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Stosur Begins U.S. Open Title Defense With a Rout Comfortable as Open Champion, Stosur Beats Rain and Her First Foe
(about 1 hour later)
With the first storm clouds of the United States Open bearing down on the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Monday, the biggest challenge for the defending champion Samantha Stosur of Australia was whether she could polish off Petra Martic of Croatia before the raindrops arrived.With the first storm clouds of the United States Open bearing down on the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Monday, the biggest challenge for the defending champion Samantha Stosur of Australia was whether she could polish off Petra Martic of Croatia before the raindrops arrived.
The answer was a definitive yes. Stosur, seeded seventh, took 51 minutes to put the final touches on a 6-1, 6-1 victory in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the site of her only Grand Slam victory. Her reward this year was to kick off the first round of the Open and beat the weather, which halted play for several hours just after Stosur was safely off the court.The answer was a definitive yes. Stosur, seeded seventh, took 51 minutes to put the final touches on a 6-1, 6-1 victory in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the site of her only Grand Slam victory. Her reward this year was to kick off the first round of the Open and beat the weather, which halted play for several hours just after Stosur was safely off the court.
“I was really looking forward to getting this year’s tournament started,” Stosur said after the match. “Last year was the highlight of my career, so it’s really nice to come back to a place where I feel so comfortable.”“I was really looking forward to getting this year’s tournament started,” Stosur said after the match. “Last year was the highlight of my career, so it’s really nice to come back to a place where I feel so comfortable.”
Andy Murray of Britain had to wait through the rain delay, a United States Open tradition these days, to play Alex Bogomolov Jr. But Murray motored through his first-round match with similar urgency to Stosur. Andy Murray of Britain had to wait through the rain delay, a United States Open tradition these days, to play Alex Bogomolov Jr. But Murray motored through his first-round match with urgency similar to Stosur’s.
He was not sharp in the opening games of the match, but he soon became comfortable, demolishing Bogomolov, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.He was not sharp in the opening games of the match, but he soon became comfortable, demolishing Bogomolov, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.
“I thought it was a 6 or 7 out of 10,” Murray said of his performance. “I didn’t serve particularly well at the beginning of the match, but I won in three sets against a tough player and that’s what I needed to do.”“I thought it was a 6 or 7 out of 10,” Murray said of his performance. “I didn’t serve particularly well at the beginning of the match, but I won in three sets against a tough player and that’s what I needed to do.”
Bogomolov, a former American player who now competes for Russia, could not make much of early service breaks against Murray in the first two sets. Eventually, Murray overpowered him with deep, angled shots that Bogomolov could only watch helplessly.Bogomolov, a former American player who now competes for Russia, could not make much of early service breaks against Murray in the first two sets. Eventually, Murray overpowered him with deep, angled shots that Bogomolov could only watch helplessly.
Like Stosur, Murray came here full of great thoughts, not about last year’s Open but about his last tournament, the Olympics in London. His emotional gold-medal victory against the world No. 1 Roger Federer was in stark contrast to his defeat by Federer in the Wimbledon final on the same court at the All-England Club. Like Stosur, Murray came here full of great thoughts, not about last year’s Open but about his last tournament, the Olympics in London. His emotional gold medal victory against the world No. 1 Roger Federer was in stark contrast to his defeat by Federer in the Wimbledon final on the same court at the All-England Club.
“It was the biggest win of my career,” Murray said of the Olympics. “To play for my country in a home Olympics and win a gold medal, it was perfect.”“It was the biggest win of my career,” Murray said of the Olympics. “To play for my country in a home Olympics and win a gold medal, it was perfect.”
Stosur had a chance at a perfect first set on Monday. Martic did not win a point until the fifth game as Stosur raced to a 5-0 lead. Martic had not played since Wimbledon because of injury. She served well and accurately but could manage only 7 winners to Stosur’s 22.Stosur had a chance at a perfect first set on Monday. Martic did not win a point until the fifth game as Stosur raced to a 5-0 lead. Martic had not played since Wimbledon because of injury. She served well and accurately but could manage only 7 winners to Stosur’s 22.
