Alcaraz Keen To Deflect Pressure Of US Open Title Defence, Jabeur Overcomes Breathing Difficulties

Carlos Alcaraz said retaining the US Open title was not on his mind as he began the defence of his crown on Tuesday with a swift win over injured German opponent Dominik Koepfer.

The world number one moved into the second round when the 75th-ranked Koepfer retired because of an ankle injury with the Spaniard leading 6-2, 3-2 under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"That's not the best way to get through into another round," said Alcaraz, "But I have to say on my side I was playing great."

"I started pretty well. Really focused. Honestly, I didn't expect to play such a great level the beginning, the first round, here in the US Open.

"I am very, very happy with the level, even if Domi had to retire. Have to see myself and hopefully to keep that level into the next round."

Alcaraz entered a Grand Slam as the defending champion for the first time, but the 20-year-old tried to downplay the significance of being the player to beat in New York.

"I was excited to play my first round here in US Open. I mean, it was great to step on court again in the Arthur Ashe after such a great run last year. I was excited to come back," he said.

"I'm not thinking about the defending the title. I was not thinking about I was the champion last year. I just focus on playing my best level, to recover the level that I played last year, try to do same things that I did last year.

"That's the only thing that I'm thinking right now. I try to be apart about all the pressure people put of me about the defending champion."

Koepfer's night was effectively cut short when he rolled his left ankle in the opening game of the match and required a medical timeout.

He gamely fought on for an hour before eventually accepting his fate, not wanting to further aggravate the injury.

"Being on Ashe, playing against Carlos for the first time. Probably the biggest match I've played in my tennis career so far," said Koepfer.

"It's by far the coolest experience I've had, up to deuce in the first game. It didn't last long but still you want to soak those moments up and I wanted to try my best.

"I can't say I didn't try. I took painkillers, got it taped, but it got worse and worse. There's no point in ruining the rest of the year."

Alcaraz will play big-serving South African Lloyd Harris for a place in the last 32.

He will surrender top spot to Djokovic after the US Open but admitted he was eager to reclaim the number one ranking before the end of the season.

"Well, right now it's a goal for me honestly. I said before that we are having a really good battle for the No. 1, Novak and I," said Alcaraz.

"I knew that he was going to recover the No. 1 after US Open. When the tournament is over, I will try to recover as soon as possible. That's my goal. I am working for that.

"The season has a lot of tournaments until the year is over. I'll try to recover it before the year ends."

Third seeded Daniil Medvedev strolled into the second round with a quick-fire win as he beat Hungary's Attila Balazs 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 in just 74 minutes.

The Russian will face Australia's Christopher O'Connell in the second round on Thursday for a spot in the last 32.

While Alcaraz and Medvedev cruised into the second round, Karen Khachanov - a semi-finalist at last year's US Open - was on the wrong end of a first-round upset.

The 11th-seeded Russian was bounced out in straight sets by American world No.89 Michael Mmoh, losing 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.

Germany's 12th seed Alexander Zverev, a beaten finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2020, never looked in danger of following Khachanov out of the tournament, registering a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Australia's Aleksandar Vukic.

Jannik Sinner, the Italian sixth seed, trounced Yannick Hanfmann of Germany 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.

In other men's games on Tuesday, British veteran Andy Murray downed France's Corentin Moutet 6-2, 7-5, 6-3, in a match that saw a bungled attempt to use the US Open's new video review technology for the first time.

Chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell attempted to deploy the system after Moutet requested a review following a double-bounce call.

The umpire was forced to abandon the attempt however after discovering officials were unable to properly access footage of the incident.

"I don't know how the technology works," Murray said. "But it obviously didn't go to plan in a pretty important moment of the match. So, yeah, it would be good if they could get that fixed."

Meanwhile, China sealed a notable first when Wu Yibing beat Serbia's Dusan Lajovic 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to join compatriot Zhang Zhizhen in the second round.

It is the first time in tennis's Open era that two Chinese men have reached the second round of the same Grand Slam tournament.

In the women's draw meanwhile, another semi-finalist from 2022 also made an early exit, with French seventh seed Caroline Garcia slumping to a 6-4, 6-1 reverse against Chinese qualifier Wang Yafan.

Meanwhile second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, the reigning Australian Open champion, progressed with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Ukraine-born Belgian Maryna Zanevska.

The end of the match was tinged with controversy as Zanevska declined to shake hands with Sabalenka in protest at Belarus's military support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"I know I'm representing Belgium, but all my family are in Ukraine," Zanevska told AFP.

"I have family fighting on the frontline. And I think if I shake her hand it would be the same as spitting in the face of them."

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, desperate to land her first Grand Slam title after losing in three major championship finals in 2022 and 2023, survived a medical scare before scraping past Colombia's Camila Osorio.

The 29-year-old fifth seed looked out of sorts throughout her 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win, at one stage in the opening set complaining of breathing difficulties before taking an extended medical timeout.

Jabeur has played only one tournament since being upset in last month's Wimbledon final by unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova.

Vondrousova, seeded ninth in New York, cruised into the second round on Tuesday with a 6-3, 6-0 win over South Korean qualifier Han Na-Lae.

Third seed Jessica Pegula meanwhile kept home hopes alive with a clinical 6-2, 6-2 defeat of Italy's Camila Giorgi.

But there was disappointment for American icon Venus Williams, competing in her record-extending 24th US Open.

Williams was bounced out 6-1, 6-1 by Belgium's Greet Minnen - who was just a few weeks old when Williams reached her first US Open final back in 1997.

© Agence France-Presse