(Reuters) -The U.S. Open second round kicks off on Wednesday, with Novak Djokovic pursuing his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title, while women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka continues her title defence and home favourite Ben Shelton faces veteran Pablo Carreno Busta.
TOP MEN’S MATCH: NOVAK DJOKOVIC V ZACHARY SVAJDA
A 25th major title has eluded Novak Djokovic at the last seven slams. If the 38-year-old fails to win the U.S. Open, he will complete two calendar years without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2010.
On paper, the Serbian got off to a decent start, beating Learner Tien in straight sets. But the 19-year-old forced a tiebreaker in the second set as Djokovic struggled with a right foot blister.
“Yeah, it’s slightly a concern. I don’t know. I don’t have any injury or anything. I just struggled a lot to stay in long exchanges and recover after points,” Djokovic said after the win.
“There was quite a bit of tension on the court, playing a young American… I had to deliver my A-game, which I did I think in the first set. Particularly in the second, it was surviving on the court.”
Djokovic is set to face another young American in the second round, and it remains to be seen if the 22-year-old Zachary Svajda can cause problems for the veteran.
TOP WOMEN’S MATCH: ARYNA SABALENKA V POLINA KUDERMETOVA
Three-time Grand Slam winner Aryna Sabalenka said it took her some time to get going when she began her title defence against Rebeka Masarova with a 7-5 6-1 win on Sunday.
“I feel like I didn’t start my best in the first game, but then I found my rhythm,” the 27-year-old said.
Sabalenka faced her second-round opponent Polina Kudermetova at the Brisbane International in January, where the world number one lost the first set before bouncing back to win.
Kudermetova, 22, will be relatively fresh coming into Wednesday’s clash, after her first-round opponent Nuria Parrizas-Diaz rolled her ankle and had to retire just 24 minutes into the match.
“She’s a great player… it’s going to be a fierce battle,” Sabalenka said.
SHELTON FACES BATTLE AT HOME
Ben Shelton believes it is only a matter of time before an American wins the U.S. Open men’s singles tournament again to end a drought that stretches back to Andy Roddick’s victory in 2003. And the 2023 semi-finalist remains one of the prime contenders to do it.
“Starting to feel like home for me. This is the best court in tennis. It’s my favourite place to play, favourite court, favourite tournament,” Shelton said after his first-round win.
But the 22-year-old sixth seed, who began his campaign with a straight sets win over qualifier Ignacio Buse, now faces Pablo Carreno Busta, who has played his best tennis at Flushing Meadows.
The 34-year-old reached the U.S. Open semi-finals twice before considering retirement in 2023 due to persistent elbow pain. He made a comeback the following year after surgery.
The Spaniard said it took him months to recover mentally and physically, but he was determined to continue playing.
Carreno Busta put up a fight when he played Shelton at the Australian Open in January, winning the third set in a tiebreak before the American claimed victory.
U.S. OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON WEDNESDAY (prefix number denotes seeding)
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM (1530 GMT/1130 AM ET)
7-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v Zachary Svajda (U.S.)
4-Jessica Pegula (U.S.) v Anna Blinkova (Russia)
Mattia Bellucci (Italy) v 2-Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Polina Kudermetova (Russia)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM (1500 GMT/11 AM ET)
Emma Raducanu (Britain) v Janice Tjen (Indonesia)
Lloyd Harris (South Africa) v 4-Taylor Fritz (U.S.)
Iva Jovic (U.S.) v 7-Jasmine Paolini (Italy)
6-Ben Shelton (U.S.) v Pablo Carreno Busta (Spain)
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
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