US Open Day 2: Brutal Venus Williams exit ‘uncomfortable for everyone’
American champion Venus Williams has been unceremoniously bundled out of her home grand slam in absolutely brutal fashion.
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Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise most of Australia’s men’s singles players took the court in the very early hours of the morning (AEST) on day two of the US Open.
Because apart from Chris O’Connell’s four-set win over countryman Max Purcell, there wasn’t much to write home about.
Thanasi Kokkinakis produced perhaps the most disappointing performance of the entire day to lose to Taiwanese qualifier Yu Hsiou Hsu in four sets.
Jordan Thompson also retired hurt with an achilles injury after losing the opening set of his match.
Jason Kubler was forced to retire from his match Matteo Arnaldi after just 10 games with a knee injury.
The 6-3 1-0 walkover was one of a string of disappointing results as James Duckworth couldn’t take a set off 168th-ranked Brazilian Felipe Alves and Aleksandar Vukic failed to trouble Alexander Zverev.
The only good news was Alex de Minaur moving through to the second round with a four sets win over Timofey Skatov.
Top seeds win through
Carlos Alcaraz was leading 6-2 3-2 before Dominik Koepfer retired hurt, giving the Spanish sensation an easy path into the second round.
The Wimbledon champion’s first ever custom Nike outfit caused quite the stir.
Women’s second seed Aryna Sabalenka overcame several double faults early in the match to defeat Maryna Zanevska 6-3 6-2.
Venus knocked out in demolition job
Venus Williams has been unceremoniously knocked out in the first round by World No. 97 Greet Minnen, losing 6-1 6-1.
In her 24th appearance at the US Open, the 43-year-old was well below her best and she slumped to her most lopsided loss ever at Flushing Meadows.
Williams has now lost her last three US Open matches and retirement may be soon around the corner.
Tennis journalist Christopher Clarey said the loss was “sad to see”.
Venus waves goodbye to the 2023 #USOpen.
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) August 30, 2023
That was uncomfortable for everyone. pic.twitter.com/PBsuhcWiAs
Britain stunned by perfect 36 hours of tennis
It’s extremely rare for a country’s contingent of players to all have success in the first round of a grand slam, but that’s exactly what happened to Great Britain.
British men Dan Evans, Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper all won their matches in straight sets, as did British women Yuriko Miyazaki, Jodie Anna Burrage, Katie Boulter.
Extraordinary 36 hours for British tennis, all 7 singles players in the first round win in straight sets, Jodie Burrage on the anchor leg upsetting Russian Anna Blinkova.
— Mike Dickson (@Mike_Dickson_DM) August 30, 2023
British players have now played 15 sets in this #USOpen.
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) August 29, 2023
They have won all 15. ð±
Veteran in tears after getting booed off court
The most dramatic moments early on Day 2 came as the controversy surrounding Coco Gauff’s explosive win over Laura Siegemund continued to swirl.
The 35-year-old qualifier from Germany gave American hopeful Gauff a huge scare on opening night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The match took almost three hours due to Siegemund’s slow pace of play.
The crowd began to get on the German star’s back about how long she was taking.
And Gauff, 19, also grew frustrated at the slow play from her opponent in the first round clash.
Spectators were seen booing Siegemund during long breaks in between serves and called, “Time!” as she prepared to serve.
They were also seen motioning to pretend watches on their wrists.
Siegemund complained to the umpire, but the booing continued.
She was in tears when speaking to journalists in her post-match press conference.
After her loss, Siegemund said: “I am very, very disappointed with the way the people treated me today. They had no respect for me.
“They treated me like I was a bad person. This is something that I have to say hurts really bad.”
She went on to say: “They treated me bad. They treated me like I’m a cheater. Like OI was trying sneaky ways to win this match.”
I'm sure getting booed doesn't feel good, and I sympathize with her for that, but Coco isn't the first player to question her gamesmanship. she has a reputation among her fellow players and tennis fan alike, since she was much younger, and for good reason. https://t.co/19m7nLnf9r
— NoFirstName Hardcourtdalovic (@samstennnis) August 29, 2023
She said addressing the incident was the “first time” she had cried during a post match press conference.
Siegemund added that she is contemplating not returning to the tournament.
“I mean, I would only come back because this is a Slam,” she said after the defeat.
“But for sure, not for the people, to give them a show. If they are like this, they don’t deserve a show.”
Elsewhere, third seed Daniil Medvedev raced into the second round with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 victory over Hungary’s Attila Balazs.
Medvedev, the 2021 champion in New York, pumped 41 winners past the unranked journeyman Balazs in a one-sided encounter lasting 74 minutes.
