- Updates from the match at Flushing Meadows
- Any thoughts? Email or tweet @mike_hytner
3.57am BST
OK, we shouldn’t be too far off starting now the previous match on Louis Armstrong has just ended – Aryna Sabalenka, the ninth-seeded woman this year, was made to fight hard for her place in the second round by fellow Belarusian, Victoria Azarenka. It took Sabalenka 2hrs 13mins to see off her good mate, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
And earlier, Naomi Osaka, the world No 1, got over some early nerves (“I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous in my life,” she said) to get past Russia’s Anna Blinkova.
Related: Naomi Osaka blows hot and cold but knocks Anna Blinkova out of US Open
3.47am BST
Hello and welcome. Who’s knows what to expect today? Will it be dynamic, mercurial Nick, the man capable of thrilling like no other player on the Tour, or the other, less easy to admire Nick, the boy whose on-court behaviour can bewilder, frustrate and disappoint in equal measures? But that’s part of the draw of Nick Kyrgios, isn’t it? The unknown.
We’ll find out soon enough if he’s brought his A-game and temperament to NYC – or not – when he takes to Louis Armstrong court to face home hope Steve Johnson. The pair are friendly off the court, so perhaps that will have an effect on how this one pans out – certainly Johnson is expecting have have some fun on court.
“Mentally, you know it’s any given day [how Kyrgios performs]. He has the talent to be a top-five guy, in my opinion. But this is a hard sport; it’s hard to put your best foot forward every day and that’s what we all try and do. He’s a super nice guy, I always enjoy my time with him. Off the court, he just loves to talk basketball and we kind of hang out, so it’s going to be a fun one. Hopefully it will be a good one.”
Related: US Open 2019: Gauff through, Edmund and Thiem out – as it happened
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