LIVE: Star distracted by 'weed' before upset loss

The opening time of the U.S. Open claimed its biggest upset unfortunate truthful acold successful No. 4 effect Holger Rune.

Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena, ranked 63rd, downed Rune 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, connected Monday for his first-ever triumph implicit a top-10 player. The 20-year-old Dane reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and Wimbledon to interruption into the apical five.

On the women's side, No. 1-ranked defending champion Iga Swiatek needed conscionable 58 minutes to bushed Swede Rebecca Peterson 6-0, 6-1, portion Spaniard Rebeka Masarova downed eighth-seeded Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-4, with the Greek complaining afterward that she was bothered by the odor of marijuana during her loss.

"The smell, ohio my gosh," Sakkari said to the seat umpire successful the archetypal set. "It was weed."

Tenth-seeded American Frances Tiafoe, a 25-year-old from Maryland who reached the semifinal astatine past year's U.S. Open, had small occupation successful a 6-2, 7-5, 6-1, triumph implicit wild-card countryman Learner Tien.

Dominic Thiem, the 2020 champion who is unseeded this year, downed 25th-seeded Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Thiem, an Austrian who had mislaid his erstwhile 7 Grand Slam matches dating to the 2021 Australian Open, adjacent faces American Ben Shelton, who defeated Argentine Pedro Cachin successful 4 sets.

Still to travel are matches with Coco Gauff connected the women's side, and Novak Djokovic connected the men's.

Gauff, a 19-year-old from Florida, faces Laura Siegemund of Germany, who won the women's doubles rubric successful New York 3 years ago. Gauff was the runner-up astatine the French Open successful singles — losing to Swiatek — and doubles successful 2022.

Wrapping things up successful the main stadium volition beryllium 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic against Alexandre Muller of France, who is making his U.S. Open debut. It marks a instrumentality to the lawsuit for Djokovic, who missed it past twelvemonth due to the fact that helium couldn't question to the United States arsenic a foreigner who is not vaccinated against COVID-19. That regularisation has been dropped.

The archetypal circular is played implicit Monday and Tuesday. The tourney lasts 2 weeks and wraps up with the women's singles last connected Sept. 9, and the men's singles last connected Sept. 10.

Even portion she was rolling connected the court, Maria Sakkari was bothered by the odor of thing disconnected it.

"It was weed," Sakkari said.

The No.8 effect from Greece was eliminated from the U.S. Open successful the archetypal circular Monday with a 6-4, 6-4 nonaccomplishment to Rebeka Masarova, a lucifer she seemed successful power of until she mentioned the odor toward the seat umpire during a changeover.

Sakkari was starring 4-1 successful the archetypal acceptable connected Court 17 astatine that point.

"The smell, ohio my gosh," Sakkari said. "I deliberation it's from the park."

Sakkari, a semi-finalist astatine the U.S. Open 2 years ago, said the odor of marijuana didn't impact her portion playing. She had practiced connected the aforesaid tribunal Sunday and already had noticed it then.

"You don't truly deliberation astir it, due to the fact that each you attraction is conscionable to triumph the match," Sakkari said. "I smelled it, but that was it. Like, it wasn't thing that I paid attraction to."

Nick Kyrgios complained astir smelling marijuana during a lucifer past year, saying afterward helium is asthmatic and the odor astir apt wasn't bully for him erstwhile helium was moving around.

But Sakkari said it didn't origin immoderate problems portion competing successful what became her 3rd consecutive first-round exit successful a Grand Slam tournament.

"Sometimes you odor food, sometimes you odor cigarettes, sometimes you odor weed," Sakkari said. "I mean, it's thing we cannot control, due to the fact that we're successful an unfastened space. There's a parkland behind. People tin bash immoderate they want."

First Round

Karolina Muchova (10), Czech Republic, def. Storm Hunter, Australia, 6-4, 6-0.

Daria Saville, Australia, def. Clervie Ngounoue, United States, 6-0, 6-2.

Victoria Azarenka (18), Belarus, def. Fiona Ferro, France, 6-1, 6-2.

Taylor Townsend, United States, def. Varvara Gracheva, Russia, 6-4, 6-2.

Rebeka Masarova, Spain, def. Maria Sakkari (8), Greece, 6-4, 6-4.

Belinda Bencic (15), Switzerland, def. Kamilla Rakhimova, Russia, 6-2, 6-4.

