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A quick whizz around the grounds: Andreeva has taken the first set, 6-2, against Tjen; Belinda Bencic leads Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 4-4; Francisco Cerundolo is 6-4, 6-3 up on Filip Misolic; Cerundolo’s brother Juan Manuel is just starting against France’s Arthur Gea; Dane Sweeny is a set up, 7-6, against the fiery Frenchman Corentin Moutet; and Sweeny’s fellow Australian Tristan Schoolkate is locked at one set all with the American qualifier Nishesh Basavareddy.
Having just missed out on a seeding, Fery has a challenging first-round draw today, against the Italian 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti, a former French Open and Wimbledon semi-finalist, who remains a class act despite an injury-disrupted season. These two, both aged 24, know each other from their junior days, after which their careers took different trajectories, partly because of the bone bruising problems that Fery had for a couple of years but now seem to be resolved. If both play near their best, this could be a cracker.
Rybakina’s win means Arthur Fery’s name has just been announced on Grandstand, and you’d be forgiven for thinking this was Wimbledon rather than the US Open, given the welcome he gets from the crowd. It was at Wimbledon, of course, that Fery’s career changed overnight, and after that improbable run to the semi-finals, he returns to the grand slam stage as the new British No 1, despite this being his US Open main draw debut. He comes in with form on the hard courts too, having reached the first ATP Tour final of his career at the Winston-Salem Open last weekend.
“I’m just happy to be here,” says a red-cheeked Rybakina amid today’s oppressive humidity. “We’ll see how I’m going to feel tomorrow because I had to take a break [after her injury in Cincinnati]. But for now it feels OK. I’m definitely motivated [to get to world No 1], I had chances before but it didn’t go my way. Of course it will be an amazing achievement but it’s still too far. I need to focus on my recovery and just keep going.”
Rybakina beats Frodin 6-3, 6-2
And it is only one more game, because Rybakina, at 40-30, has match point No 4 and, determined not to be outdone by Frodin’s flurry of aces, she rounds things off with one of her own. The world No 2 – who could become the world No 1 for the first time this fortnight (she’s guaranteed the top ranking if she reaches the semi-finals) – will be relieved to come through so comfortably after her injury last week. For Frodin – much like Blanch against Fritz – it’s a tough introduction to the big time, but with her big serve and forehand she’s one to watch in the future for sure.
Rybakina has two match points at 6-3, 5-1, 15-40 on Frodin’s serve. It’s absolutely clutch from Frodin, as the 17-year-old smacks down not one but two aces! Rybakina gets a third MP at her advantage … cue another ace from Frodin! Wow. A wry smile from Frodin, who looks as if even she can’t quite believe what she’s doing. And for the first time in this match, she holds! She lives to fight another game.
At least Rybakina is doing her best to help De Minaur out, as she breaks again for 6-3, 4-1 – before fending off two break points to hold for 5-1. Mirra Andreeva, meanwhile, is under way on Louis Armstrong after Cobolli’s comeback, with the French Open champion taking on Indonesia’s Janice Tjen. Andreeva hasn’t exactly been pulling up any trees since winning her first slam in June, so it’ll be interesting to see if she can re-enter the conversation here. It’s currently 1-1 in the opening set.
Fritz’s victory means the day session on Arthur Ashe is already over – even though the matches on the outside courts only got going less than an hour ago. It’s strange that the organisers haven’t moved another match on to Ashe – Alex de Minaur v Andrea Guerrieri would have been a good pick given that he’s scheduled fourth on Grandstand, after Rybakina, Arthur Fery and Iva Jovic, so he could be rivalling Venus Williams for the latest start in US Open history. Her first-round match didn’t begin until 12.13am on day one.
There were question marks over Rybakina’s fitness coming into the tournament, after the Australian Open champion was forced to retire during last week’s Cincinnati quarter-final against Iga Swiatek because of a freak injury. She has strapping around her left heel today, but doesn’t seem at all impeded – even though a rare blip on serve allows Frodin to advance to 0-30, before Rybakina restores order with the next four points. It’s 6-3, 3-1.
As for Rybakina, she’s in lockdown mode, having hit only four unforced errors, on her way to a 6-3, 2-0 lead over the 17-year-old American Thea Frodin who, at 585, is ranked 583 places below the Australian Open champion and is making not only her grand slam but also her WTA Tour debut. Frodin received a wild card into the main draw after winning the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships, but perhaps her biggest claim to fame so far is being Serena Williams’s tennis-playing body double in the 2021 film King Richard.
