Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek shine in US Open first round victories

NEW YORK, August 28 ------ World No. 1 Jannik Sinner began his bid for back-to-back US Open titles with an emphatic victory as women’s draw favorite Iga Swiatek swept into the second round.

Italian star Sinner waltzed to a 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 win over Czech World No. 89 Vit Kopriva, needing just one hour and 38 minutes to advance to the next round. “It feels great to be back here. Obviously, it’s a very special tournament,” said Sinner, who is attempting to become the first man to repeat as US Open champion since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004 to 2008.

Sinner, 24, faces Alexei Popyrin in the third round. “I’m very happy that I’m healthy again,” said Sinner, who was forced to retire from last week’s Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz. “I have amazing memories [from last year]. Every year is different. You come here starting this tournament hopefully in the best possible way, which I did,” he added.

Sinner’s blistering start on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court was matched by Poland’s Swiatek, who was similarly emphatic in a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Colombia’s Emiliana Arango. The 24-year-old from Poland was always in control against 84th-ranked Arango, overwhelming the Colombian with some powerful ground strokes mixed with some deft work at the net.

The win makes Swiatek the first woman in history to win 65 consecutive WTA-level first-round matches, surpassing Monica Seles’ previous record of 64. Yet Swiatek’s performance was relegated to a footnote in her post-match press conference, where news of pop star Taylor Swift’s engagement to NFL player Travis Kelce dominated the questions.

Source: manilatimes.net