Iga Swiatek (1), Poland, def. Rebecca Peterson, Sweden, 6-0, 6-1.

Magdalena Frech, Poland, def. Emma Navarro, United States, 7-6 (10), 1-6, 6-2.

Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova, Slovakia, def. Kateryna Baindl, Ukraine, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Lauren Davis, United States, def. Danka Kovinic, Montenegro, 6-2, 6-2.

Danielle Collins, United States, def. Linda Fruhvirtova, Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-0.

Bernarda Pera, United States, def. Veronika Kudermetova (16), Russia, 7-5, 6-4.

Sara Sorribes Tormo, Spain, def. Anhelina Kalinina (28), Ukraine, 6-4, 7-5.

Yuriko Lily Miyazaki, Britain, def. Margarita Betova, Russia, 6-3, 6-3.

Beatriz Haddad Maia (19), Brazil, def. Sloane Stephens, United States, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

Wang Xinyu, China, def. Katie Volynets, United States, 6-3, 6-4.

Elena Rybakina (4), Kazakhstan, def. Marta Kostyuk, Ukraine, 6-2, 6-1.

Zhu Lin, China, def. Mayar Sherif, Egypt, 6-3, 7-5.

Kaja Juvan, Slovenia, def. Elisabetta Cocciaretto (29), Italy, 6-2, 7-5.

First Round

Dominic Thiem, Austria, def. Alexander Bublik (25), Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Ben Shelton, United States, def. Pedro Cachin, Argentina, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Sebastian Ofner, Austria, def. Nuno Borges, Portugal, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4.

Fabian Marozsan, Hungary, def. Richard Gasquet, France, 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (1), 6-2.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (21), Spain, def. Marcos Giron, United States, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Argentina, def. Ilya Ivashka, Belarus, 2-6, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Adrian Mannarino (22), France, def. Yosuke Watanuki, Japan, 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-5.

Roberto Carballes Baena, Spain, def. Holger Rune (4), Denmark, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Zhang Zhizhen, China, def. Jeffrey John Wolf, United States, 7-5, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3.

Frances Tiafoe (10), United States, def. Learner Tien, United States, 6-2, 7-5, 6-1.

Casper Ruud (5), Norway, def. Emilio Nava, United States, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Laslo Djere (32), Serbia, def. Brandon Nakashima, United States, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.

Hello and invited to Wide World of Sports' unrecorded sum of the 2023 US Open.

There's been a fig of results truthful acold and there's much to travel with Aussie Olivia Gadecki acceptable to commencement successful 15 minutes connected tribunal 15.

Two-time expansive slam victor Petra Kvitová besides isn't excessively acold disconnected portion Coco Gauff volition besides person challenging commencement to the tourney successful 2 hours erstwhile she faces seasoned Laura Siegemund.

Caroline Wozniacki is besides returning to the expansive slam arena later. 

Based connected the reactions connected societal media, it seems everyone successful the satellite of tennis was riveted by Novak Djokovic's triumph implicit Carlos Alcaraz successful the last of the past tourney for some up of the US Open.

It was a titanic, three-and-a-half-hour-plus showdown betwixt the 2 titans of the men's crippled astatine the infinitesimal — the 3rd clip they've played each different successful Djokovic's past 3 events, each connected a antithetic aboveground — and acceptable the signifier for what volition beryllium an expected gathering to find the champion astatine Flushing Meadows.

Last weekend's contention astatine the hard-court Cincinnati Masters, successful which Djokovic, who is 36, saved a title constituent successful the 2nd acceptable and Alcaraz, who is 20, saved 4 successful the 3rd earlier succumbing 5-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4), besides served to symbolise the authorities of alteration the athletics presently finds itself in, a twelvemonth removed from Serena Williams' farewell lucifer successful New York and Roger Federer's status announcement soon thereafter.

Alcaraz is the adjacent large thing, the victor of the 2022 US Open who grabbed his 2nd expansive slam rubric past period astatine Wimbledon by beating — yes, that's close — Djokovic. And Djokovic, the proprietor of 23 large trophies, is the lone subordinate of the large 3 competing nowadays, what with Federer (who has 20) done and Rafael Nadal (22) retired since January with a hep occupation but eyeing a instrumentality for 1 past hurrah successful 2024.

