Carlos Alcaraz (1st) did not have to force his talent on Tuesday to start the defense of his title at the US Open, taking advantage of the abandonment of his opponent Dominik Koepfer (75th), unlike Daniil Medvedev (3rd ) who managed a feat to ensure his qualification against Attila Balazs (1018th).
Steamroller Medvedev only missed two games against 34-year-old Hungarian Attila Balazs, whose best ATP ranking (76th) dates back to 2020, and folded the match 6-1, 6-1, 6 -0, in 1h14. “The focus was there. Let’s hope it will be in the next matches, ”welcomed the player, opposed in the next round to the Australian Christopher O’Connell (69th).
Crowned at Flushing Meadows in 2021, beating Novak Djokovic, whom he had deprived of the Grand Slam that season, Medvedev, 27, is considered one of the few who can disrupt the expected scenario of a new confrontation in the final between the 36-year-old Serb, and Alcaraz, 20.
The Spaniard, for his part, only stayed an hour on Tuesday on the Arthur-Ashe court because his German opponent Dominik Koepfer twisted an ankle in the first game and was finally forced to lay down his arms while Alcaraz led 6-2, 3-2. “It’s not the best way to go to the second round, but as far as I’m concerned, I played well and I hope to play like that in the next round”, commented the Spaniard who says he “felt the same energy as last year” in this huge 24,000-seat arena where he won his first Grand Slam title and became the youngest world No.1 in history.
The draw wanted Medvedev and Alcaraz to meet in the semi-finals. While the spotlight is on Alcaraz and Djokovic, the Russian plays humility. “It’s normal that Carlos and Novak are the biggest stars,” he said after his victory. “My goal is to try to play well, to go where they are and to win,” he warned anyway.
US Open: Day 2 results
The results of the 2nd day of the US Open, played on Tuesday
1st round (men’s singles):
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP/N.1) bat Dominik Koepfer (GER) 6-2, 3-2 (abandoned)
Lloyd Harris (RSA) bat Guido Pella (ARG) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4
Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) bats Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3, 0-0 (abandon)
Daniel Evans (GBR/N.26) bat Daniel Galán (COL) 6-4, 6-2, 7-5
Arthur Fils (FRA) bat Tallon Greek track (NED/N.24) 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) beat Jason Kubler (AUS) 6-3, 3-0 (abandon)
Hsu Yu Hsiou (TWN) bat Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Cameron Norrie (GBR/N.16) bat Alexander Shevchenko (RUS) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Alexander Zverev (GER/N.12) beat Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Daniel Altmaier (GER) beat Constant Lestienne (FRA) 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-1, 6-2
Andy Murray (GBR) beat Corentin Moutet (FRA) 6-2, 7-5, 6-3
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL/N.19) bat Alex Molcan (SVK) 6-7 (9/11), 6-7 (57), 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (11/9)
Tomás Etcheverry (ARG/N.30) beat Otto Virtanen (FIN) 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/5)
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) bat Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-4
Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) bats Nicolas Moreno de Alboran (USA) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Jannik Sinner (ITA/N.6) beat Yannick Hanfmann (GER) 6-3, 6-1, 6-1
Daniil Medvedev (RUS/N.3) beat Attila Balázs (HUN) 6-1, 6-1, 6-0
Christopher O’Connell (AUS) beat Max Purcell (AUS) 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5)
Felipe Meligeni (BRA) bats James Duckworth (AUS) 6-4, 7-6 (13/11), 6-3
Sebastián Báez (ARG) bat Borna Coric (CRO/N.27) 7-5, 7-5, 6-1
Nicolás Jarry (CHI/N.23) bat Luca Van Assche (FRA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)
Alex Michelsen (USA) beat Albert Ramos (ESP) 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
Wu Yibing (CHN) bat Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Alex De Minaur (AUS/N.13) bat Timofey Skatov (KAZ) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
Michael Mmoh (USA) bat Karen Khachanov (RUS/N.11) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
John Isner (USA) bat Facundo Diaz (ARG) 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1)
Jack Draper (GBR) beat Radu Albot (MDA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-3
Hubert Hurkacz (POL/N.17) bat Marc-Andrea Huesler (SUI) 4-6, 5-7, 7-6 (7/0), 6-3, 6-1
Matteo Berrettini (ITA) bats Ugo Humbert (FRA/N.29) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) bat Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Gael Monfils (FRA) beats Taro Daniel (JPN) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4)
Andrey Rublev (RUS/N.8) bat Arthur Cazaux (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
