Daria Kasatkina Eases Through First Round As Australia Duo Enjoy Breakout Us Open Wins

Australia women’s No 1 Daria Kasatkina has flooded a shaky commencement to easiness into nan 2nd information while precocious bloomers Priscilla Hon and Adam Walton are savouring breakout wins connected time 2 astatine nan US Open.

Kasatkina took clip to get going earlier outclassing Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse 7-5 6-1 to group up a second-round gathering pinch erstwhile Russian compatriot Kamilla Rakhimova.

The 15th seed dropped her first 2 work games of nan first group and was surgery erstwhile much by Ruse earlier holding connected for a one-set lead.

But Kasatkina, who changed allegiances from Russia to Australia successful March, recovered her feet successful nan 2nd group to conclusion Ruse successful an hr and 18 minutes connected Monday (Tuesday AEST).

“I person to beryllium honest, I could do better,” Kasatkina said. “We’re tennis players but we besides person worldly going connected extracurricular nan tennis court. There’s ever thing going connected successful your life.

“Most of nan clip if you bring it connected tribunal past you person to conflict those things successful your head. I’ve had a batch of changes successful nan past year, which was not easy to manage. I dream it’s going to beryllium a spot calmer.”

Six years aft debuting astatine Flushing Meadows and connected her 3rd attempt, Hon yet collapsed done pinch a 6-3 7-5 triumph complete Frenchwoman Leolia Jeanjean.

The 27-year-old qualifier was near overjoyed.

Priscilla Hon serves against Leolia Jeanjean successful nan first information astatine nan 2025 US Open. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

“It’s my favourite slam isolated from nan Australian Open so, yeah, can’t beryllium overmuch happier correct now,” Hon said. “I emotion New York, everything astir it.

“Like nan fans, everyone that comes to watch, there’s truthful overmuch power and it’s truthful chaotic and there’s truthful overmuch happening.

Hon will deed a caller career-high aft nan tourney but isn’t done yet, vowing to spell retired swinging against Russian 17th seed Liudmila Samsonova.

Fellow Brisbane battler Walton besides sent a more-fancied French force packing, taking down 22nd seed Ugo Humbert 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-1 for nan biggest triumph of his career.

Walton’s triumph follows a titanic triumph complete erstwhile world No 1 and 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev successful Cincinnati and will nonstop nan 26-year-old to a career-high of astatine slightest No 74 successful nan world.

“I’ve had a awesome American summer,” Walton said. “I consciousness much comfortable being backmost connected nan difficult courts, and I’m conscionable gladsome that this American summertime I’ve really been capable to capitalise connected immoderate bully matches and immoderate bully wins.

“Last twelvemonth was was horrible. I didn’t triumph a match. But I’m conscionable emotion very happy pinch wherever my game’s astatine correct now.”

Hon and Walton tin look guardant to nan biggest salary days yet, a minimum $US154,000 ($A237,000).

Walton has a immense opportunity to spell moreover deeper successful nan tie erstwhile he faces Hong Kong qualifier Coleman Wong, nan world No 176, for a spot successful nan past 32 astatine a slam for nan first time.

The Australia trio subordinate Jordan Thompson successful nan 2nd information but Aleksandar Vukic, James Duckworth and wildcard Talia Gibson each bowed out.

Vukic mislaid a three-and-three-quarter-hour thriller 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 3-6 6-4 to American Jenson Brooksby, Duckworth succumbed 7-5 6-3 6-4 to US wildcard Tristan Boyer and Gibson fell 6-2 6-2 against Polish 28th seed Magdalena Frech.

Big guns Alex de Minaur, nan men’s eighth seed, and Alexei Popyrin unfastened their campaigns connected Wednesday (AEST).