Katie Boulter v Aliaksandra Sasnovich LIVE: US Open tennis scores as British No.1 secures comeback win
The US Open first round continues with Dan Evans, Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper also in action at Flushing Meadows
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Katie Boulter got her US Open campaign off to a successful start as she faced Belarussian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the first round at Flushing Meadows in New York. The British No.1 took to court against the qualifier and never settled in the opening set.
After taking a 2-0 lead, Boulter slipped behind and lost the opener to a thriving Sasnovich who looked dangerous. However, Boulter recovered to take the next two sets without much trouble, holding serve in each game and securing enough breaks to win the match 5-7 6-2 6-1.
She now advances into the second round and will be hoping for a long run at the tournament this time around. Boulter has had a good and consistent this year so far, winning two WTA Tour titles but has underperformed in the majors. In 2024, she is is yet to progress futher than the second round at a Grand Slam but will be confident after her win on Tuesday.
Relive the action from Boulter’s opening US Open match below:
Carlos Alcaraz plays down US Open injury fears
Carlos Alcaraz has played down any injury concerns ahead of the US Open after twisting his ankle in a practice session on Saturday.
The Spaniard is gunning for a third successive grand slam title after winning the French Open and Wimbledon, but had to stop his session with Francisco Cerundolo.
Alcaraz rolled his left ankle when he was stretching for a ball on his backhand wing and left the court after a quick chat with his team.
I think it is OK – Carlos Alcaraz plays down US Open injury fears
The Spaniard abandoned his practice session with Francisco Cerundolo in New York after twisting his ankle.
‘Whether it’s 2024 or not, I will do it again’ claims Gauff
The reigning US champion is adamant that she will lift the trophy again whether she can complete back-to-back tournament victories this year or not.
She said: “I’m not going to put pressure on myself on my victory lap. I’m treating this tournament like if you’re defending something it means you won.
“If you did it, it means you’re going to do it again. Whether I do it again this year again or not, I am going to do it again. Whether it’s 2024 or not, I will do it again.
“The last couple of weeks were tough, and I was like, ‘I have to do this and do that’, but I don’t have to prove anything to anyone except myself.
“So this whole week or two weeks are just about proving all the expectations that I have on myself.
“I have a lot left to give this game, and whether that’s going to happen this year or in the future, I have many more years coming back here, and I’m not going to win every year.
“So I think just that perspective and just having the belief that I can but not the expectation that I should.”
‘Murray will leave a big hole’ says Boulter
As the next era of British tennis players take to court at the US Open without Andy Murray at the tournament they are all being asked their opinion on how things feel without the veteran.
Katie Boulter insisted the 37-year-old’s retirement will leave a big hole.
“He’s been so well established in the British tennis system for so long now, he’s kind of been the one holding us all up,” she said.
“He’s been there the whole entire time, and I don’t take that for granted. I think everything that he’s done for us is incredible. I think it put British tennis on another level, and inspired so many kids.
“There’s always going to be a hole in British tennis, and I think there’s going to be a lot of people that will fill it, and hopefully I can be one of them.”
Jack Draper looking to fill retired Andy Murray’s ‘rancid, stinking shoes’
British number one Jack Draper wants to fill the sizeable shoes of Andy Murray – even if they did used to stink the locker room out.
Life after Murray begins in earnest on Monday with the start of the US Open in the first grand slam since the Scot called time on his glittering career.
“It seems a bit weird not having Andy there with his rancid, stinking shoes lying next to me in the locker room,” Draper said ahead of his first-round match with Zhang Zhizhen on Tuesday.
“Andy’s shoes would always be drying out next to me with his wedding ring on it and that sort of stuff. I do miss his presence a lot. I think it’s important that I do obviously feel a responsibility to really play good tennis and be the British number one.
“So I miss Andy, but obviously things have to come to an end, and hopefully I can keep on going from here and the other players as well.
“I will miss those moments when you’re in the locker room before matches and you’ve got someone as great as Andy sat next to you. It’s mad sitting next to one of your idols from a young age, and yet to not have them here anymore is obviously difficult.”
