Looking for some good matches on Monday, the first day of the U.S. Open? Naomi Osaka will open the defense of her women’s title to lead off the night session, and Andy Murray, the 2012 U.S. Open champion, will play third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in an afternoon match.
Here are previews of those matches and a few others to keep an eye on (all times are Eastern and approximate, except for Halep’s and Osaka’s).
Grandstand | 11 a.m.
Simona Halep vs. Camila Giorgi
Simona Halep, the 12th seed, pulled out of the Western & Southern Open this month citing a tear in her right abductor. A two-time major champion, Halep is a tough competitor when healthy, but multiple injuries this year kept her out of the French Open and Wimbledon.
Camila Giorgi, ranked 36th, is on an upswing, having won her first Masters 1000 event at the National Bank Open in August. Giorgi has an aggressive baseline game that will put Halep on defensive footing, and for both players it will be a proper test of their capabilities to make a deep run at the U.S. Open.
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM | 2 p.m.
Andy Murray vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas
Andy Murray, who won the U.S. Open in 2012, has struggled with injuries since 2018, playing on the tour intermittently between surgeries. Still, Murray has been able to compete well enough, reaching the third round at Wimbledon in July.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the third seed, crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round after a charge to the finals at the French Open. His consistency is often challenged by experienced players, and he will be in for a grinding match against a three-time major tournament champion in their first meeting.
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM | 7 p.m.
Naomi Osaka vs. Marie Bouzkova
Naomi Osaka, the third seed, won the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020, and will be looking to start her title defense with a convincing first-round victory. Osaka lost in the third round of the Olympics to the eventual silver medalist, Marketa Vondrousova. The disappointing result in Tokyo can surely be put behind her as she returns in front of the adoring crowds of New York.
Marie Bouzkova reached her second career WTA final in February on the hardcourts of Melbourne leading up to the Australian Open. A 23-year-old Czech, she won the girls’ U.S. Open title in 2014 but has not replicated that success on the pro tour. An upset against Osaka would be her biggest win.
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM | 9 p.m.
Daniil Medvedev vs. Richard Gasquet
Daniil Medvedev, the second seed, will face off against Richard Gasquet, a veteran of the ATP Tour, to cap the night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Medvedev won the National Bank Open this month, and is a favorite to make the final on Sept. 12. Gasquet has not been past the third round of a major tournament since 2016, and an upset seems unlikely as Medvedev will look to repeat or better his finals run from 2019.
Source: Tennis - nytimes.com