The Russian will now play O’Connell for a spot in the last 32.
The world number three, who was also runner-up to Rafael Nadal here in 2019, said he was happy to slide under the radar with much of the spotlight fixed on Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
“I don’t care. It’s normal that Carlos and Novak are the biggest names right now,” said Medvedev.
“My goal is to try to play well to get to wherever they are and try to win.”
Veteran Andy Murray also moved through to the second round after winning his 200th career grand slam match with a straight-sets victory over Corentin Moutet.
In the women’s draw, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur overcame a medical scare to battle past Colombia’s Camila Osorio.
Jabeur, chasing a first Grand Slam crown after three agonising defeats in finals since 2022, opened her US Open campaign with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) victory on the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The 29-year-old looked to be struggling during a tense first set, complaining to the chair umpire that she was having difficulty breathing after Osorio fought back from 4-1 down to level at 4-4.
Jabeur needed treatment from medical staff after going 5-4 down in the first set, and appeared to have her blood pressure taken during a time-out.
She then rallied to take the first set and appeared to poised to clinch victory after holding two match points in the second set while 5-3 up.
However Osorio rallied to stave off defeat, and went on to level at 5-5 after breaking Jabeur.
Jabeur broke back immediately to take a 6-5 lead but was then broken once again to send the second set to a tie break.
Jabeur proved too strong for Osorio in the breaker, however, and will now face the Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova in the second round.
Women’s third seed Jessica Pegula also strolled into the second round, brushing aside Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-2.
Early Day Two Results
Men —
Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) d Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3 - retired
Arthur Fils (FRA) d Tallon Griekspoor (NED x24) 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
Hsu Yu-hsiou (TPE) d Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Daniel Altmaier (GER) d Constant Lestienne (FRA) 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-1, 6-2
Andy Murray (GBR) d Corentin Moutet (FRA) 6-2, 7-5, 6-3
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x19) d Alex Molcan (SVK) 6-7 (9/11), 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (11/9)
Michael Mmoh (USA) d Karen Khachanov (RUS x11) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
John Isner (USA) d Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG) 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1)
Jack Draper (GBR) d Radu Albot (MDA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-3
Matteo Berrettini (ITA) d Ugo Humbert (FRA x29) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) d Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 Andrey Rublev (RUS x8) bt Arthur Cazaux (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) bt Jason Kubler (AUS) 6-3, 3-0 - retired
Cameron Norrie (GBR x16) d Alexander Shevchenko (RUS) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Alexander Zverev (GER x12) d Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Daniil Medvedev (RUS x3) d Attila Balazs (HUN) 6-1, 6-1, 6-0
Christopher O’Connell (AUS) d Max Purcell (AUS) 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5)
Felipe Meligeni Alves (BRA) d James Duckworth (AUS) 6-4, 7-6 (13/11), 6-3
Nicolas Jarry (CHI x23) d Luca Van Assche (FRA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)
Alex Michelsen (USA) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
Women —
Wang Yafan (CHN) d Caroline Garcia (FRA x7) 6-4, 6-1
Katie Boulter (GBR) d Diane Parry (FRA) 6-4, 6-0
Peyton Stearns (USA) d Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) 6-3, 6-4
Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x22) d Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-4
Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) d Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
Martina Trevisan (ITA) d Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 0-6, 7-6 (7/0), 7-6 (10/8)
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x9) d Na-Lae Han (KOR) 6-3, 6-0
Liudmila Samsonova (RUS x14) d Claire Liu (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3
Tamara Korpatsch (GER) d Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) 6-3, 6-2
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 6-4, 6-4
Madison Keys (USA x17) d Arantxa Rus (NED) 6-2, 6-4
Elina Svitolina (UKR x26) d Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) 6-3, 6-1
Jessica Pegula (USA x3) d Camila Giorgi (ITA) 6-2, 6-2
Ons Jabeur (TUN x5) d Camila Osorio (COL) 7-5, 7-6 (7/4)
Linda Noskova (CZE) d Madison Brengle (USA) 6-2, 6-1
Petra Martic (CRO) d Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-2, 6-1
Marie Bouzkova (CZE x31) d Ashlyn Krueger (USA) 7-5, 6-4
Daria Kasatkina (RUS x13) d Alycia Parks (USA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Karolina Plísková (CZE x25) d Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) 6-1, 6-4
Clara Burel (FRA) d Caroline Dolehide (USA) 6-4, 6-3
– with AFP
Originally published as US Open Day 2: Brutal Venus Williams exit ‘uncomfortable for everyone’