De Minaur stands alone after Aussie charge derailed at US Open
It was an Aussie bloodbath on day four of the US Open with five Aussies, including our last four representatives on the women’s side of the draw, knocked out.
The four remaining Aussie women Maya Joint, Kim Birrell, Daria Kasatkina and Taylah Preston joined James Duckworth in bowing out of the competition in the second round.
Taylah Preston was among five Aussies knocked out of the US Open on day four. Getty Images
The only glimmer in an otherwise dark day was Alex de Minaur, who looked as though he barely got out of second gear in cruising past Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
De Minaur's match was his first of the tournament, having been pushed back a day due to heavy rain at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday (AEST).
It looked as though the wet weather might add to de Minaur’s frustrations on Thursday when, during the second set, players were forced from the court as another shower rolled across the precinct. Fortunately, the delay was relatively brief.
“These tournaments, it’s all about adapting and that’s the name of the game,” he said after progressing to the second round.
“There’s too much to play for to let something like this affect you, so I’m glad with the way I handled it. I’m glad I got in and out, played a relatively clean match, and now I can focus on the next one.”
The sixth-seeded Aussie will now take on the 70th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp on Friday (AEST).
Should he progress to the third round he would then get one day break and be back on the court on Sunday (AEST).
“It definitely helps to be able to get on the court, get off the court and in straight sets. Every little bit helps.” de Minaur said.
“Now I’m moving onwards, I’ll be ready for tomorrow. It should be a battle, a physical one. Because of the rain, there’s nothing you can do about it.
“You’ve just got to get out there, play your tennis match and, ultimately, if you win enough matches, you’re going to get out on the stadium court. So that’s the mindset.”
Adopted Aussie Kasatkina was the first to be bundled out. Paula Badosa needed only minutes to win the one game required to clinch a straight sets 6-1, 6-4 victory.
Alex de Minaur is through to the third round. AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Taylah Preston was next, knocked out by Taylor Townsend with an equally grim 6-1, 6-1 scoreline.
Duckworth followed, falling to China’s big serving Wu Yibing 7-5, 6-3, 6-1.
Birrell and Joint both rallied from a set down to force a third, before both eventually fell to Ekatarina Alexandrova and Elina Svitolina respectively.
Tristan Schoolkate, Dane Sweeny, Alexei Popyrin and de Minaur will all be in action on Friday (AEST).
Elsewhere, Daniil Medvedev blew up at the chair umpire over a late let call, which came due to two birds sitting on the net.
In the second set of his straight-sets win over American Sebastian Gorzny, chair umpire Timo Janzen allowed a rally to continue despite two small brown birds perching themselves in the firing line.
Only after one of them flew away as a crunching Medvedev forehand whizzed close by was let called, and the point ordered to be replayed. Gorzny had been unable to return Medvedev’s forehand.
“This is the most ridiculous decisions I’ve seen in my life … this is very bad,” Medvedev protested.
The enigmatic Russian had some sympathy from commentator Sam Querrey, who also questioned why let wasn’t immediately called.
“That was incredible … how did (the birds) not move before? I’ve never seen that before in my life,” he said.
"It had to be a let, surely. I just don't know why it took (Janzen) so long to call it."
In his courtside interview post-match, Medvedev was asked where that ranked in a career of chaotic and bizarre moments.
“This would be definitely in the top five,” he said.
“But the thing is that when they came in, I thought, 'OK, the referee is going to stop the point', and he let it play, like, ‘OK, let’s play.’ And the moment I hit the winner, he was, like, ‘Stop! Stop! Stop!’”
Medvedev lost his first-round match in Louis Armstrong last year, when he had a meltdown after the umpire allowed Benjamin Bonzi a second serve because a photographer mistakenly entered the court too soon. That blow-up led to a delay of more than six minutes.
His antics on the same court in 2019, followed by a post-match interview in which he encouraged fans to continue raining down boos on him, led to a US$9,000 fine.
He quickly let go of this latest incident.
“It’s OK,” the 2021 champion said. “It happens.”
