US Open 2024: American Stars Shine as Naomi Osaka Stages a Strong Comeback

New York City, UNITED STATES - The stars - both American and otherwise - have arrived for the US Open.

The final Grand Slam of the 2024 tennis kicked off in full on Monday and Tuesday with 2023 breakout youngster Ben Shelton (USA) the newest name to know in American tennis. The 21-year-old won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 over former champion Dominic Thiem, who had revealed it was to be his final US Open.

Shelton looked in command from the start, and finished the match in just one hour and 50 minutes. Serving consistently at 130 miles per hour-plus, Shelton allowed his opponent a look at just one break point, which he successfully defended.

But the 2023 semi-finalist was classy in victory, immediately pointing over to Domi, the 2020 winner here, as he said farewell on Arthur Ashe Stadium court. "Today isn't my day," Shelton said, referencing Thiem.

"I think if I learn anything from him, it's that this is a game that is unforgiving," Shelton told reporters after. "Things can change quick. You can be at the top of the game, and your body doesn't hold up or some freak accident happens; injuries happen all the time. So tennis isn't forever."

The night showcase at Louis Armstrong Stadium Monday evening featured another former semi-finalist (2022), in the electrifying　Frances Tiafoe (USA). The 20^th seed, fresh off the Cincinnati final and with new coach David Witt in his corner, was meeting fellow American Aleksandar Kovacevic.

The New York crowd was entertained by an intense battle, with Tiafoe hitting 56 winners to Kovacevic's 53, and keeping his unforced errors to 31 compared to Kovacevic's 38.

Tiafoe, stylish in a light purple sleeveless kit, emerged victorious, winning 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

New Stars are Born

On the tournament's opening day, 16-year-old Iva Jovic (USA), the youngest participant in this year's US Open main draw, made a sensational debut.

Jovic, who won the Under-18 USTA National Championship a few months ago, received a wild card entry into the tournament. In her Grand Slam debut, she faced fellow Yonex player Magda Linette (POL) and won convincingly, 6-4, 6-3, with an aggressive approach that left her opponent with little time to react. Jovic is proving to be a player to watch, and will next meet another challenge in Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 29^th seed.

Brandon Nakashima, an American of Japanese descent from San Diego, also secured a significant victory. He defeated 15^th seed Holger Rune 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in front of an energized Stadium 17.

While the score might suggest an upset, Nakashima had previously beaten Rune twice in their head-to-head match-ups. In this third encounter, Nakashima's court coverage and powerful, consistent groundstrokes overwhelmed the young Dane. After losing in the first round of all Grand Slams last year, Nakashima hired former world No. 42 Davide Sanguinetti as his coach as he navigated a comeback from injury and a subsequent drop in form.

The humble hard work for Nakashima is clearly paying off: He's knocking on the door of his career-high ranking (43^rd), which he reached in 2022, thanks in part to seven wins at the majors.

Jasmine and Naomi Overcome Tough First Rounds

This year's Roland Garros and Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini (ITA) faced a challenging first-round match against 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, marking their third straight meeting at a major.

As expected, the match at Louis Armstrong Stadium was a thrilling encounter. Paolini lost the first set, which lasted some 80 minutes, but then bounced back to win the match 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. Believe it or not, this is only the second time Paolini has advanced past the first round at the US Open.

Another high-profile match featured Naomi Osaka (JPN) facing off against fellow former slam winner Jelena Ostapenko. Osaka, who missed last year's tournament after giving birth, returned to the US Open this year with renewed determination.

"I do remember [last year] I was watching Coco's match... and I felt very inspired to play again," Osaka said. "At that time, I didn't know at what level I could play."

Osaka, who has returned this season with a renewed sense of purpose, dominated the 2017 Roland Garros champion in just one hour and four minutes, winning 6-3, 6-2. With only five unforced errors compared to her opponent's 21, Osaka was visibly emotional as she celebrated her first US Open victory in two years. She hit 19 winners, dressed in a head-turning kit.

This year, 67 players out of 256 singles competitors (28 men and 39 women) are using Yonex racquets, representing 26% of the total-a significant increase from five years ago when there were 53 Yonex players in this tournament.

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