From Danielle Collins ditching farewell ceremony to Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu breaking down in tears: 6 notable moments from US Open 2024 | Day 2
Day 2 of the 2024 US Open saw the conclusion of all first-round matches. Several stars, from Naomi Osaka to Danielle Collins, provided produced some of the most memorable moments at the tournament.
Top seeds Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek were made to work hard by Mackenzie McDonald and Kamilla Rakhimova, respectively, but registered victories to begin their campaigns. Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Jessica Pegula, and Elena Rybakina also safely qualified for the second round.
Many incidents from August 27 caught the eye of the tennis world, and here is a rundown of the six most memorable moments from day 2 of the 2024 US Open:
#6 Daria Saville's racquet demolition
Daria Saville appeared to completely lose her cool after losing to Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara in the first round of the 2024 US Open. The Australian took the first set, only for Shibahara to level the score in the second set. The third set went to a tiebreaker, and Saville came up short 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (6) in three hours and 16 minutes.
Saville fell to the ground in despair after double-faulting on match point. She demolished her racquet after smashing it five times on the court, including a double-handed hammer blow, in a fit of rage. The Australian has struggled on tour in the past few months, failing to win consecutive matches since March.
#5 Dan Evans emotional after longest match in US Open history
Dan Evans and Karen Khachanov played the longest match in US Open history on August 27. The first three sets of the match lasted nearly three hours and 30 minutes, with all three going to a tiebreaker. Khachanov took the first set, but Evan appeared to have taken control of the match by winning the next two. However, the Russian won the fourth to force a deciding set.
Khachanov raced to a 1-4 lead in the fifth set, but Evans staged another comeback to win five games on the trot and wrap up the match on his third match point. The Brit was over the moon to come out on top after a five-hour and 35-minute contest and just "want[ed] to go to bed" after one of the hardest victories in his career.
“I just tried to keep fighting. At 4-0 I thought I was out. I felt a little sorry for myself. But I didn’t want to go out from another slam without much fight and with a whimper. I just tried to grab one game at a time. It was a hell of a match. I just want to go to bed,” Evans said in his post-match on-court interview.
#4 Shelby Rogers bids adieu to tennis
Shelby Rogers drew the curtain on her tennis career at the 2024 US Open after a first-round defeat against Jessica Pegula. Rogers was given a main draw spot via protected ranking and had announced before the tournament that she would retire from the sport after the end of her US Open campaign, at the age of 30. Her stay at the Grand Slam was ended in the first round on August 27 by sixth seed Pegula, 6-4, 6-3.
Rogers, a two-time Major quarterfinalist, was overcome with emotion after playing her last singles tennis match as she addressed the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. She professed her wish to continue playing tennis but stated that her body could not sustain the rigors.
"Right now, I feel many emotions, I would have liked to prepare better. It is very special to share this with you all. The truth is I don't want to leave it, but my body says it's time. I hope not to become a stranger and see you all very soon," the former World No. 30 said.
Rogers is also playing women's doubles (with Petra Martic) and mixed doubles Robert Galloway) at the US Open.
#3 Emma Raducanu breaks down in tears
Emma Raducanu's campaign at the 2024 US Open ended early as she lost to Sofia Kenin in their opening round match on day 2 of the tournament. Kenin outplayed Raducanu in the first set to take the lead, but the Brit leveled the scoreline in the second set. Kenin, the former Australian Open winner, switched gears in the deciding set and dispatched the former US Open champion 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
Raducanu, who skipped the WTA 1000 tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati ahead of the US Open, fought back tears during her post-match press conference. The 21-year-old was saddened after failing to perform well at the tournament and complimented Kenin on her win.
"I feel down, I feel sad. Obviously, this is a tournament I really want to do well in so… after the first set I was outplayed completely and I think I did well to equal it...The third set was pretty high-level tennis and I think certain parts of my game in dealing with her speed of shot, dealing with her pace, certain parts I actually executed better than in previous matches," Raducanu said.
#2 Danielle Collins refuses farewell ceremony
Danielle Collins suffered an upset loss in the first round of the 2024 US Open against Caroline Dolehide. Collins, who will retire at the end of the year, came out all guns blazing to take a one-set advantage. Dolehide, with a late flurry in the second set, was able to force a decider.
Both women stepped up their level in the third set, with Dolehide eventually coming on top after converting her third match point. The loss ended Collins' singles Grand Slam career, and the 30-year-old left the court instead of waiting for a farewell ceremony. Tournament Director Stacey Allaster was seen holding a bouquet of flowers to honor Collins but could not do so.
In her post-match press conference, Collins explained she did not want a farewell ceremony and relayed her request to the organizers. The American also noted that she is competing in doubles at the tournament.
"Yeah, I'm still in the doubles, and I had requested not to have any presentation on the court. I'm not somebody that likes to celebrate my accomplishments," Collins said.
Collins has partnered up with Caroline Garcia, and they will be facing Anna Sinclair Roger and Alana Smith in the first round.
#1 Naomi Osaka overwhelmed after thumping win
Naomi Osaka has been given, arguably, the toughest draw of any player at the 2024 US Open. The Japanese star faced 10th-seed Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round on August 27 and is projected to come up against a Grand Slam winner or Grand Slam finalist en route to the final.
Osaka, a two-time US Open champion, was on song from the get-go and did not make a single unforced error in the first set to take the advantage. She stepped up her level in the second set to make light of Ostapenko and emerge victorious 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour.
The 26-year-old was overwhelmed with emotion after beating her first top-10 player in four years. She wiped away tears while soaking in the special moment after winning her first match at the tournament since 2021.
She will now face former Roland Garros finalist Karolina Muchova in the second round of the 2024 US Open.