No sweat for Osaka at US Open tennis; stop-go Tsitsipas stifles Murray
Defending champion Naomi Osaka stretched her Grand Slam winning streak to 16 matches on Monday at the US Open while Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas struggled past an angry Andy Murray in five sets.
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Osaka, seeking her third US Open crown in four years, defeated 87th-ranked Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-1 at a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium to book a second-round matchup with Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic.
"It feels kind of crazy to play in front of everyone again," Osaka said. "I feel really comfortable here. I'm just glad I won."
The 23-year-old Japanese star could become the first back-to-back US Open women's champion since Serena Williams, out this year with a torn hamstring, won her third in a row in 2014.
Osaka's major win streak includes her most recent US and Australian Open wins and a first-round win at this year's French Open before she was forced to withdraw over mental health issues.
French player Caroline Garcia is safely through to the second round, but it's all over for Kristina Mladenovic and Alize Cornet.
Tsitsipas time tactics upset Murray
In the men's competition, Tsitsipas outlasted Britain's Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, by 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 after four hours and 49 minutes in surroundings more like an intense second-week showdown than a curtain-raiser for the fortnight.
"To have an electric atmosphere out here is something we've been waiting for," Tsitsipas said.
Two-time Olympic champion Murray, ranked 112th, lost for the first time in 15 first-round US Open matches.
"It didn't come easy," Tsitsipas said.
Tsitsipas, this year's French Open runner-up, took a long break before the final set, frustrating Murray, who surrendered a break in the opening game. Delay tactics brought a frosty reception at the net after the match.
"I have zero time for that stuff at all and I lost respect for him," Murray said. "It's nonsense. And he knows it, as well."
Tsitsipas, who plays Frenchman Adrian Mannarino next, said he followed ATP rules on breaks and medical timeouts, even as Murray questioned the length and timing.
"I'm playing by the rules and sticking to what the ATP says is fair," said Tsitsipas. "Then the rest is fine."
Elsewhere at Arthur Ashe Stadium . . .
Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens each won to reach the second round.
Women's second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus outlasted Serbia's Nina Stojanovic 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-0.
Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev defeated Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 for his 200th career match win and 160th win on hardcourts.
An obviously very tired Benoît Paire of France lost to Serbian Dusan Lajovic, 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.
Another French competitor, Ugo Humbert, went down to German Peter Gojowczyk,1-6, 6-1, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
Quentin Halys is out, as is Antoine Hoang.
But Arthur Rinderknech is still in contention for France, so too is Adrian Mannarino, though he advances at the expense of compatriot Hugues Herbert.
Russian men's fifth seed Andrey Rublev ousted 221st-ranked Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
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