“,”elementId”:”1b342e01-57e7-4c20-9ec5-4bf06de26880″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
The build-up to this tournament has largely been dominated by Jannik Sinner. The world No 1 had tested positive twice for trace amounts of the banned substance clostebol from anti-doping test samples taken in March. But an independent tribunal had subsequently determined that Sinner should bear no fault for the failed tests. This news was all kept under wraps until he was cleared, a day after he had won his second Masters 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open.
“,”elementId”:”05e6887c-1b98-4a32-87bb-6e0b2f0bb37a”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Turning to today, we have the defending champion Coco Gauff, the Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen and Britain’s Harriet Dart all in action
“,”elementId”:”d3cc3c80-50e5-4625-ab0d-6e7f60a3dad9″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
On the men’s side, the US fan favourite and last year’s semi-finalist Ben Shelton, the 2022 finalist, Casper Ruud, and Alexander Zverev will face their first round matches today.
“,”elementId”:”e5b7c327-f483-4021-b129-013ee564d384″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Join me for all the news and action from Flushing Meadows. If you have any thoughts, concerns, questions, musings, predictions or hopes and dreams you want to share, then drop me a line via email. You can find the information at the top of this blog.
“,”elementId”:”d27891a3-41e0-4803-99b5-e99a770de48d”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1724682015000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”10.20 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1724681798000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”: “10.16 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1724682015000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”10.20 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”10.20″,”title”:”Preface”,”Contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Monday, August 26, 2024 11:24 EDT”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First Published Monday, August 26, 2024 10:20 EDT”}],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”id”:”key-events-carousel-mobile”,”absoluteServerTimes”:false}”>
Main Events
Choinski 1-2 Carballes Baena* (represents the server): On Court 16, Carballes Baena has a one game lead over Chojnski. The match is more free-flowing, but both players are making more unforced errors. It will likely be a battle to see who can maintain more composure.
* Zheng 1-1 Anisimova (meaning the server): Anisimova’s backhand is sometimes lethal, but Zheng serves where the American likes it. After the Chinese hits a shot into the net, Zheng leads 40-0, but then a forehand goes wide and it’s 40-15. Zheng saves again, then a shot just into the net takes it to deuce, disrupting Anisimova’s game, and three break points come in quick succession. Zheng holds, and we’re even. Zheng has to work and make this a forehand crosscourt battle. I feel she’s a bit impatient there, which is hindering the rallies.
Zheng 0-1 Anisimova* (representing the server): The American won the first set after a very strong serve, and from the first game it was clear that it would be an interesting matchup, as the strengths of the two players are very different.
The US Open is underway. We start with two matches. The first is the Louis Armstrong Match, where Olympic gold medallist Zheng Quin-wen will face Amanda Anisimova, whose best Grand Slam result is a Wimbledon quarterfinal in 2022. On Court 16, German-born Briton Jan Choynski has qualified for the main draw for the first time in his career and will face Roberto Carballes Baena.
Jack Draper is on the defensive after coming under fire for controversial comments he made following his fourth-round win over Felix Auger-Aliassime at the Cincinnati Open.
Draper, the other Hoping to impress, the Brit attempted to cap off her fine performance against Auger-Aliassime with a serve-and-volley, but instead of hitting a forehand half-volley, Draper inadvertently hit the ball to the ground, where it bounced up and over the net. Umpire Greg Allensworth failed to notice that the ball had bounced twice, and a frustrated Auger-Aliassime patiently explained why Draper should have lost the point.
The Briton offered to have the point replayed if he could see a video replay, but continued to insist he didn’t know what had happened and he was eventually adjudged the winner.
I’ve always valued being honest and a good person. Forget tennis. Tennis is one of the most important things in my life. So obviously it’s tough to see something like that and to see people talking negatively about you for the first time and questioning your integrity and stuff like that.
I don’t blame people for doing that. Of course, if you watch it from the side in slow motion, it’s obvious that it’s an illegal shot. There’s no question about that. But in that moment, I served it outside and my opponent hits the ball at my feet at 95 miles per hour, I just put my racket down, and I didn’t know what happened. I immediately looked at the umpire. I think I hit the ball because I thought it was going to go in the bottom of the net. And it hit the net and went over the net. It was just like a moment of madness.
A familiar face is Emma Raducanu in New York, “inspired” to be back at the place where she won her first and only Grand Slam title.
Tennis may well have been the highlight of British sport in the 2020s, with Raducane winning the US Open in 2021, becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title.
This summer, British number two Raducane said she had found joy in tennis again after a long elusive experience, and her track record over the past four months has backed that up: Raducane has reached the quarter-finals or better in four of her last six tour events, reached the fourth round at Wimbledon and played a decisive role in Britain’s clay-court victory over France at the Billie Jean King Cup.
I feel so proud when I come here. Every day I walk past my picture. Every day I walk past my name on the trophy. It’s such an amazing achievement. And I achieved it in these last two weeks. I come back with a totally different perspective. I feel just joy and pride and I want to work harder.
While Sinner says he is not receiving preferential treatment, many disagree with Novak Djokovic’s “understandable” sentiments. The Serb has called for changes to anti-doping rules following the recent case against Sinner.
We see a lack of standardized and clear protocols. I understand the feelings of many athletes who are wondering if they are being treated the same. Hopefully, the governing bodies of our sport can learn from this and take a better approach going forward. Across the board, change is needed and I think that’s clear.
Many players – I won’t name any of them [as] I think you all know that there are already people out there who have had similar or nearly similar cases who didn’t get the same outcome. And now the question is whether it’s a question of funding, whether players can afford to pay a lot of money to law firms that will defend their cases more effectively. I don’t know. Yes or no. This is really something that I feel we need to look into more collectively.
Carlos Alcaraz was cautious when asked about his rival’s positive test.
In the end, he was found not guilty and was allowed to play in the tournament. I don’t think there’s much more to say, or at least I don’t have much to say. It’s a hot topic. [in the locker room].
As mentioned before, Sinner is a word that is on everyone’s lips. The Italian has had a breakout year, winning his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne in January and rocketing to world number one at the French Open.
The Italian faced the media for the first time since the results were revealed in New York last week, and although the presenter tried to shut down questions on the topic after being asked just one question, Sinner happily answered them all at length and engaged in full conversation with the questioner.
I’ve had this in mind for months now, [reminding] “I am convinced that I have done nothing wrong. I have always respected these rules and I will always respect the anti-doping rules. Obviously I am relieved by this result.
Any player who tests positive has to go through the same process. There are no shortcuts, there are no different treatments, it’s all the same process.
Sinner will begin her US Open campaign against Mackenzie McDonald of the United States, who is ranked 119th in the world.
preamble
Hello everyone and welcome to the first blog of the 2024 US Open.
Preparation for the tournament has been largely driven by Jannik Sinner. The world number one tested positive twice for traces of the banned substance clostebol in anti-doping samples taken in March, but an independent adjudicating body later found Sinner not to blame for the failed tests. The news was kept secret until Sinner was exonerated, the day after he won his second Masters 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open.
Defending champion Coco Gauff, Olympic gold medallist Cheng Keum Wen and Great Britain’s Harriet Dart will be in action today.
On the men’s side, popular American player and last year’s semi-finalist Ben Shelton, 2022 finalist Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev will play in their first-round matches today.
Follow along with me as I share all the news and activity from Flushing Meadows, and if you have any comments, concerns, questions, thoughts, predictions, hopes, dreams or anything else you’d like to share, please send me an email – the information is at the top of this blog.
