Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki cruised past error-prone Samantha Stosur 6-3 6-2 to reach the second round of the US Open yesterday.
The Dane, who is the highest seed left in the draw after top seed Simona Halep fell in the first round on Monday, needed less than 90 minutes to get past the Australian, who committed 34 unforced errors and eight double faults.
The quick and comfortable win was a relief for the 28-year-old Wozniacki, who was able to get out of the blistering New York heat in relatively short order and save energy for her second-round match against Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko.
The second seed showed no sign of the knee injury that forced her to retire midway through her match against Kiki Bertens at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month, moving well throughout the match.
The veteran Stosur, the tournament’s 2011 champion, briefly looked like she might deliver a second big upset in the women’s draw when she broke Wozniacki early in the first set but the Dane broke right back to take a 4-3 lead she did not relinquish. The second set was more straightforward as Stosur struggled to control her forehand on a hot day that sent balls flying and overheated fans into the shady sections of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Twice US Open finalist and New York resident Wozniacki advanced when Stosur double faulted on match point. “I’m happy that I got through this one,” she said.  “I’m going to celebrate the win today and tomorrow think about the next one.”
Former world number one Andy Murray marked his first Grand Slam tournament in 14 months with a 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 win over Australia’s James Duckworth on Monday.
Murray, the 2012 champion in New York and playing just his fifth tournament of the year after undergoing hip surgery in January, last featured in a major at Wimbledon in 2017.
Murray, whose world ranking has slumped to 382, goes on to face Fernando Verdasco, the Spanish 31st seed after seeing off the error-prone Duckworth, ranked at 448. “He was serving big in the first set and the ball was flying around,” said 31-year-old Murray who only returned to the tour in June.
“But I started to get into the return games, stood back a little more and that gave me more time to get in the rallies and find my range with my ground strokes.”
At 3hr and 17mins on the new Louis Armstrong Stadium, it was Murray’s longest match since his comeback in a reassuring indication of his fitness.


Heat rule in play 
as Mercury soars 
A second day of stifling heat and humidity caused havoc at the U.S. Open yesterday, prompting tournament organisers to implement special rules to provide some relief for suffering players.
With temperatures soaring well above 90 Fahrenheit (32C) amid crushing humidity, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced that the 10-minute heat break the women players are granted between the second and third sets of their matches would now be extended to the men as well.
“Upon the recommendation of the U.S. Open medical team, the Extreme Heat Policy will be implemented immediately for men’s matches,” the USTA said in a statement.
“The men will be offered a 10-minute break between the third and fourth set.
“The Tournament Referee, along with the medical team, will continue to monitor on-site conditions, to determine when the Extreme Heat Policy will no longer be in effect.”
One fan collapsed in the stands at the sun-exposed court 17 during Petra Kvitova’s win over Yanina Wickmayer, causing the chair umpire to halt play while emergency medical personnel attended.
Elsewhere fans crowded into the shady sections of the tournament’s two stadiums and fanned themselves furiously while taking in the first-round action. Organisers urged everyone attending the 50th edition of the tournament in Flushing Meadows Park to drink plenty of water and use sunscreen to protect themselves.
Yet they said they would not close the roof on either of the two stadiums due to the heat.
The new 14,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium does not have an air conditioning system but relies on a first-of-its-kind natural ventilation system, which will be severely put to the test.
The roofs on Arthur Ashe stadium and Louis Armstrong stadium will likely be shut on Friday, however, as rain is forecast and expected to bring relief from the heat. It could also throw a wrench in the tournament’s busy schedule.
As for the players who have to cope with the sweltering conditions, it is all part of the brutal test that is the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year.
“It’s one of the reasons the US Open is the toughest test in Tennis,” USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier told Reuters yesterday.
Several players requested medical attention due to the heat during their matches on Monday while some on the women’s side opted to take advantage of the 10-minute heat break.