Drama Unfolds on First Day of U.S. Open: Sakkari Retires Due to Injury

The first day of the U.S. Open saw Greek ninth seed Maria Sakkari retire from her first-round match against China's Yafan Wang due to a shoulder injury. Play commenced under partly cloudy skies with a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. Defending champions Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff highlighted the opening day.

The opening day of the U.S. Open witnessed high drama as Greek ninth seed Maria Sakkari was forced to retire from her first-round match against China's Yafan Wang after losing the first set 6-2. Wang seized control early, breaking Sakkari's serve in the opening game and advancing to a 5-1 lead. Sakkari, struggling with a shoulder injury, took a medical timeout but ultimately could not continue.

Under partly cloudy skies and temperatures around 26 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit), play began as anticipated in New York. The tournament's defending champions, Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff, were the marquee attractions on the first day. Djokovic faced a test from Radu Albot in his opening match while maintaining his ambitious stance following his completion of the Golden Slam.

Elsewhere, Carlos Alcaraz assured that he was fit after a recent injury scare during training. Naomi Osaka returned to New York with renewed confidence, while Iga Swiatek aimed to leave past disappointments behind as she stepped onto the court. Coco Gauff brought a positive attitude, treating her appearance as a 'victory lap,' and Olympians aimed to shed their Paris hangover as the tournament got underway.

(With inputs from agencies.)