Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the second round as seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams was also knocked out in her 100th US Open match with a heavy loss.
After his opponent retired with an injury and Venus Williams lost in the first round of the US Open, the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the second round.
When Dominik Koepfer retired with the Spaniard leading 6-2, 3-2, Alcaraz was handed an easy victory.
Minutes into the match, the German rolled his ankle at an unnerving angle before taking a medical timeout to have it taped.
Carlos Alcaraz has now moved to 37-8 at Grand Slam events. Among male players under 21 in the Open Era, only Mats Wilander (38) has gotten more wins inside their initial 45 Grand Slam matches.
Alcaraz effortlessly changed over a break point with a very much positioned drop shot.
Koepfer showed coarseness as he battled off a break point in the third game but complained to his team that his lower leg was not doing so good. He covered his head in his towel after Alcaraz changed over on a break-point chance in the seventh game.
The world number 75, who was down a break in the second set, held off two break-point chances in the fifth game before resigning solemnly by walking to the net.
Alcaraz said:
“Obviously I want to play battles. I want to play the full matches. This is not the best way to win a match.
“But obviously, playing the night session, I’m happy to come back early, have some rest. Well, a little bit more than I expect before starting the match.
“It’s going to be better for me to recover into the next round.”
Alcaraz’s new sleeveless look drew more comparisons with his fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal and his US Open victory in 2019.
“I was thinking about Rafa when he wore that. He won that US Open, right?” added the 20-year-old.
“I love to wear that sometimes in some specific tournaments. Here in the US Open, I was supposed to play last year. This year it’s a good, good outfit, so I love it.”
Meanwhile, with his victory over Yoshihito Nishioka, Wawrinka also becomes the oldest man since Jimmy Connors in 1992 to reach the second round of the US Open.
Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 champion, defeated Hungarian Attila Balazs by a score of 6-1 6-1 6-0, while Stan Wawrinka, the previous champion, defeated Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan by a score of 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 6-4.
Alexander Zverev, the sprinter up in 2020, is also through to the second round with a straight-sets prevail over Australian Aleksandar Vukic.
American John Isner defeated 22-year-old Argentine Facundo Diaz Acosta, making his U.S. Open debut, in his final US Open match since announcing his retirement. Isner won in straight sets.
Isner shot 11 experts and piled up 40 wins while defeating Diaz Acosta 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-1).
“It’s not goodbye yet,” Isner told the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium. “I’m actually feeling pretty good, so I’m going to try to keep this going as long as I can.”
In the Women’s match, Venus Williams’ 24th US Open was brought to an abrupt end inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
It’s Baby No. 2 For Tennis Hotshot Serena Williams
The two-time winner, handed a wild card at the age of 43, was crushed 6-1 6-1 in the first round by Belgian Greet Minnen.
The American said: “I have to give credit to my opponent, there wasn’t a shot she couldn’t make.
“I don’t think I played badly, it was just one of those days where I was unlucky.
“I was really happy to be here. I love playing here and I really gave it my all today.”
Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur had to overcome breathing difficulties to battle past Columbia’s Camila Osorio.
The Tunisian had her blood pressure checked at one point before securing a 7-5 7-6 (7-4) victory.
Belarusian world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka beat Belgium’s Maryna Zanevska 6-3 6-2 to advance to a meeting with Jodie Burrage.