"For truthful galore years, the crippled has been dominated by legends of the sport, but Father Time is undefeated. Everyone has to benignant of spell connected to their adjacent signifier and they person to enactment the racquets down. We're seeing that unluckily with Serena, with Roger, with Rafa. There is going to beryllium a spot of a modulation period," said Chris Eubanks, a 27-year-old from Atlanta who reached the Wimbledon men's quarter-finals. "It leaves a batch of parity and it leaves a batch of opportunities for different players successful the men's and women's games to benignant of marque a sanction for themselves."

No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek, who is 22, No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, 25, and No. 4 Elena Rybakina, 24, look poised to enactment adjacent the apical of the women's crippled — Swiatek already has won 4 Slam titles, including the 2022 US Open; the others person 1 apiece — and No. 6 Coco Gauff, conscionable 19, mightiness beryllium acceptable to etch her sanction connected 1 of the 4 astir prestigious trophies successful tennis.

"Tennis is evolving and perpetually changing, and determination is ever country for caller players, caller champions. I deliberation it's large and it's hard for maine to accidental that determination volition beryllium a radical of young players that volition vie similar Novak, Roger and Rafa did, oregon that determination volition beryllium a pistillate subordinate amended than Serena," Swiatek told the AP. "It's (hypothetical), truthful I would accidental I'm conscionable excited astir the aboriginal and being a portion of it."

Not 1 definitive heir to Williams oregon the apical antheral players has been established, but 1 happening is clear.

"There is simply a shift," said France's Caroline Garcia, who reached the semi-finals successful New York a twelvemonth ago. "There are young players coming, similar Alcaraz and Iga."

Frances Tiafoe, the 25-year-old American who reached the US Open semi-finals successful 2022 and precocious made his apical 10 debut successful the ATP rankings, enactment it this way: "Game is successful a small antithetic place. A small antithetic dynamic. I'm blessed to beryllium successful this era, for sure."

The sport's leaders judge determination are players who volition measurement forward.

"For those of you who person agelong wondered astir the aboriginal of tennis arsenic we modulation retired of a aureate property wherever you person had immoderate of the champion men and women of all-time competing against each different simultaneously," said Lew Sheer, the CEO and enforcement manager of the US Tennis Association, the nationalist federation that runs the US Open, "we saw 2022 arsenic a twelvemonth of emerging stars."

Perhaps. It's existent determination were 10 first-time Masters 1000 champions connected the men's broadside implicit the past 3 seasons, a radical that includes Alcaraz, of course, but besides different 20-year-old, Holger Rune, and Jannik Sinner, 22.

"We're starting to spot caller faces astatine the expansive slams and masters. It's benignant of the past measurement to dethrone players similar Djokovic and Nadal — and it's coming," said Felix Auger-Aliassime, a 23-year-old Canadian who was a US Open semi-finalist 2 years ago. "Carlos astir apt is opening a spot of a power of the guard. But Djokovic astir apt hasn't said his past word."

That surely appeared to beryllium Djokovic's connection successful Cincinnati, wherever helium ripped disconnected his garment and roared aft yet dispatching Alcaraz.

All successful all, it was cleanable mentation for Djokovic arsenic helium returns to the US Open aft being incapable to question to the United States past twelvemonth due to the fact that helium isn't vaccinated against COVID-19.

Djokovic said facing Alcaraz reminded him of taking connected Nadal successful their primes — which was rather immoderate clip ago.

"Boy, you ne'er springiness up, man. Jesus Christ," Djokovic said, drafting a laughter from Alcaraz not agelong aft the Spaniard was crying into a towel.

"I mean, I emotion that astir you, but sometimes I privation that you'd possibly play a fewer points conscionable similar this, you know?" Djokovic continued, waving his close manus without purpose.

Alcaraz offered bully words, too.

"I learned a lot," helium told Djokovic, "from a champion similar you."

Before the US Open, Caroline Wozniacki didn't adjacent cognize wherever her racquets were.

That's however acold from her caput a instrumentality to tennis was for the erstwhile No. 1-ranked subordinate and large champion who is present a 33-year-old parent of 2 — and, until rather recently, was a retired 33-year-old parent of two.

"I didn't miss it," said Wozniacki, who returned to the circuit earlier this period and volition play her archetypal expansive slam lucifer since 2020 connected Monday erstwhile the US Open gets started. "I played since I was, obviously, very, precise young. It's been portion of my beingness and my manner for truthful long. I needed a break."

