| Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 29 August-11 September |
| Protection: Day by day radio commentaries throughout BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport web site and app, with chosen dwell textual content commentaries and match studies on the web site and app |
Andy Murray overcame a assured begin by younger American wildcard Emilio Nava to achieve the US Open third spherical for the primary time since 2016.
Britain’s Murray missed possibilities earlier than shedding a protracted first set however fought again to win 5-7 6-3 6-1 6-0 in New York.
The 35-year-old, who performs Italian thirteenth seed Matteo Berrettini subsequent, is joined within the final 32 by Jack Draper after the Briton shocked Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Draper, 20, beat the Canadian sixth seed 6-4 6-4 6-4 in spectacular trend.
However compatriot Harriet Dart was unable to seal her place within the subsequent spherical after shedding 6-4 6-0 to Hungary’s Dalma Galfi.
Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans may additionally transfer into the boys’s third spherical on Thursday, however there are not any British girls remaining within the singles after Emma Raducanu misplaced on the first hurdle of her title defence on Tuesday.
Murray makes use of expertise to deflate Nava
A deep run at a serious event has lengthy been one among former world primary Murray’s largest targets, with the Scot’s physique ultimately beginning to maintain up for longer intervals than current seasons.
Since having the hip surgical procedure that he feared may finish his profession in 2019, Murray had solely reached the third spherical at a Grand Slam occasion as soon as when he misplaced to Canada’s Denis Shapovalov at Wimbledon in 2021.
Finally he reached the identical stage once more at Flushing Meadows, the place he received his first main title in 2012, after carrying down Nava.
“Bodily that is the perfect I’ve felt up to now few years,” Murray stated.
“My motion is by far the perfect it has been in a very long time and it has clearly been a giant a part of my recreation.
“I really feel like I am getting nearer to the place I wish to be.”
Murray moved into the second spherical with a snug win in opposition to twenty fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo, which was the primary time he had received a match at a serious in straight units since 2017.
However 20-year-old wildcard Nava needed to come by a gruelling five-setter and their contrasting power ranges ultimately proved a key distinction.
Earlier than Wednesday’s match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Murray revealed he had practised with Nava earlier this week and stated it was useful to get a really feel of his soon-to-be opponent’s ball.
However he will need to have nonetheless been stunned by world quantity 203 Nava’s stage in a marathon first set.
After failing to serve out at 5-3, Nava clinched an 84-minute opener by breaking Murray’s serve once more from deuce at 6-5, due to a pair of beautiful forehand winners from deep within the courtroom.
The subsequent query was whether or not Nava – making his debut on Ashe – may keep a excessive stage that was manner above his rating.
Rapidly it turned obvious he wouldn’t. Murray was inspired by a dip of power from Nava, breaking serve for a 3-2 lead within the second and by no means trying like he would relinquish the benefit.
The dominance continued into the third set and the three-time main champion, utilizing all his expertise and know-how to drive errors from Nava, received 17 of the ultimate 19 video games.
“I feel I began to take the ball on a bit bit extra, he was dictating quite a lot of the factors,” Murray stated.
“I began to hit the ball deeper and I feel his stage dropped a bit. However he is a superb younger participant and he will have a really vivid future.”
Draper advances with largest win of profession
Late into the evening, Draper continued his sensible US Open debut with a outstanding win over Auger-Aliassime through which the Briton’s serve was by no means damaged.
The rising star of British tennis, Draper had already toppled gamers like Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem earlier in August and he made gentle work of his assembly with Auger-Aliassime on Louis Armstrong Stadium, one of many largest phases in his sport.
He broke his opponent’s serve within the opening recreation, capitalising on 2021 semi-finalist Auger-Aliassime’s errors earlier than saving three break factors to serve out the primary set.
Auger-Aliassime, ranked eighth on this planet in comparison with Draper’s 53rd, was fully outplayed by the younger Briton, who has risen greater than 200 locations within the rankings up to now 12 months and this win will earn him a spot within the prime 50 for the primary time.
Victory places Draper into the third spherical of a Grand Slam for the primary time, the place he’ll face Russian twenty seventh seed Karen Khachanov.
“I’ve put in quite a lot of onerous work the previous few years. I’ve been a bit unlucky with damage at a younger age,” Draper stated. “I performed a very good match right now.”
Dart can not again up first-round efficiency
Dart impressed in her first-round victory in opposition to tenth seed Daria Kasatkina, however couldn’t observe Murray into the third spherical.
The 26-year-old – who would have changed Raducanu as British primary had she received – is ranked three locations increased than Hungarian opponent Galfi at 88th on this planet, however was outplayed on courtroom 12.
Galfi broke Dart’s serve within the first recreation of the match and raced to a 4-0 lead.
The Briton fought again, claiming a break herself to get to 5-3, however Galfi was capable of maintain on to take the primary set.
The second was not as aggressive and Dart regarded visibly upset as she struggled to seek out any method to penetrate Galfi’s recreation because the Hungarian rushed to what was in the long run a snug victory.
