Jo Konta is cruising, but another Brit’s a set down. Harriet Dart trails Ana Bogdan, who took the opening set 6-3 on Court 14.
Daria Kasatkina drags a forehand horribly wide and the first set is in the bag for Jo Konta, who takes it 6-1. All very polished from the British No1.
Kei Nishikori’s cruising against Marco Trungelliti. He’s taken the first set 6-1 against the unseeded Argentinian. Meanwhile Tomas Berdych is in trouble against the USA’s Jenson Brooksby, who’s taken the first set 6-1 against the experienced Czech.
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Johanna Konta continues to dominate against Daria Kasatkina, who’s making a lot of errors. Konta is looking too strong at the moment and breaks again to lead 4-1.
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Remember Eugenie Bouchard? The 2014 Wimbledon finalist doesn’t last too long at the slams these days and she’s made a slow start against Anastasija Sevastova on Court 5. The 12th seed leads 3-0. Elsewhere Kei Nishikori has an early break agaist Marco Trungelliti.
A fine start for Johanna Konta, who breaks straight away on Court 17. Daria Kasatkina’s in trouble early on. Elsewhere third seed Karolina Pliskova is struggling against Tereza Martincova in an all-Czech battle on Louis Armstrong. Martincova has the early break.
The players are out, the stands aren’t particularly packed and we’ll have tennis soon on a sunny day at Flushing Meadows. A fortnight of non-stop tennis starts here.
Play will be underway soon and our early focus is on Johanna Konta. The British No1 got to the last eight at Wimbledon, where she blew up against Barbora Strycova, and hasn’t been too hot since then. But she’s feeling good and will feel she has the power to deal with Daria Kasatkina, a lovely, subtle player. Elsewhere Harriet Dart, who got to round three at Wimbledon, faces Romania’s Ana Bogdan.
Preamble
Recovered from Wimbledon yet? No? Too bad. It’s hot in New York, expectations are sky high and the 2019 US Open open starts here, with all eyes on the grudge match between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova later on. That’s easily the biggest bout of the opening day, even if both players have been in better nick. Williams has struggled with injuries all year and as for Sharapova, well, she hasn’t quite been the same since her return from a doping ban. Still, there’s no love lost between the pair, so expect fireworks when they lock horns.
Plenty to get through before all that, though. On the women’s side there’s Ashleigh Barty, the French Open champion, against Zarina Diyas, while Britain’s Johanna Konta faces a tricky test against the unseeded Russian Daria Kasatkina in the opener on Court 17. On the men’s side, meanwhile, world No1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic opens up against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena, while Britain’s Dan Evans takes on wily French lefty Adrian Mannarino.
Play begins at: 4pm BST, 11am in New York.