Fritz defeats Blanch 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
There’s no time to dwell on Cobolli’s victory though, because Fritz has two match points at 6-3, 6-2, 5-3, 40-15. The 2024 runner-up settles things – appropriately given his smooth serving performance – with an unreturned serve, and it’s been a harsh learning experience for the 18-year-old Blanch. “It’s hard playing another American,” Fritz says on court, rather sportingly, given it didn’t look that way. Cobolli is a potential fourth-round opponent, by the way, as Fritz attempts to become the first American man to win the US Open singles since 2003.
Cobolli beats Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Cobolli, serving for the match, decides he’s not yet had enough of this wild ride, and he slumps 15-40 down. Comesana sends a tired shot into the net on the first break point, and can’t capitalise on the second either. And from deuce, Cobolli clobbers an unreturned forehand down the line to bring up match point, and he completes the comeback with a serve-volley combo! He sinks to his knees as if he’s won the whole tournament, and for the first time in his career he’s won from two sets to love down. He was a break down in the decider too. For a player who can sometimes lose his fight when things aren’t going his way, perhaps this could be a coming of age for the 24-year-old.
Fritz is flying to the finish line, meanwhile, leading 6-3, 6-2, 5-3, with Blanch serving at 0-15.
Now it’s Cobolli’s turn to soak in the applause as he ups the ante with an absolute rocket to advance to 0-30 on Comesana’s serve, having held for 4-4. And soon it’s 15-40 – take one of these break points and Cobolli will be serving for the match, having been two sets to love down. Comesana sends Cobolli one way and then the other, but Cobolli is charging around the court as if this is the first set rather than the fifth, and the point is there for the taking as he unwinds on the forehand side … but he miscues! But Cobolli’s return is too hot for Comesana to handle on the second break point! It’s been anything but straightforward, but the fifth seed will now serve for a place in round two.
Thanks Daniel. I’m the bearer of good news, because the rain has finally stopped and play has started away from the two main courts, four hours later than planned. Among the not-so-early runners and riders are Elena Rybakina (2) v Thea Frodin, Belinda Bencic (12) v Yulia Putintseva, Francisco Cerundolo (24) v Filip Misolic and Dane Sweeny v Corentin Moutet. And Comesana raises his arms into the air as he finally holds in that tortuous game for 4-3 in the decider. At four hours and one minute, this is only a few minutes shy of the longest match of Comesana’s career.
Up 15-30, Comesana badly shanks a forehand, putting himself under pressure; will it inspire him as it did Cobolli? Well, he ends a really good point with a slam-dunk overhead, but then flaps a forehand long and we move to deuce then, when he makes advantage, the Italian mooches in to caress a gorgeous volley from below the level of the net; back to deuce we go. And have a look! Sent to the forehand corner, Comesana leaps into a monster that he sends cross at ludicrous pace for advantage … then Cobolli oozes around his backhand to annihilate a winner down the line, so flat it’s almost concave. These two are bringing it now, a nails second serve restoring game point … and another banging forehand from Cobolli confiscating it. Back on Ashe, Fritz has broken Blanch to lead 6-3 6-2 2-1; here’s Katy to coax you through the next bit.
OK, Comesana makes 15-30 … but a service winner doth ensue, then a gorgeous inside-out forehand to the corner, ripped low over the net. Cobolli doesn’t wait to be asked, and soon after, he secures his hold for 3-3, responding to pressure superbly.
A hold for Comesana, who now leads 3-2 in the fifth. I’d still expect Cobolli to find a way to win, but increasingly, this match looks like it’ll come to down to a point here or there, all the more so given neither is a huge server.
Yup, Fritz serves out for a 6-3 6-2 lead, and is in total control. Blanch will be better for the experience, but for now, he’s not quite ready to compete.
Fritz has broken Blanch again to lead 6-3 5-2; Comesana nets at 40-30, such that he and Cobolli are now level at 2-2 in the fifth. Away from our two show courts, though, I’m hoping for some good news soon – we were told no play before round about now, but we’ve not been advised of subsequent developments.
Roger Federer has been inducted into the tennis Hall of Fame – pah, they’re letting in anyone these days. I really liked what Lindsey Voonn wrote about him, though.
There are many athletes that I admire, respect and look up to but Roger was the athlete I aspired to be. Classy, kind, fearless, a true competitor and always a true sportsman.
A very long way to go. Cobolli makes 0-40 and unloads the suitcase from the back, the length and weight of his hitting down the middle soon inciting the error. I love the way he competes, with passion, joy and menace. Comesana leads 2-1 in the fifth, on serve.
Back on Armstrong, Comesana holds, then raises break point … and Cobolli is unusually tentative, swiping a backhand wide, all that work given away just like that. There’s a long way still to go, but the Argentine leads 2-0 in the fifth, four holds from round two.
As luck would have it, Sky change channels just as Fritz breaks Blanch for 3-2 in the second. This looks like being a quick win for the no 9 seed.
