Flavio Cobolli staged a remarkable comeback after being two sets down to avoid an early upset in the men’s competition at the US Open. However, Maria Sakkari’s turnaround was even more spectacular as she battled back from a 6-2, 4-0 deficit to defeat Robin Montgomery 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Meanwhile, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva and 2024 US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz smoothly advanced to the second round, contrasting with the close matches following a rainy start to the day.
Cobolli, seeded fifth and a French Open finalist, overcame Francisco Comesana in a grueling 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory that lasted over 4 hours. His victory prevented an early exit like that of other seeded players in the men’s draw, including Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fils.
After making adjustments, Cobolli shared, “So I changed all the dress that I started with today and it works. In Grand Slams, it’s never done. You have to fight until the last point.” Fritz, seeded ninth, breezed past Darwin Blanch 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, while Andreev defeated Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2.
Madison Keys swiftly advanced to the second round, defeating Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4 in the opening match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, expressed relief at overcoming the challenge posed by her young opponent.
Play finally commenced on the outdoor courts in the afternoon, with Elena Rybakina, the second seed, defeating Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2. Notable players like Coco Gauff, Alexander Zverev, and Alex Eala were scheduled to play later in the evening on the third day of the first round.
Keys faced a minor setback but recovered to secure victory, recalling past highs and lows in her career. In other matches, Belinda Bencic, seeded twelfth, fell to Yulia Putintseva in a three-set encounter.