Frances Tiafoe made a fast start at the US Open Monday, where he moved past American wild card Learner Tien 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 to reach the second round.
The 10th seed Tiafoe enjoyed a standout run to the semi-finals on home soil in New York last year, defeating then-Top 10 stars Rafael Nadal and Andrey Rublev before falling to champion Carlos Alcaraz. Competing on Arthur Ashe Stadium again, Tiafoe quickly found his range to entertain the American fans.
“I really love this court, I really enjoy playing here. It hasn’t been the best summer for me, but I love playing on this court,” said Tiafoe, who went 1-2 at ATP Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati in August. “I just want to come and do really well. The last time I played here was one of the toughest losses of my life. To come back out here and play as well as I did and take care of business is nice.
“I am leaving everything I’ve got. If I die out here, I die out here. I have to put it all on the line and hopefully it is good enough.”
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The 25-year-old broke lefty Tien’s serve seven times, struck 37 winners and showed good touch around the net to advance after two hours and nine minutes.
Tiafoe, who is competing at a career-high No. 10 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, will next play Austrian Sebastian Ofner after the World No. 58 beat Nuno Borges 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-4.
The three-time tour-level titlist Tiafoe has now won his past 17 matches against left handers, dating back to 2021, when he fell against Liam Broady in Eastbourne.
Tiafoe’s countryman Ben Shelton also advanced. The 20-year-old, currently fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Jeddah, defeated Pedro Cachin 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to set a second-round meeting against former champion Dominic Thiem.
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Taylor Fritz ensured both Top 10 American stars advanced to the second round in New York. The World No. 9 Fritz moved past countryman Steve Johnson 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 in 81 minutes.
Fritz suffered a shock first-round defeat against Brandon Holt at the US Open last year, but produced a dominant display against Johnson to ensure he would not fall at the first hurdle again. The 25-year-old won 100 per cent (23/23) of his first-serve points and fired 10 aces to earn his 34th tour-level win of the year. He will next play Miomir Kecmanovic or Juan Pablo Varillas.
Fritz is chasing his maiden major this fortnight. The biggest trophy he has clinched on Tour was at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells in 2022.
American 14th seed Tommy Paul, who is up to a career-high No. 11 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, needed four sets to defeat Italian qualifier Stefano Travaglia 6-2, 6-3, 4-6. 6-1. He next meets Wimbledon quarter-finalist Roman Safiullin.
Sebastian Korda, the 31st seeded American, lost a tough five-setter to Marton Fucsovics 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-4 one week after taking out the Hungarian at the Winston-Salem Open. Korda came into the US Open with an ankle injury, which forced him to withdraw from his scheduled semi-final in Winston-Salem without hitting a ball.
World No. 45 American J.J. Wolf also bowed out in five sets, falling 7-5, 7-5, 6-7(5), 4-6, 6-3 to China’s Zhang Zhizhen.