been really difficult, but my perspective changed a lot over seven days,” she mentioned.

“Today I wouldn’t say I’d be happy with what the result was but I enjoyed the match today and it was obviously a bit more of a straightforward match and I feel even it was tighter, these are the moments you live for.

“I am simply comfortable to again right here on this court docket and taking part in like I did. The previous couple of weeks have been powerful but when I can play right here, I can play nice tennis and right this moment I feel was the very best tennis I performed shortly.”

Choinski loses gruelling match

In the meantime, Britain’s Choinski fought again from two units right down to drive a decider however finally misplaced 2-6 3-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 to Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena in a marathon match.

Choinski, who was making his first look in a Grand Slam major draw exterior of Wimbledon, got here by means of the qualifying rounds and going out in straight units.

At two units and 3-1 behind, Choinski remarkably fought again by taking a good third set, then additionally got here from a break down within the fourth to win a tie-break 7-5.

It appeared like Carballes Baena was bodily exhausted however Choinski squandered three break factors initially of the deciding set, which proved expensive.

Carballes Baena punished the British qualifier instantly and saved three extra break factors to go 3-0 up. From there, Choinski wasn’t capable of break again and misplaced after four-and-a-half hours.

“I was struggling a little bit over the last two, three days, or the past week,” mentioned Choinski after the match.

“After the second qualifying round I started to get an itchy throat and then in the third qualifying match it developed into a full blown cold.

“I had sinus and was coughing. I used to be doing all the pieces I might to eliminate that in these three days that I had till this match. It was getting higher and that is no excuse however in these first two units I used to be working round with the mucus in my lungs so I did not really feel too nice bodily.

“I had to face the situation given to me and then I started serving well, playing aggressive, but the fifth set, physically, I started feeling my legs and the struggles started.”

Thiem’s Grand Slam profession ends

Dominic Thiem’s Grand Slam profession got here to an finish as he was overwhelmed 6-4 6-2 6-2 by American Ben Shelton.

Thiem, who received the 2020 US Open champion, will retire in October and was overpowered by Shelton, regardless of his greatest efforts.

“I was struggling enough in the last years, especially since I was not able to come back to my level,” he mentioned.

“But once I took the decision this year in March, from this moment on I was happy about it. Obviously I was also able to kind of prepare already for this new chapter that is coming soon.

“I always loved playing on tour, and I was very patient about it, but honestly, I also always really enjoyed being home and to have, as much as it was possible, a normal life at home.

“And that is why I actually sit up for this one now, that the conventional life is now coming. That is why I feel it is not that tough for me, and that is why I am actually additionally pleased with my choice.”

Elsewhere, Taylor Fritz, Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud and Matteo Berrettini all received in straight units.

There was a shock defeat for Alexander Bublik after he was taken the gap and overwhelmed by China’s Shang Juncheng 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-4.

Within the girls’s draw, ninth seed Maria Sakkari retired mid-match towards China’s Yafan Wang on account of damage.

Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng beat Amanda Anisimova 4-6 6-4 6-2, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina got here from a set right down to defeat Argentine Maria Lourdes Carle 3-6 6-3 6-4 and Paula Badosa received her first match.

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