Experience the US Open 2024 with Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton in the spotlight. Follow their progress and catch all the essential updates from the tournament.
Introduction
The 2024 US Open got underway in brilliant style on Monday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as a record-breaking Fan Week gave way to an exciting main event. The opening day featured 64 singles matches-32 in both the men’s and women’s draws-with defending champions and fan favorites taking center stage.
Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton Dazzle on Arthur Ashe Stadium
American tennis sensations Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton kicked off main-draw action on Arthur Ashe Stadium in style-both players delighted the home crowd with commanding performances. Both players reached deep in New York last year and started their 2024 campaigns with straight-sets victories.
See also: Novak Djokovic’s Pursuit of a Historic 25th Grand Slam Title at the 2024 US Open
This year’s women’s singles defending champion, Gauff, won nine games in succession to batter Varvara Lepchenko 6-2, 6-0 into submission. The 20-year-old American is just one of those young shining stars who seem to fit into the reigning champion mode, having passed their opponent so easily.
“Opening the court, two Americans, two young ones doing well, it means a lot. I’m very honored,” Gauff said afterwards, reflecting on the significance of starting the tournament on the sport’s biggest stage.
See also: Aryna Sabalenka Advances with Confidence at the 2024 US Open
Following Gauff was Ben Shelton, 21 years old, who outclassed — while on his typical style combining a strong service with an attacking baseline game — the 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, who stated he was leaving Grand Slam tennis.
“I think it’s cool to be in that situation, being on that court. For me, it’s the coolest court in tennis,” Shelton said. Despite his focus on his own performance, he was quick to acknowledge Gauff’s defending champion status in a moment of camaraderie between the two young American stars.
See also: Coco Gauff’s Summer Struggles at the US Open 2024
Gauff, though, deflected the compliment back to Shelton and added with a smile: “Not really. He’s the one who opened. I followed him!”
Novak Djokovic begins title defense with emphatic win
The night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium concluded with defending men’s singles champion Novak Djokovic enjoying a one-sided victory in his opener. Fresh off his record 23rd Grand Slam title earlier this year, Djokovic showed no signs of slowing down as he began his US Open.
Djokovic faced Moldova’s Radu Albot, who played some early resistance, but the Serb outlasted. The final score was 6-2, 6-2, 6-4, where Djokovic displayed his classic consistency and mental toughness.
“I think it was a solid start,” Djokovic said after the match, noting that this was his first hard-court match since Indian Wells back in March. “Look, I struggled a lot with my serve and with the rhythm on some shots. Overall from the back of the court, I felt like I played pretty well.”
Djokovic, meanwhile, in pursuit of his 25th Grand Slam trophy, was much quicker to acknowledge that moving from a summer of clay-court play back onto the harder surfaces represented its difficulties. “It’s always hard to start, obviously, particularly if you haven’t been playing on the surface in the last five, six months,” he said. “I haven’t had any official matches before the US Open, so the opponents here should be tougher in the early rounds. Hopefully, I can play better each day.”
Dominic Thiem Bids Adieu to Grand Slam Tennis
One of the most emotionally charged moments was at the end of the day, though, as Dominic Thiem suffered defeat to Ben Shelton and afterward announced his retirement from Grand Slam tennis. The Austrian star, who seized the US Open in 2020, has sniffed through with rough patches in receiving form and injuries, therefore, finding it wise enough to step away from the biggest stage in the sport.
Thiem’s 2020 US Open title was one for the record books, making him the first Major winner born in the 1990s. Aggressive baseline play and powerful groundstrokes saw him quickly win fans’ hearts and then become an opponent to be feared, but injuries have caught up with the Austrian, curtailing these talents from being shown at the highest level possible.
Speaking in his post-match press conference and, indeed, reflecting on his career, Thiem said: “It has been an amazing ride; I am really proud of everything I have achieved. The US Open will always be a special place for me, but it was time for me to say that final goodbye and start this new chapter in my life.”
Around the Grounds: Other Notable Results
Monday brought lots of other great matches and overall storyline on this first round of the US Open taking place. Other than that, the women’s side mostly had the top seeds advance to the second round, including world number one, Iga Świątek, and Wimbledon champion, Markéta Vondroušová. The two are seeking to follow their success in the initial stages and thus end up in more privileged positions when it comes to winning more Grand Slam titles.
On the men’s side, young guns Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, both with brilliant starts, set a potential depth for their journey to the tournament. Sixth seed Sinner cruised through his match in straight sets while third-seeded Alcaraz fought hard to scrape through a first-round battle.
Looking Ahead: What to Watch on Day 2
With the US Open developing, the more favorites and top seeds will fill the bottom half of the draws and be idolized in city mythology. For the men, last year’s US Open champion, Daniil Medvedev, would start his campaign, while this year, the women’s side will feature last-year finalist Aryna Sabalenka.
The thrill and drama are just getting started, with the world’s best competing on the grandest stage for the most prestigious titles at the US Open. More action, more drama, and more great tennis are destined for the 2024 US Open.
Conclusion: The Promise of a Great US Open Begins
The promise of high-quality tennis and dramatic storylines lived up to at the start of the 2024 US Open. From really good performance by American stars Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton to the continued dominance of Novak Djokovic, the opening day was an indication that this is going to be a great tournament. As the year goes on, the world keenly follows, craving a peek at this year’s US Open champions.