US Open 2025
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September
Coverage: Live radio commentaries throughout 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus reside textual content commentaries on the BBC Sport web site & app
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British primary Jack Draper says he doesn’t have “too much expectation” after coming by a extreme examination of his health on his return to motion on the US Open.
The fifth seed wanted to dig deep in a 6-4 7-5 6-7 (7-9) 6-2 win over Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez.
Draper, who reached the New York semi-finals final yr, was enjoying his first match since early July after struggling an arm damage.
“I wasn’t too sure if I was going to make it here,” Draper stated.
“It wasn’t my finest performance but credit to my opponent, he played some outstanding tennis.”
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Draper, 23, is seen as one of many contenders for the title on his return to the scene of his breakout Grand Slam run.
While not fairly at his dependable and highly effective greatest, the left-handed Englishman will finally be content material with how he largely negated Gomez’s explosive sport.
Draper soaked up a variety of strain on the baseline, asking questions that his 203rd-ranked opponent was not capable of reply constantly sufficient.
After saving a match level in the tie-break, Gomez managed to increase the competition earlier than Draper regrouped to seal victory along with his second match level.
“I’m not putting too much expectation on myself. I’m so happy to be able to compete,” added Draper.
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Fellow Briton Cameron Norrie can be by to the second spherical after opponent Sebastian Korda was pressured to retire injured.
How arm damage affected Draper
All eyes have been on Draper’s higher left arm as he took to the singles courtroom for the primary time since a shock Wimbledon second-spherical exit virtually eight weeks in the past.
The consideration was not necessarily to evaluate his beefed-up muscles, however to see if there have been any points with the bruised humerus that has troubled him lately.
Draper didn’t play the current ATP 1000 occasions in Toronto and Cincinnati to present himself time to recuperate, however competed in final week’s revamped US Open blended doubles competitors to construct sharpness.
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On his singles return, Draper wore a compression sleeve – which offers help and luxury – on his troublesome serving arm.
Draper insisted earlier than the match he wouldn’t maintain again, though his serve speeds have been barely slower than standard.
An common of 111mph in the primary set, dropping to 108mph, 110mph and 106mph in the subsequent three, indicated he was not going full throttle.
The precision of Draper’s kick serve contributed to not being damaged till the top of the second set – which he went on to win – and was essential once more as he dominated the fourth.
While his forehand winners have been outnumbered by Gomez’s personal blistering weapon, there have been gasps when he did produce ferocity off that wing.
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Flatter hitting from that aspect in the fourth introduced Draper extra success as he teed up a second-spherical conflict towards Belgium’s Zizou Bergs – one other explosive, fearless opponent.
‘Nervous’ Norrie by after Korda retirement
Cameron Norrie has by no means progressed previous the fourth spherical on the US Open [Getty Images]
A “nervous” Norrie was frightened about being first on courtroom at 11:00 native time and must gas up earlier than enjoying an opponent who was ranked inside the highest 20 a yr in the past – and towards whom he had misplaced three of 4 previous conferences.
Ultimately the 30-yr-previous didn’t should be overly involved, as Norrie was main 7-5 6-4 when Korda, 25, ended the match early.
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American Korda solely returned to tour motion final week following a close to three-month shin stress fracture lay-off.
He referred to as a medical timeout at first of the second set towards Norrie when he seemed to be combating an belly problem.
Although Korda persevered for the rest of the set he was unwilling to go any additional, sending Norrie by to face both Argentine Francisco Comesana or American Alex Michelsen.
Norrie, who withdrew from the 2024 US Open with an arm damage, made his debut at Flushing Meadows in 2017 however nonetheless feels the nerves in New York.
“I was very nervous for the match,” stated Norrie.
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“Playing a Grand Slam match at 11am and trying to get rice down at 10am is not easy!”
On Korda’s retirement, Norrie stated: “I feel for Sebastian. He’s been out the whole summer, he’s an amazing talent and he’s beaten me the last few times we’ve played.
“It’s robust to see him ending like that.”