Still, she explained, she does see her athletics an enactment she'll beryllium capable to bash everlastingly — "No substance if I'm 33 oregon if I'm going to beryllium 80" — and 1 that's bully exercise, truthful she occasionally began to play for amusive with immoderate friends to get a spot of a cardio workout.

"It conscionable happened to beryllium that I felt similar I was hitting the shot highly well, that I inactive americium young capable to springiness it different shot," Wozniacki said with a smile. "You lone unrecorded once. So wherefore not?"

Wozniacki, who is 1-2 successful this 2nd career, won 30 titles and $35 cardinal successful prize wealth during her archetypal go-round.

Her top triumph arrived astatine the Australian Open successful 2018, erstwhile she claimed the rubric by defeating Simona Halep successful the last aft facing lucifer constituent successful the 2nd circular of the tournament. That expansive slam trophy allowed Wozniacki to instrumentality to No. 1 successful the rankings aft an lack of six years.

Flushing Meadows besides was the tract of immoderate of the astir important on-court moments for the Danish player, champion known for her defence and tactical ability.

In 2009, she reached her archetypal large last astatine the US Open portion inactive a teen but mislaid to Kim Clijsters.

Then, successful 2014, she again participated successful the last but mislaid to her bully person Serena Williams.

There besides were 3 different runs to the semi-finals successful New York earlier she decided to locomotion distant from the crippled aft 1 past travel to the Australian Open aboriginal successful 2020. She wanted to commencement a family. She besides had announced successful 2018 that she has rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune information that tin origin symptom and swelling successful the wrist and different joints.

"Such a large subordinate successful our sport, for truthful long. She's had a batch of occurrence here, arsenic well, astatine the US Open," said Jessica Pegula, an American who is seeded No. 3 successful this year's bracket. "It's absorbing to spot her back. ... It's bully having her backmost and feeling her beingness a small bit. She's ever ace nice, truly happy."

This travel to the large metropolis is, of course, a spot antithetic for Wozniacki.

For 1 thing, she is accompanied by her husband, erstwhile NBA subordinate David Lee, and their 2-year-old daughter, Olivia, and 10-month-old son, James.

That presents immoderate logistical challenges, arsenic immoderate moving ma knows. It besides provides immoderate smiles.

One illustration Wozniacki shared: she recounted that earlier she headed to the tourney tract connected Friday, Olivia said: "Mommy. Mommy. Can I spell with you to work? I privation to beryllium similar you. I privation to play tennis."

"When I'm connected court, I cognize that I'm 100 per cent connected court, giving it my each erstwhile I'm there," Wozniacki said. "When I'm with the kids, that's what matters astir to maine astatine that point."

She acknowledged that different situation is the other effort it takes to retrieve from a signifier league oregon a lucifer present that she's older.

But she besides said her "body is co-operating" truthful far.

"I don't cognize however agelong I'm going to play for," Wozniacki said, portion noting that she does mean to representation retired "more of a afloat schedule" successful 2024. "I don't cognize if it's going to beryllium a year, 2 years, 3 years. I can't foretell the future."

Couldn't envision this comeback, aft all.

After a five-set thriller astatine Wimbledon, galore expect Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic volition conscionable again this year's US Open final.

However, Djokovic, ever the professional, deed backmost astatine proposition helium whitethorn already spot that successful the aboriginal arsenic helium prepares to look Alexandre Müller successful archetypal circular aboriginal today. 

"I wouldn't accidental specifically (I look astatine Alcaraz), depends if determination is simply a imaginable match-up coming person past yes I would beryllium astir apt reasoning a spot more, moving connected definite tactical implementations of the tribunal that I could usage against him successful my favour," helium told media up of the tournament.

"But tennis is specified a athletics where, for illustration successful a tourney similar Cincinnati, you could play 5 matches successful 5 days, you can't beryllium truly reasoning astir what happens successful 3 days, you conscionable person to beryllium reasoning astir the adjacent time oregon your adjacent opponent.

"I deliberation it's disrespectful to your adjacent hostile if you're reasoning already astir your finals match-up, adjacent though I've had tremendous occurrence and possibly you could reason I could commencement reasoning astir playing the aboriginal phases and stages of the tournament.

"That benignant of mindset ne'er truly resonated with me."