“I think it was a really good start,” Stosur said. “I thought I served really well. There isn’t really anything that I’d say I have to go out on the practice court and work on. Tomorrow I will go out there and practice and I will be trying, you know, to fine-tune a few things.“I think it was a really good start,” Stosur said. “I thought I served really well. There isn’t really anything that I’d say I have to go out on the practice court and work on. Tomorrow I will go out there and practice and I will be trying, you know, to fine-tune a few things.
“But I think the first round is down, and it was a good start. As the week progresses, then you work on whatever you need to.”“But I think the first round is down, and it was a good start. As the week progresses, then you work on whatever you need to.”
Maria Sharapova kept the schedule at Arthur Ashe Stadium running as smoothly as possible as after the rain delay. Sharapova, who won this year’s French Open to complete her career Grand Slam, defeated Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-2, 6-2. The match took just an hour and seven minutes, which left Sharapova enough time to wave to fans with some daylight remaining.Maria Sharapova kept the schedule at Arthur Ashe Stadium running as smoothly as possible as after the rain delay. Sharapova, who won this year’s French Open to complete her career Grand Slam, defeated Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-2, 6-2. The match took just an hour and seven minutes, which left Sharapova enough time to wave to fans with some daylight remaining.
In other early matches, Marion Bartoli of France, the 11th seed, jumped out quickly on the American Jamie Hampton and was leading, 6-3, and headed to a tiebreaker in the second set when the rain started. She returned to the court to win the tiebreaker, 7-5.In other early matches, Marion Bartoli of France, the 11th seed, jumped out quickly on the American Jamie Hampton and was leading, 6-3, and headed to a tiebreaker in the second set when the rain started. She returned to the court to win the tiebreaker, 7-5.
Li Na of China, seeded ninth, was up, 6-2, 5-3, on Heather Watson of Britain and finished off the second set, 6-3, when play resumed.Li Na of China, seeded ninth, was up, 6-2, 5-3, on Heather Watson of Britain and finished off the second set, 6-3, when play resumed.
There were two minor upsets on the women’s side, with the 16th-seeded Sabine Lisicki of Germany losing to unseeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. No. 18 Julia Goerges, another German, lost to unseeded Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 7-6 (4), 6-1.There were two minor upsets on the women’s side, with the 16th-seeded Sabine Lisicki of Germany losing to unseeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. No. 18 Julia Goerges, another German, lost to unseeded Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 7-6 (4), 6-1.
James Blake, who received a wild card for the tournament after struggling with knee and shoulder injuries in the past year, won his first two sets, 7-5, 6-2, over Lukas Lacko of Slovakia before the delay. He lost the third set, 3-6, after play resumed but closed out the match by winning the fourth set, 6-3.James Blake, who received a wild card for the tournament after struggling with knee and shoulder injuries in the past year, won his first two sets, 7-5, 6-2, over Lukas Lacko of Slovakia before the delay. He lost the third set, 3-6, after play resumed but closed out the match by winning the fourth set, 6-3.
Blake, ranked 114th, did not advance past the first round at the French Open or Wimbledon, but said he was the healthiest he has been in three or four years.Blake, ranked 114th, did not advance past the first round at the French Open or Wimbledon, but said he was the healthiest he has been in three or four years.
“I actually feel like I can move the way I used to or the way I need to to compete here,” he said.“I actually feel like I can move the way I used to or the way I need to to compete here,” he said.
The rain pushed back the schedule but has not scrambled it entirely. Yet. More rain was possible Monday night and was forecast for Tuesday. It would hardly be a United States Open without it.The rain pushed back the schedule but has not scrambled it entirely. Yet. More rain was possible Monday night and was forecast for Tuesday. It would hardly be a United States Open without it.