Aussies land huge pay days with US Open upsets as Demon delayed, women’s star meets Serena again

Alex de Minaur is yet to play a point in the US Open but is already at a relative disadvantage after rain forced his late evening match at Flushing Meadows to be abandoned on what was an otherwise decent day for Australians in New York.

While postponements at majors are not unusual, the extension of the first round to three days means that the Australian will be starting the major on Wednesday at a time when leading contenders for the crown are in second round action.

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The dual-quarterfinalist’s first round outing against against qualifier Andrea Guerrieri was the last match scheduled for the Grandstand court, the third biggest at Flushing Meadows, but is among the five organisers have cancelled on a rainy day.

Daria Kasatkina, a former Roland Garros semi-finalist, is among those in a holding pattern having already begun her match against one-time world No.2 Paula Badosa, who leads 6-1 1-2 in a match on Crt 17 that is yet to be postponed.

Meanwhile, Maya Joint will clash with Serena Williams for the second straight grand slam after she and partner Hao-ching Chan, the 14th seeds in the women’s doubles, drew the superstar and her sister Venus in the opening round of doubles.

Joint’s victory over Williams at Wimbledon in her comeback to singles after a four-year break was watched around the world, with the 23-year-old’s initial failure to acknowledge how well the young Aussie played on Centre Court drawing criticism.

Earlier on, Australians Tristan Schoolkate and Dane Sweeny were able to handle the rain-marred conditions to progress in the richest grand slam ever played.

There is something about the bright lights of New York that clearly appeals to Schoolkate, a Western Australian who posted a stirring win at Flushing Meadows to continue a decent start for Aussie hopefuls.

An all-court player renowned for his work ethic, Schoolkate has endured a lean year on the regular tour and has dipped from a top 100 ranking to a spot just inside 200, but his arrival at the US Open has sparked a surge of form once again.

Schoolkate, 25, had a testing fight through qualifying which included a super tie-break triumph over Canadian Liam Draxl to book a spot in the main draw and continued that form by defeating American Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6 (4) 3-6 6-3 6-4.

It is the third straight year that the right-hander has reached the third round at the US Open, with the triumph his fourth win at major level overall from six grand slam appearances, with the other triumph coming in Melbourne last year.

He faces a testing clash next against Italian Flavio star Cobolli but is guaranteed to pocket $A265,000 regardless of the result at a tournament offering a massive $A151 million in prize money this year.

A Roland Garros finalist who ousted de Minaur at Wimbledon on route to the semi-finals this year, the No. 5 seed overcame a two set deficit against Francisco Comensana to win 3-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 in a marathon lasting 4hr 13min.

Sweeny, who received a wildcard when fellow first round winner Alexei Popyrin was promoted into the main draw after a string of injury withdrawals including world No.1 Jannik Sinner, progressed over Corentin Moutet 7-6 (4) 6-4 3-0 (ret).

He faces another Italian star Lorenzo Musetti, a Wimbledon and Roland Garros semifinalist, in the second round.

Fellow Australians Taylah Preston, Kim Birrell, Maya Joint, Popyrin, Schoolkate, Sweeny and veteran James Duckworth will all feature in second round action after opening wins across the first three days of the last major for the year.

There was no joy for the injury-stricken Thanasi Kokkinakis, however, who waited until the last minute in the hope of overcoming an ankle injury he suffered in the Cincinnati Masters a fortnight ago.

The South Australian has endured little luck this year when it comes to draws in majors or recurrences of injuries after returning to the tour following a career-threatening pectoral problem and was understandably shattered by the setback.

“On the limited matches that I’ve played, I’ve shown that I’m more than good enough to still compete and then beat some good players,” he told AAP in New York.

“But, to be honest, I’m sick of going into tournaments not feeling like I can do it physically and everyone asks me how my body is.”

Former US Open finalist Taylor Fritz was the biggest name to progress on the men’s side heading into the evening action in Queens, while past champion Coco Gauff made a bright start on Arthur Ashe Stadium in the first women’s night match.

Former Australian Open champion Madison Keys, reigning Roland Garros winner Mirra Andreeva progressed, while current Australian Open titleholder Elena Rybakina began her push for the No.1 ranking with a solid win as well.

She was too good for emerging American Thea Frodin, who as a 12-year-old served as a body double for a young Serena Williams in the hit film King Richard.

Frodin, who is ranked 580 and will also feature in the juniors, performed well against the dual-grand slam champion despite being beaten 6-3 6-2, demonstrating enough firepower to suggest she can progress further on the women’s tour.

“I mean, it’s hard to get away from all of that,” the 17-year-old said.

“It’s just about accepting it and not letting it get to you. I saw that Will Smith reposted one of my posts, so that was pretty cool (but) I didn’t let any of it get to me.”

At nearly 2am local time, top men’s seed Alexander Zverev came from two sets to one down to avoid a shock first round exit against Lorenzo Sonego.

The French Open champion prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 after the Italian, who made the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park in 2025, pushed him to the brink on Arthur Ashe.