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American hope Coco Gauff survived a scare as she fought back to beat German qualifier Laura Siegemund in the US Open first round.<\/p>\n
Gauff, 19, was outplayed in the first set but turned things around to win 3-6 6-2 6-4 in the New York night session.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Polish top seed\u00a0Iga Swiatek<\/strong>\u00a0began her title defence with a 6-0 6-1 win over Sweden\u2019s Rebecca Peterson in just 58 minutes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Greek eighth seed\u00a0Maria Sakkari<\/strong>\u00a0was the biggest casualty on day one.<\/p>\n Sakkari, 28, has now lost in the first round of three consecutive majors after she was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Spanish world number 71 Rebeka Masarova.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, fourth seed\u00a0Elena Rybakina<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 who had struggled in the build-up with a shoulder injury \u2013 beat Ukraine\u2019s Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1, while Brazilian 19th seed\u00a0Beatriz Haddad Maia<\/strong>\u00a0beat 2017 champion Sloane Stephens.<\/p>\n Danish former world number one\u00a0Caroline Wozniacki,<\/strong>\u00a0who retired in January 2020 and has since had two children, marked\u00a0her return to Grand Slam action\u00a0in style with a 6-3 6-2 win against Russian qualifier Tatiana Prozorova.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels amazing to be back. I was nervous coming out here but to get a win under my belt feels so special,\u201d said two-time US Open runner-up Wozniacki, who plays 11th seed\u00a0Petra Kvitova<\/strong>\u00a0next.<\/p>\n Gauff and Swiatek through in contrasting fashion<\/strong><\/p>\n Sixth seed Gauff is among the favourites to challenge Swiatek at the final major of the season, having won the two biggest titles of her career \u2013 at Washington and Cincinnati \u2013 in the build-up.<\/p>\n But she was made to dig deep against 35-year-old Siegemund, who has fallen down the rankings amid injury struggles.<\/p>\n Gauff was unable to match Siegemund\u2019s intensity in a first set where the German played with variety and was particularly clinical at the net.<\/p>\n With a star-studded crowd including former United States president Barack Obama, his wife Michelle, 2006 US Open champion Maria Sharapova and boxer Mike Tyson, Gauff had some problem-solving to do.<\/p>\n The teenager broke in a 26-minute first game of the second set, an epic that saw Gauff finally convert an eighth break point.<\/p>\n That proved pivotal as she used the momentum to quickly level the match.<\/p>\n Gauff broke twice to lead 3-0 in the decider and, after losing patience with Siegemund\u2019s time-wasting, overcame a late wobble to progress.<\/p>\n The pair shared a terse handshake after a fiery third set where both argued with umpire Marijana Veljovic about the time Siegemund was taking between points.<\/p>\n Asked on court to describe the match, Gauff, who will face 16-year-old Russian\u00a0Mirra Andreeva<\/strong>\u00a0in the second round, responded: \u201cSlow. It was a tough match, I wasn\u2019t playing my best tennis.<\/p>\n \u201cLaura is not an easy opponent and fights until the end. I overcame a lot of adversity so I was happy to get through.\u201d<\/p>\n In contrast, Swiatek made quick progress against world number 86 Peterson.<\/p>\n The world number one, who could lose the ranking to Aryna Sabalenka at this tournament, earned her 16th consecutive straight-set victory in the first round of a Grand Slam.<\/p>\n \u201cI was happy to play a great game, with all the pressure and expectations, I was happy on the court,\u201d said four-time major champion Swiatek, who faces Australia\u2019s Daria Saville next.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember when I played my first matches [at the] US Open, I always felt like there is so much going on around, and it was a little bit tougher to focus. But this year I didn\u2019t feel it.\u201d<\/p>\n Sakkari shocked and Rybakina through<\/strong><\/p>\n Maria Sakkari reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 2021<\/em><\/p>\n Two-time major semi-finalist Sakkari became the first top-10 player to fall in the women\u2019s draw.<\/p>\n Sakkari raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set but ended up suffering a shock defeat, leaving her in tears during her post-match news conference.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I played five or 10% better I would have won this match. These are the matches I have to win, these are the matches I cannot lose,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere have been too many for my level this year. It is unfortunate. I thought I would turn it around here but I was wrong. I have not much to say, I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephens, who was the last American to win the singles title, was beaten 6-2 5-7 6-4 by Haddad Maia with five breaks traded in a thrilling deciding set.<\/p>\n Victoria Azarenka,<\/strong>\u00a0a three-time finalist who is seeded 18th, made light work of France\u2019s Fiona Ferro in a 6-1 6-2 win.<\/p>\n Czech 10th seed\u00a0Karolina Muchova<\/strong>\u00a0clinched a 6-4 6-0 win over Australia\u2019s Storm Sanders, while Kvitova won 6-1 7-6 (7-5) against Spain\u2019s Cristina Bucsa.<\/p>\n Swiss 15th seed\u00a0Belinda Bencic<\/strong>\u00a0cruised past Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2 6-4 and\u00a0plays British qualifier Lily Miyazaki next.<\/p>\n Former Australian Open finalist\u00a0Jennifer Brady<\/strong>\u00a0won a match at a Grand Slam for the first time since 2021.<\/p>\n The American has struggled with injuries over the past two years but claimed a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win over Australian Kimberly Birrell.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Maria](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/_130924101_sakkari_getty.jpg\")
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