Emma Raducanu says US Open ‘doesn’t feel different at all’ without Andy Murray
Emma Raducanu insists the tennis world moves on quickly as life after Andy Murray begins at the US Open.
Murray called time on his glittering career after the Olympic Games and the New York tournament is the first grand slam in the post-Murray era.
Asked whether anything felt different in New York without Murray around, she said: “It doesn’t feel different at all. Tennis is unforgiving in that sense.
“No matter who you are, it just moves on. There is always another match, there is always another tournament.
“Of course Andy has achieved amazing things and I watched him win this tournament but it is a fast pace, just like life is. It’s old news the next day kind of thing.
“I think the Brits are doing really well right now. I think overall, we are all kind of pushing each other, we are all competitive.
“You see other ones doing well and you want to do the same. I think, especially with the guys, there are a lot more guys in qualifying this year which is really cool.
“Because when I came three years ago, there were barely any players. Now I feel there are lot more who have chances to do well even in the main.”
A scalpel, a spray and a skin condition: how Jannik Sinner explained away doping case
Jannik Sinner will begin his bid to win the US Open next week in the wake of revelations that the 23-year-old, who is the men’s No 1-ranked tennis player, twice tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid in March.
It’s a case that no one knew about until Tuesday and one that has drawn all sorts of questions – and, in some instances, criticism – from other players who wonder whether there was a double standard at play because of Sinner’s success, are confused about why this was all kept under wraps, and want to know why Sinner was allowed to keep competing before there was a resolution.
A scalpel, a spray and a skin condition: how Jannik Sinner explained away doping case
Timeline: Sinner, the men’s No 1-ranked player, twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol but successfully argued he had been inadvertently contaminated by his physiotherapist
Jannik Sinner’s coach says doping case has taken physical and mental toll
Jannik Sinner’s coach has defended the world number one and suggested the investigation into his failed anti-doping tests led to his player missing the Olympic Games.
It was revealed that Sinner failed two anti-doping tests in March but has been absolved of fault or negligence by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
Sinner was first told of his doping violation in April and, while he has won tournaments in Halle and Cincinnati, the Italian pulled out of the Paris Games after a bout of tonsillitis and his coach Darren Cahill feels the investigation had started to wear down the 23-year-old.
Cahill told ESPN: “I guess if you are not a Jannik fan, you may not see too much difference in what he has been doing the last few months because he has still been playing quite well.
“But if you are a Jannik fan, you would have seen a big change in his body language, physicality on the court, his excitement to be on the court – he’s struggled and I think it’s worn him down physically and mentally.
“He got tonsillitis, which is the reason why he missed the Olympics.
“I just want to stress that he’s maybe the most professional young man that I have ever had the chance to work with. He would never ever intentionally do anything and he’s in a situation that is incredibly unfortunate.”
Coco Gauff eases past France’s Varvara Gracheva
Coco Gauff has vowed to win the US Open again after beginning the defence of her 2023 title in style.
The American claimed her first grand slam title 12 months ago and kicked off her 2024 campaign by dropping just two games in a 6-2 6-0 rout of Varvara Gracheva on Arthur Ashe.
Gauff has not been in the best of form in recent months but is hoping a return to New York can spark a resurgence.
The British hopefuls at the US Open
The main British focus will be on Jack Draper, Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu at this week’s US Open as grand-slam life after Andy Murray begins in earnest.
Draper will be seeded in the men’s draw and his run to the fourth round last year shows he is a threat on the American hard courts.
Draper, Boulter, Raducanu lead British contingent at US Open in post-Murray era
The final grand slam of the year gets under way at Flushing Meadows next week.
How will Boulter and Raducanu fare at US Open?
Katie Boulter is the women’s British number one and has the most consistency with two WTA Tour titles this year.
But she has not lit up the grand slams, having not got past the second round so far in 2024, so that is something she will want to put right.
Emma Raducanu, meanwhile, has history in New York, with her 2021 title one of the greatest sporting stories of all time. Her career has stalled since then due to injuries, but she had promising results in the British grasscourt swing.
She has played just one tournament since Wimbledon, though, so it is an unknown as to exactly where her game is.
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