Key events
Let’s head to Ben Shelton’s contest with Ignacio Buse. Shelton is the sixth seed, 22 years young and an American hope. He’s got form, too, having won the Canadian Open this month. He’s 3-2 up against Buse, with the Peruvian to serve.
Raducanu speaks: “Playing Ena, she’s really tricky, she hit so many balls on the baseline that I was not expecting to just dip. She obviously came through qualifying and you feel like you have a bit of an advantage, you’re playing on the surface and know what it feels like so I’m just very pleased with how I managed myself, managed my game through that match.”
Emma Raducanu beats Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2
Raducanu goes up 40-0 after dominating from the baseline, and Shibahara sends a forehand wide to end the contest. She’s into the second round for the first time since her 2021 triumph with a dominant display.
Shibahara is growing into the contest … but it’s probably too late. She’s looked more comfortable when advancing to the net and goes up 40-15 … before double-faulting. A fine serve down the middle gives Shibahara the game. Raducanu leads 6-1, 5-2.
Raducanu goes wide with a forehand to begin the game and Shibahara pumps her fist … but her frustration returns when she goes long to make it 15-all. But Shibahara is fighting, and a backhand volley bring her a chance to break … Raducanu has no time for a comeback. She holds to go up 6-1, 5-1.
Over on Arthur Ashe, Ben Shelton is getting ready to start against Ignasio Buse.
Shibahara finally has some joy, going 40-0 up as she hold her nerve at the net, and a forehand winner brings further respite. Raducanu leads 6-1, 4-1.
An ace completes another dominant game from Raducanu, extending her lead to 6-1, 4-0.
The unforced errors continue from Shibahara and Raducanu has two break points. She’s ready to attack the second serve and dictate play; Shibahara nets and Raducanu is up 6-1, 3-0, the march continuing.
Raducanu’s clearly got afternoon plans. She races through on her serve, leading 6-1, 2-0.
Elsewhere, in the men’s singles, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the 18th seed, is cruising against Alexander Shevchenko. He took the first set 6-1 and is serving in the second, 2-0 up. Raducanu has two break points to start the second set but Shibahara resists, dragging the game into deuce. Shibahara’s forehand down the middle thunders into the net … but she keeps herself going with a whippy backhand. Deuce again. Raducanu capitalises on her opponent’s errors, taking the break. She leads 6-1, 1-0.
Raducanu gets to set point after Shibahara loses all power with her forehand. The former gets up to the net to smash and finish. Raducanu wins the first set 6-1 inside half an hour, no dramas.
Shibahara’s double fault allows Raducanu to make it 15-all, and a forehand into the net gives Raducanu the next point. But Shibahara is finally on the board, a forehand down the line providing her some relief. Raducanu leads 5-1.
Shibahara finds the net while trying to return a backhand slice and goes long moments later, allowing Raducanu to go 5-0 up.
Well, that was rapid. Raducanu breaks once again with little to no discomfort, Shibahara netting while down 15-40. The British No 1 seems to have too much power for her opponent at the moment. Raducanu leads 4-0.
Shibahara finally gets a go at Raducanu’s second serve and wallops a deep forehand to make it 15-30. The former takes the game to deuce after finding some confidence with her forehand … well, just as I type that, she sends one way out of bounds. Raducanu holds to go 3-0 up.
Shibahara’s first point of the match is set up by a tidy drop shot. She double-faults to make it 30-30, and does so again – a chance for Raducanu to break. Shibahara finds the net with a forehand and Raducanu goes 2-0 up.
And we’re finally up and running, with Raducanu to serve. An ace is her first act of the tournament, and she’s rapid in going to 40-0, that first serve looking in good order. She’s up to the net as Shibahara is quickly overpowered. Raducanu leads 1-0 in the first set.
Raducanu has played Shibahara before, beating her 6-1, 6-4 in Nottingham last year. Shibahara is best known for her work in doubles, having won the mixed event at the 2022 French Open. She did reach the second round of the singles here last year.
If you fancy indulging in some nostalgia.
Quick: tuck into Tumaini Carayol’s preview. Swiatek and Sinner lead the pack.
Preamble
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the last slam of the season. We’ve had the flashier version of mixed doubles; now to the solo show, with the tournament enjoying its first Sunday start.
Ben Shelton, Aryna Sabalenka and Taylor Fritz are among the big names ready to get going in the next few hours, but our early focus will be on the 2021 champion Emma Raducanu. She hasn’t won a match at Flushing Meadows since that life-changing triumph but is carrying some good vibes into this year’s draw; the world No 36 pushed Sabalenka all the way to a third-set tiebreak in Cincinnati this month. She faces Japan’s Ena Shibahara at the Louis Armstrong Stadium at 4pm BST/11am local time.
I’ll try keep my eye on everything, of course, but drop me a line with the things I’ll inevitably miss. Share your thoughts, hopes, fears, dreams, whatever compels you. Here’s to a fun couple of weeks.
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