An unexpected upset marked the opening day, as the eighth seed Maria Sakkari exited the tournament, falling to the Spanish world No. 71 Rebeka Masarova.
Even as she moved across the court, Maria Sakkari found herself disturbed by an unusual scent.
“It was weed,” Sakkari remarked.
The Greek No. 8 seed was ousted from the U.S. Open in the first round on Monday with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat against Rebeka Masarova. Sakkari appeared to be in control of the match until she brought up the scent to the chair umpire during a changeover, when she was leading 4-1 in the first set on Court 17.
“The smell, oh my gosh,” Sakkari exclaimed. “I think it’s coming from the park.”
Sakkari, a U.S. Open semifinalist from two years ago, clarified that the smell of marijuana didn’t impact her gameplay. She had practiced on the same court the previous Sunday and had already noticed the scent then.
“You don’t really dwell on it, because all that matters is winning the match,” Sakkari expressed. “I smelled it, but that was it. It wasn’t something that I paid much attention to.”
In the past year, Nick Kyrgios had also complained about the smell of marijuana during a match, mentioning afterward that he has asthma and the odor likely wasn’t conducive to his physical exertion.
However, Sakkari asserted that the smell didn’t pose any hindrance while competing, despite this being her third consecutive first-round exit in a Grand Slam tournament.
“At times you smell food, at times you smell cigarettes, at times you smell weed,” Sakkari commented. “I mean, it’s beyond our control since we’re in an open area. There’s a park nearby. People can do as they please.”
Coco Gauff was forced to battle back from a set down as the US Open served up an unexpected and testy thriller under lights on opening night.
American title hope Gauff, the sixth seed, was left frazzled by German qualifier Laura Siegemund’s incredible anticipation and volleying in the first set before finally triumphing 3-6 6-2 6-4 victory in two hours and 51 minutes.
The match swung after an epic 26-minute first game of the second set – a minute longer than defending champion Iga Swiatek had taken to claim the first set in her 6-0 6-1 win against Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson.
The match boiled over when Gauff, tiring of the type of delaying tactics from world No.121 Siegemund, raged at chair umpire Marijana Veljovic.
The teenager could barely contain her delight when Veljovic deducted Siegemund a point for not being ready to receive, giving Gauff a 5-1 lead in the decider.
“Slow!” was Gauff’s verdict on the match after setting up a second-round clash with 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
“I mean it was a tough match,” she added. “I wasn’t playing my best tennis and Laura fights to the end. I managed to overcome some adversity so I’m happy to get through.”
World No.1 Swiatek needed just 58 minutes to roar into the second round, getting her title defence off to the perfect start as she seeks a fifth grand slam title.
The 22-year-old from Poland dropped just eight points in the first set.
Sweden’s Peterson did get on the board early in the second but Swiatek wrapped up the win in just 58 minutes.
“I’m happy to play such a great game and despite all the pressure and expectation I can still have fun on the court,” said Swiatek.
The top seed will next face Australian Daria Saville after her equally impressive 6-0 6-2 thumping of American teenager Clervie Ngounoue.
Former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki marked her return to grand slam action for the first time in more than three years with a 6-3 6-2 win over Russian qualifier Tatiana Prozorova.
Wozniacki is competing in her third tournament since returning to the tour after retiring in 2020 to start a family.
“It feels amazing to be back,” said Wozniacki. “Obviously I was very nervous coming out here, I haven’t been here since 2019 and a lot has happened since then.”
Czech Karolina Muchova was the first player into the second round after a 6-4 6-0 victory over Australia’s Storm Hunter and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka downed Fiona Ferro of France 6-1 6-2 for her 15th first-round win at Flushing Meadows.
Swiss 15th seed Belinda Bencic put out Kamilla Rahkimova from Russia 6-2 6-4 to advance, while 16th seed Veronika Kudermetova was beaten 7-5 6-4 by local Bernarda Pera.
Nineteenth-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil took out 2017 champion Sloane Stephens 6-2 5-7 6-4 and fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina, last year’s Wimbledon champion, defeated Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-2 6-1.
*With AAP, AP & Reuters