Also going on:
Blanch, a decent prospect, is doing nicely in the second, down 3-6 but level at 2-2. His swinging lefty serve is decent, but his second delivery needs serious work; I’m sure Juan Carlos Ferrero will get it done.
Flavio Cobolli has never won a match from two sets down before, but he’s on course so to do now, holding to 15 to level at 2-2. Comesana has played well – the heavy balls help his scurrying, short-guy style – but the gap in class is apparent, and he’ll have to do something very special to win from here, especially given how much chasing he’s already done.
Back on Armstrong, Cobolli is serving for set four at 3-6 2-6 6-3 5-4. Comesana, though, hasn’t made things easy for him … but as I type, a leaping forehand is followed by a flat one that breaks the sideline at the corner of the service box, ridiculous behaviour. and that’s 30-0.
I feel more certain that Fritz won’t – I just don’t think his power is enough at the rarefied level, where he’ll be made to run and pivot more than suits him; he was easily dispatched by Zverev, 4, 4 and 2 in the Wimbledon quarter. But he’s just served out the first set against Blanch to lead 6-3.
So what is Cobolli’s ceiling? I really like him as a player – his forehand, his speed and his competitive charisma especially. If I’m being pressed to guess whether or not he wins a major, I’m going no, because I’m not sure what route to victory he has over five against Alcaraz or Sinner, but perhaps on clay he might find a way.
Comesana gives Cobolli all he has, but an ace is good enough for 5-3, and the Italian is within a game of a decider.
Comesana isn’t taking this fourth set and, at 30-40, Cobolli, who has perhaps diverted his focus to the not-yet-earned final set, sends down a double. He leads 4-2, but some of his momentum has been taken from him while, on Ashe, Blanch hooks a forehand wide when down advantage, and Fritz leads 4-2 in the first.
Fritz and Cobolli are seeded to meet in round four, with Auger-Aliassime potentially waiting in the last eight. I’d be a little surprised if it’s the American still standing at the end of that – I think the other two move too well for him – which is also why I think they’d give Zverev, the probable semi-final opponent, a harder time. But that’s a long way off; so far, Blanch is doing well, down 2-3 on serve in the first.
Yeah, Comesana has gone – or at least he’s gone in this set, broken again by Cobolli, who then holds in 70 seconds for a 4-0 fourth-set lead. This is going all the way, and it’ll take some kind of momentum shift for the Argentinian to win it from here.
Up 40-30, Blanch swats a backhand low into the net, but when Fritz makes advantage a long forehand return restores deuce – and given the serve was only 92mph, that was a chance. From there, Blanch serves out, and he’ll feel better for that.
And now Cobolli consolidates in double-quick time; he trails 1-2 but leads 2-0, while Fritz holds in the first game of his match against Blanch.
Cobolli and Comesana are back after a little recharge, the former sending the latter chasing to hither and yon before earning advantage with a deft volley … quickly confiscated for deuce. No matter: Cobolli soon makes advantage again and the pressure of his hitting is starting to tell, Comesana going long to cede the break. He leads 2-1, but is no longer in control of this match.
Fritz has made the final of this competition and will be one of many fancying their chances in the absence of Jannik Sinner and with Carlos Alcaraz returning from injury. No American man has won this title since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Fritz and Blanch are out on Ashe. Blanch is only 18, so this is by far the biggest match of his career; i can’t wait to see how he goes.
It stopped raining for a bit, but it’s now hosing down again, and there’ll be no play on outside courts until 2.45pm local, 7.45pm BST.
A huge serve earns Cobolli deuce, but a forehand from Comesana, leathered inside-out, means another break-back point … saved. Cobolli then makes advantage, hits to the backhand side, then whips a forehand that breaks the sideline at the service box, and that’s a set back. Comesana leads 6-3 6-2 36, and on we go.
Back on Armstrong, Comesana has held, forcing Cobolli to serve for the third set at 0-2 5-3. It’s 30-all, so there’s work to do.
Naomi Broady reckons Keys has a chance of winning this competition, but I’m less certain. I can’t see her beating Osaka or Rybakina, one of whom probably awaits in the last eight, nor Gauff or Andreeva, likely semi-final opponents. But of she gets it right, she can handle anyone.
Next on Ashe: Taylor Fritz (9) v Darwin Blanch.
Keys did her best not to win, but she got there. It’s always tough playing someone young and in the first round of a slam, she says, so she’s glad she fought her way through it. Asked how she controlled her nerves, she says she doesn’t think she did, but relied on backing herself and making a lot of balls.
She still sees herself as a teenager, she says, so it felt weird playing one, then advertises her podcast and tells us she’s constantly gardening – her neighbour is watering the plants while she’s gone -buying new furniture and making coffee.
Madison Keys (22) beats Alina Korneeva 7-5 6-4
Next for her: Havlickova or Bondar.
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