Iga Swiatek began her bid for a second US Open title with a dominant straight-sets win, while defending men’s champion Jannik Sinner opened his campaign as the top seed in New York.
Swiatek, the pre-tournament favourite after triumphs at Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Open, swept aside Colombia’s Emiliana Arango 6-1, 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 24-year-old Polish star was in firm control throughout, mixing powerful baseline hitting with a touch of finesse at the net. The victory also solidified a historic milestone, as Swiatek extended her remarkable run to 65 consecutive WTA first-round wins, surpassing Monica Seles’ previous mark of 64. She now awaits a second-round clash between Valerie Gľozman of the United States and Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands.
Sinner, the world No. 1, began his title defense against unseeded Czech Vit Kopriva. The Italian-born star has claimed two of this season’s three major titles, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and reached the French Open final in June, where he fell to Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling fifth-set tiebreak. In New York, he is the heavy favourite to become the first man to repeat as US Open champion since Roger Federer’s five-peat ended in 2008. Sinner’s preparations were disrupted last week when illness forced him to retire while leading Alcaraz 5-0 in the Cincinnati final, but he said he was still “not 100 percent” and expected to be fully recovered for his opener.
Sinner’s past US Open campaign was shaded by controversy, as his title last year came amid a doping scandal that erupted on the eve of the tournament. He initially dodged a ban after testing positive for an anabolic steroid at Indian Wells earlier in 2024, ultimately agreeing to a three-month suspension that was served earlier this year, with authorities noting inadvertent contamination. The Italian has since moved on, insisting he has put the issue behind him and remains focused on victory in New York. “I feel like it’s over,” he said. “We are focusing on hard work again and trying to get better as an athlete.”
In other action on Tuesday, 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff, the third seed, opened against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in a night session on Arthur Ashe, with third seed Alexander Zverev following against Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo.
What to watch next: Swiatek’s continued form will be under the microscope as she chases a second title here, while Sinner looks to maintain momentum and silence lingering questions about his recent health and the shadow of last year’s controversy. The men’s and women’s draws promise a compelling few weeks as New York hosts the final Grand Slam of the season, with multiple plotlines—records, comebacks, and fresh rivals—ready to unfold. A hopeful takeaway is that both defending champions arrive with confidence and clear focus, setting the stage for gripping tennis and a potentially thrilling chase for titles in the twilight of 2024.