Tennis-Sabalenka launches bid for third straight title, Djokovic exit rattles men's field

Aryna Sabalenka got off to a winning start in ​her quest for a third successive U.S. Open title on ​Monday, as the second day of the tournament ‌kicked ​off after Novak Djokovic's shock defeat left another major hole in the men's field.

Sabalenka has been trying to regain her usual dominance after a frustrating stretch, having failed to reach a final ‌since she completed the Sunshine Double in March, and looked well on her way with an easy 6-2 6-4 win over Colombia's Camila Osorio. The world number one launched 32 winners in the first match of the day at Arthur Ashe Stadium to set up a meeting with Russian ‌Polina Iatcenko in the second round.

A meeting between Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and Cincinnati winner Arthur Fils was underway in the early ‌match at Louis Armstrong Stadium, as the men's draw carried on without the 24-times major winner Djokovic. The Serb had not lost in the opening round of a major in 20 years and his exit against Argentine Mariano Navone, after vomiting during the match, left the tournament without some of its star power on the men's side, ⁠with ​top-ranked Jannik Sinner among several to ⁠withdraw due to injury this year.

Sinner's key rival Carlos Alcaraz begins his title defence against Roman Safiullin in the second match on Ashe on Monday after a long ⁠layoff due to injury. SHELTON, OSAKA HIGHLIGHT NIGHT SESSION

Seven matches were suspended on the outer courts on Sunday night due to rain and resumed on Monday, ​with organisers benefiting from the extended three-day first-round schedule after expanding the main draw to 15 days in 2025. The Wimbledon runner-up ⁠Karolina Muchova got the day underway on the Grandstand with a routine 6-3 6-0 win over Austrian Sinja Kraus. The Czech seventh seed plays Briton Katie Boulter in the ⁠second ​round.

The Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who was forced to go through qualifying only two years after reaching the quarter-finals in New York, beat Kristina Liutova 4-6 6-3 6-1. Zheng, whose progress has stalled and ranking has plummeted since an elbow injury forced her to undergo ⁠surgery last summer, will play the winner of a match on Tuesday between Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva and Switzerland's 2021 Olympic gold medallist ⁠Belinda Bencic.

In the night session, home ⁠hope Ben Shelton takes on the Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor on Ashe, followed by a match between twice champion Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova. On Armstrong, Poland's 2022 champion Iga Swiatek takes on China's Wang Xiyu, ‌followed by an all-American ‌clash between Frances Tiafoe and Martin Damm.