Aryna Sabalenka has successfully started the defense of her US Open title. The world number 1 defeated the fighting Rebeka Masarova 7-5, 6-1 in just over an hour and 20 minutes of play.

Sabalenka had her difficulties in the first set, in which the 108th in the world showed grit. Masarova was the first to break in the fifth game, but the reigning champion made an instant rebreak. In the 12th game, Sabalenka delivered a decisive blow, after which she practically finished the match. Masarova had no more resistance and took only one game in the second half. Interestingly, the turning point came in the opening game of the set, in which Sabalenka saved three break points.

The world number 1 now faces Russian Polina Kudermetova.

Last year's finalist and local favorite Jessica Pegula also got off to a winning start. She defeated Mayar Sherif of Egypt in straight sets. Seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, meanwhile, edged out Australian qualifier Destanee Aiava 6-2, 7-6 (4). Former 2021 champion Emma Raducanu won her first match at the tournament since the title with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ena Shibahara of Japan. Alexandra Eala, meanwhile, gave the Philippines its first Grand Slam win with a stunning third-set comeback over 14th seed Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (11), with Eala trailing 1-5 in the decider.

Wins from the seeded players included Emma Navarro (10), Belinda Bencic (16), Jelena Ostapenko (25), Leylah Fernandez (31) and McCartney Kessler (32).

On the men's side, Daniil Medvedev exited the year's final Grand Slam tournament early. The 13th-seeded Russian was eliminated from the tournament after a five-set loss to Benjamin Bonzi - 3-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-0, 4-6 in a match that lasted about three hours and 45 minutes.

Medvedev, the 2021 champion, was two sets down and trailing 4-5 in the third when his French opponent served for the win. Then something unusual happened on court - a photographer interrupted the match, and the chair umpire decided that Bonzi should serve first again. This enraged Medvedev, who jumped on the umpire. The game was delayed for 5-6 minutes before being resumed. This episode seemed to inspire Medvedev, who took the third set in a tiebreak, and then crushed Bonzi in the fourth. Still, the Frenchman won the battle 6-4 in the fifth decisive set and again turned out to be Medvedev's "black cat" after stopping him at the start at Wimbledon earlier in the year. Medvedev is ending a nightmare year in the Slam tournaments - only once reaching the second round.

Bonzi will face the representative of the hosts Marcos Giron in the next round.

Two other Americans - the fourth and sixth seeds Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, respectively, had no difficulties against Emilio Nava and Ignacio Buse, winning in three sets each. Three Czechs are also in the second round in the face of Jakub Menšík (16), Jiri Lehečka (20) and Tomas Macháč (21). | BGNES