NEW YORK: Defending champion Naomi Osaka stretched the Grand Slam Win Streak to 16 matches on Monday in the US Open while the Third Seed of Greece Stefanos Tsitipas struggled past Andy Murray in five sets.
Osaka, looking for the third open US crown in four years, beat 87-ranked Czech Bouzkova 6-4, 6-1 at the Arthur Ashe stadium which was packaged to order a second round fight with Serbian qualification Olga Danilovic.
“It feels rather crazy playing in front of everyone anymore,” Osaka said.
“I feel very comfortable here.
I’m glad I won.” Osaka beat Bouzkova in their only meeting before in the first round of Australia this year opened on the way to the fourth grand slam title.
The 23-year-old Japanese star could become the first back-to-back woman champion since Serena Williams, this year with a robbed hamstring, won the three consecutive in 2014.
Osaka Major Win Streak included it the latest US and the Australian Open Wins and The first round victory in France this year is open before attracting mental health problems.
Osaka, who turned on the cauldron at the Tokyo Olympics, gave the Olympic PIN to a young girl in the same place where she won the title last year when fans were banned because of Covid-19.
“It feels very lonely to me,” he said.
“So I’m quite happy to see small children among the audience and adults too.
The energy here is unmatched.” Osaka saved Break Point in the ninth game at the service winner and captured the first set by solving Bouzkova in the 10th game when the Czech scored backhand.
In the second set, Osaka went bankrupt to lead 2-0, then saved three break points with the winner and was held in an eight-minute third match on the way to the victory in 93 minutes.
Tsitipas longer than England Murray, Grand Slam champions three times, amounting to 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 after four hours and 49 minutes around it more like intense disputes The second week rather than jokes for two weeks.
“To have an electrical atmosphere here is something we have been waiting for,” Tsitipas said.
Two-time Olympic champion Murray, ranked 1122 lost for the first time in 15 first US open matches.
“It’s not easy,” said Tsitipas.
“Many sacrifices should I make in court to return.” Tsitipas, the open runner-up of France this year, took a long break before the last set, frustrated Murray, who submit a break in the opening game.
Delay tactics bring cold reception on the internet after the match.
“I don’t have zero time for those things at all and I lose respect for him,” Murray said.
“That’s nonsense.
And he also knows it.” Tsitipas, who played France Adrian Mannarino next, said he followed the ATP rules on the rest and medical timeout, even when Murray questioned the length and time.
“I play with rules and holding fast to what ATP is said fair,” Tsitipas said.
“Then the rest is fine.” In the second set of breakers, Murray slipped on the net and fell because her sweat shoes were wet and she didn’t have another partner.
Murray missed two points set and the 23-year-old Greek star won five of the next six points to take the set and match level.
“The shoes become so wet so at the end of the set, I slipped basically and lost balance,” Murray said.
“That’s my bad.
It is an important moment in the match.” Murray violated the second game of the third set and survived from there, but Tsitipas took the last two sets to advance.
The audience must show evidence of vaccination to attend but they bring energy back to Ashe.
“Playing without fans here is brutal,” said the open winner of the US Sloane Stephens.
“Having this fan comes out and energy, the atmosphere, it brings a lot back to tennis.” Twice’s grand slam champion Simona Halep and Stephens each won to reach the second half.
“You feel the energy.
You feel life in court,” Halep said.
“Hopefully it will remain like that forever.” The seeds of the two women of Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus were followed by Nina Serbia Stojanovic 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-0 while Russia men seeded Fifth Andrey Rublev was exiled to 221 (7/6) 3), 6-3.