Amid persistent rain at the U.S. Open causing delays, Jessica Pegula swiftly advanced to the third round after defeating Sofia Kenin in just 56 minutes. Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, had previously beaten Venus Williams in her first match.
Expressing her satisfaction, Pegula remarked on the rare quick match duration, saying, “To be out of there in under an hour, it doesn’t always happen.” She eagerly looks forward to her next match.
Leylah Fernandez, the No. 31 seed, set up a match against Pegula, creating a showdown between past U.S. Open runners-up. The victor will face either No. 16 Sorana Cirstea or No. 19 Jasmine Paolini in the next round.
While some players faced delays due to the ongoing rain, matches continued smoothly under the roofs of Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium. Ben Shelton, the No. 8 seed, triumphed over Hubert Hurkacz, and Daniil Medvedev swiftly defeated Sebastian Gorzny after a brief interruption to address a replay decision involving birds on the net.
Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz were set to compete at night on Ashe, with other players still completing their first-round matches.
The U.S. Open had to extend the first round into a fourth day due to the rain delays. Players like Alex de Minaur, the No. 6 seed, had to adapt to multiple schedule changes but managed to secure a victory against Andrea Guerrieri.
Amidst the disruptions, Paula Badosa overcame challenges to finish her match against Daria Kasatkina, setting up a clash with No. 4 Coco Gauff in the second round.
Rafael Jodar, the 19-year-old Spanish player, faced a tough defeat by Bu Yunchaokete after completing his delayed first-round match. Jodar acknowledged the uncontrollable nature of the weather and the difficulties it posed for both players.
The tournament worked to catch up on matches delayed by rain, with numerous singles matches being played on the men’s side. Notable results included an upset by Alex Michelsen over No. 16 seed Brandon Nakashima and wins by Karolina Muchova and Marta Kostyuk to advance to the next round.