US Open 2021: Defending champ Naomi Osaka off to winning start, Stefanos Tsitsipas survives Murray scare on Day 1

Defending champion Naomi Osaka overcame a slow start to beat Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-4 6-1 on Monday as the world number three got her U.S. Open title defence underway in front of a roaring capacity crowd.

Andy Murray may have been the forgotten man at the U.S. Open but gave the crowd and Stefanos Tsitsipas a match to remember forcing the third seed to grind out a 2-6 7-6(7) 3-6 6-3 6-4 win to avoid the opening round shocker.

OSAKA SAILS INTO SECOND ROUND

Defending champion Naomi Osaka beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4 6-1. The third seed fired 34 winners to set up a second-round clash with Olga Danilovic.

This is the feel-good content we NEED.@naomiosaka shared an Olympic pin with a young fan after her win tonight. pic.twitter.com/VBLBaBRqJD

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2021

PARKS TIES U.S. OPEN SERVER SPEED RECORD

American wild card Alycia Parks, aged 20, clocked 129 mph on the speed gun on one of her serves in her first-round loss to Danilovic, tying the U.S. Open serve speed record set by Venus Williams in 2007.

TSITSIPAS SURVIVES MURRAY SCARE

Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was pushed to five sets by 2012 champion Andy Murray before the Greek prevailed 2-6 7-6(7) 3-6 6-3 6-4 in a marathon clash in Arthur Ashe Stadium lasting nearly five hours.

Our 2012 champion always gives everything he’s got on the court.

See you soon, @andy_murray pic.twitter.com/EbfyEDJwgg

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2021

GAUFF PASSES LINETTE TEST

American Coco Gauff surrendered the opening set but rallied to beat Magda Linette 5-7 6-3 6-4, while three-times U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka trailed 4-1 before winning 11 straight games to outclass Tereza Martincova 6-4 6-0.

Coco’s excited fans are back. We’re excited fans are back. Good times all around.@CocoGauff | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/dEQ7QwkmAe

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2021

KREJCIKOVA, KERBER ADVANCE

French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova handed Astra Sharma a bagel en route to victory on her main draw debut at Flushing Meadows, winning 6-0 6-4.

Elsewhere, three-times Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber came back from 3-5 down in the third set to edge past Dayana Yastremska 3-6 6-4 7-6(3).

Champion mentality @AngeliqueKerber | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/QBJcnJQWT0

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2021

CILIC RETIRES WITH INJURY

Marin Cilic, the 2014 champion, retired injured from his first-round match with Philipp Kohlschreiber with the contest locked at two sets each.

Earlier, 11th seed Diego Schwartzman beat Ricardas Berankis 7-5 6-3 6-3 and 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime battled past Evgeny Donskoy 7-6(0) 3-6 7-6(1) 7-6(8) while Brandon Nakashima stunned 19th seed John Isner 7-6(7) 7-6(6) 6-3.

INJURED KONTA WITHDRAWS, LUCKY LOSER RAKHIMOVA IN

Briton Johanna Konta pulled out of the tournament due to a left thigh injury, with Kamilla Rakhimova replacing her in the draw as a lucky loser.

RUBLEV EASES PAST VETERAN KARLOVIC

Fifth seed Andrey Rublev of Russia brushed aside 42-year-old Ivo Karlovic 6-3 7-6(3) 6-3 to reach the second round.

HALEP SURVIVES GIORGI TEST

Former world number one Simona Halep overcame a tough opener against Italian Camila Giorgi to claim a 6-4 7-6(3) win and set up a second-round meeting with Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova.