The second round of the US Open saw a surge of American success, as several homegrown players secured their spots in the third round. Defending champion Coco Gauff, despite a shaky start, ultimately overpowered unseeded German Tatjana Maria 6-4, 6-0. Gauff’s victory sets up a captivating third-round matchup against 2019 semifinalist Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. “It was a tricky match. I mean, she’s not someone that sometimes you play and you feel great after,” Gauff said, highlighting the challenge Maria presented. “It was just about execution.”
Taylor Fritz continued the American momentum with a convincing 6-3, 7-6(1), 6-1 win over Italian Matteo Berrettini at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Frances Tiafoe, a semifinalist in New York last year and runner-up in his recent tune-up event, controlled the match against Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko before Shevchenko was forced to retire with the score at 6-4, 6-1, 1-0 in Tiafoe’s favor. “Happy to get it done. Hate to win it that way but overall I thought I actually played pretty well today,” Tiafoe remarked after a victory that saw him change shirts five times. Next, he’ll face fellow American Ben Shelton, the 21-year-old who captivated the crowd last year with his run to the semifinals. Shelton breezed past Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, firing 17 aces and 60 winners in a display of power. Shelton, who eliminated Tiafoe in straight sets last year, promised an exciting match when they meet again. “You guys made this draw so it’s exciting,” Shelton said, acknowledging the packed stands.
Madison Keys, making her 13th main-draw appearance at the US Open, continued the American success with a dominant 6-4, 6-0 win over Australia’s Maya Joint. Keys struck first, converting her third break-point opportunity for a 4-3 lead in the first set, and never looked back. “After the first set I feel like I made a few adjustments on my returns just to put a little bit more pressure on her,” Keys said, explaining her strategy. “And I felt like once I was able to get a little bit out ahead I really just ran with the moment and was able to close it out really well.” Keys will now face Belgian Elise Mertens in the next round.
Wimbledon quarterfinalist Emma Navarro also moved on, defeating Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus 6-1, 6-1, setting up a third-round clash against Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
However, not all American hopes saw success. Unseeded Taylor Townsend fell to Spanish 26th seed Paula Badosa 6-3, 7-5.
The atmosphere in Flushing Meadows was electric, with the home crowd fueling the American players’ success. As the tournament progresses, the question remains: will this American wave of momentum carry them to further glory in the US Open?
