Aussies continue sizzling US Open display in extreme heat

New York: Alex de Minaur has confirmed his status as one of the hottest talents in the men's game with a commanding first-round win at the US Open.

The second youngest player in the world's top 50, de Minaur swatted aside Japan's Taro Daniel 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 to continue Australia's flying start at the grand slam.

Replay

Nick Kyrgios, Matt Ebden, John Millman and Ajla Tomljanovic also notched wins on day two after Jason Kubler, Ashleigh Barty and Daria Gavrilova progressed on day one. But 2011 women's champion Samantha Stosur is out after succumbing 6-3 6-2 to second-seeded Australian Open title-holder Caroline Wozniacki.

In conceding just three games, de Minaur produced the most dominant win in the men's first round.

Aussie Alex de Minaur  swatted aside Japan's Taro Daniel.

Aussie Alex de Minaur swatted aside Japan’s Taro Daniel.

"Those are the matches that I'm most proud of because it's very hard in a five-set match to play at a very high-level throughout the whole way without any lapses of concentration," de Minaur said. "That's something I've really been working on and I'm very pleased to see it happening today."

Clubbing 31 winners to 11 and saving the only break point he faced in 10 service games, de Minaur earned a shot at fellow young gun Frances Tiafoe.

Meanwhile, fellow Australians Kyrgios and Millman both had some choice words for US Open organisers after their first-round wins in stifling heat.

There were four retirements in the men's event by mid-afternoon at Flushing Meadows as the USTA implemented the extreme heat policy, offering women players a 10-minute break before deciding third sets and the men similar respite after three sets.

Nick Kyrgios returns a shot to Radu Albot.

Nick Kyrgios returns a shot to Radu Albot.

Kyrgios spent much of his opening match complaining of fatigue before pulling through 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 against Moldovan baseliner Radu Albot.

"The heat can become dangerous at times," Kyrgios said. "I don't think we had a heat rule. We made one up today, right? That's just ridiculous."

Out: Samantha Stosur lost to Caroline Wozniacki.

Out: Samantha Stosur lost to Caroline Wozniacki.

Millman thrashed American teenager Jenson Brooksby 6-4 6-2 6-0. But his biggest beef was players on outside courts receiving less time to recover between points and at changeovers than the show courts because of ad breaks during play for televised matches.

"We got 60 seconds from when the umpire calls the score. They get a minute and a half in there," he said. "Look, that's a massive difference. How's that fair? Sixty seconds goes pretty damn quick by the time you get the towel and the ice towel around your neck."

Earlier, in more brutally hot conditions, Ebden advanced when Serbian Filip Krajnovic became the sixth men's player of the day – and ninth of the tournament – to retire mid-match.

Ebden was leading 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (5-7) 4-6 6-1 4-1 when the wilting 32nd seed called it quits after three hours and 38 sapping minutes.

Samantha Stosur also warned officials that conditions were becoming dangerous for players as temperature soared.

The 2011 champion refused to blame the intense heat for her 6-3, 6-2 first-round loss to Caroline Wozniacki but said the welfare of players was a concern as the mercury hit 35 degrees Celsius before even 2pm.

"You do have to be careful. There were a couple of incidents yesterday as well and I think you've got to be sensible," Stosur said. "It was just bloody hot. I was drenched straight away … I felt fine but it was tough out there. My face was so red, I had to have a shower before I did anything else."

"What's 10 minutes in the span of a whole day if it means the safety and health of the players for sure?" said Stosur, who likened the humidity to home in tropical Queensland but still rated the conditions more uncomfortable than any Australian Open heatwaves.

"Everyone always talks about how hot Melbourne is and 'oh my god, it's so bad' … but the US Open's way worse than Melbourne," the veteran said. "We get like one or two really hot days but I think they go on for longer and longer here in the States and there's more retirements and everything here than what there ever is in Melbourne. But for some reason we get the bad rap in Australia."

HOW THE AUSSIES FARED

Men's singles, first round

30-Nick Kyrgios bt Radu Albot (MDA) 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-2

Alex de Minaur bt Taro Daniel (JPN) 6-0 6-1 6-2

Matt Ebden bt 32-Filip Krajinovic (SRB) 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (5-7) 4-6 6-1 4-1 retired

John Millman bt Jenson Brooksby (USA) 6-4 6-2 6-0

Women's singles, first round

Alja Tomljanovic bt Lizette Cabrera 6-4 6-1

Samantha Stosur lost to 2-Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 6-3 6-2

AAP

Source: Read Full Article