Shelton & Fritz bid to end 22-year wait for home men's singles champion

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website & app

Novak Djokovic hopes nan "physical struggle" he faced earlier powering done to US Open first-round triumph will simply beryllium down to a deficiency of lucifer practice.

The 38-year-old Serb, who earned a 6-1 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 triumph complete American teen Learner Tien, had not played since losing successful nan Wimbledon semi-finals successful early July.

During nan 2nd group Djokovic's level dropped considerably arsenic he looked progressively flustered and unsteady connected his feet successful a humid New York.

The 24-time awesome champion needed curen for blisters connected his toed aft securing nan tie-break, but said nan rumor was not nan logic down his dip.

"I don't person immoderate wounded aliases anything. I conscionable struggled a batch to enactment successful agelong exchanges and retrieve aft points," said Djokovic, who is seeded seventh.

"I haven't played an charismatic lucifer successful six weeks. I had to present my A-game, which I did I deliberation successful nan first set.

"In nan second, particularly, it was surviving connected nan court. In nan important moments I conscionable put 1 shot much successful nan tribunal than he did."

As Djokovic heads towards retirement, he has continued to standard backmost his schedule.

The erstwhile number one's attraction has been progressively centred connected nan Grand Slam tournaments arsenic he intends to onshore a standalone grounds 25th awesome title.

Djokovic skipped nan ATP Masters events successful Toronto and Cincinnati starring up to nan US Open.

In his pre-tournament news conference, Djokovic made a frank admittance that he does not "enjoy" nan elongated format of nan Masters tournaments, which person been stretched to 2 weeks complete caller seasons.

But erstwhile it comes to nan biggest prizes, his appetite to triumph Grand Slam tournaments remains undimmed.

Beating nan precociously-talented Tien, who is classed 50th successful nan world, was Djokovic's 75th consecutive first-round triumph astatine a Grand Slam arena - nan first singles subordinate to execute nan feat successful nan Open era to execute nan feat.

"I wish I had Learner's property - but erstwhile you travel to nan precocious 30s it's astir learning really to sphere nan power for what matters," Djokovic said successful his on-court interview.

"I still person nan flair, I still person nan drive, and you guys springiness maine nan energy. Hopefully I tin support it going."

American brace Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz cruised into nan 2nd information arsenic they began their latest bids to extremity nan location nation's 22-year hold for a Grand Slam men's singles champion.

Andy Roddick was nan past American man to triumph a awesome singles title pinch his 2003 US Open triumph.

Fritz, 27, has travel closest to breaking nan drought, having reached nan last astatine Flushing Meadows past twelvemonth - making him nan first American man successful 15 years to scope a awesome showpiece.

Seeded 4th this year, Fritz hit compatriot Emilio Nava 7-5 6-2 6-3, while sixth seed Shelton dispatched Grand Slam debutant Ignacio Buse 6-3 6-2 6-4.

It is nan first clip since nan 2007 US Open that 2 American men person been seeded wrong nan apical eight.

"We're successful a awesome spot successful American tennis," Fritz said.

"The women person been really carrying for a agelong time, but nan men - we're coming."

Shelton, 22, was nan first subordinate of this year's tourney to play connected nan iconic Arthur Ashe show court, taking conscionable complete 2 hours to wrap up victory.

The erstwhile semi-finalist is successful bully form, having won his first ATP Masters 1000 title astatine nan Canadian Open earlier this month.

"The US Open is nan pinnacle of tennis for maine and what I dreamed astir arsenic a kid," Shelton said.

"It is starting to consciousness for illustration location for me."

Fritz will look either Sebastian Beez aliases qualifier Lloyd Harris successful nan 2nd round, whilst Shelton will return connected Spain's Pablo Carreno-Busta.

Teenage sensation Jakub Mensik had to activity difficult for a 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 6-4 triumph complete Chile's Nicolas Jarry arsenic play sewage nether measurement connected Sunday.

Mensik, seeded 16th, won his first ATP Tour title backmost successful March, beating Djokovic successful nan Miami Open final, and has doubly reached nan 3rd information successful New York.

The 19-year-old Czech will look Ugo Blanchet adjacent aft nan French qualifier hit Hungary's Fabian Marozsan 6-4 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2.

Elsewhere, Spanish 18th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina needed only 89 minutes to hit Alexander Shevchenko 6-1 6-1 6-2.

Dutch subordinate Tallon Griekspoor was nan only men's seed to autumn connected nan opening day, losing 7-5 6-4 6-0 to French seasoned Adrian Mannarino.