A nervous Jessica Pegula started her quest for a maiden US Open title with an at-times tricky win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
Pegula, who is one of four players fighting it out for the world No.1 spot in New York, battled past the Romanian 6-3, 6-2. She has won 21 of her last 23 Grand Slam first round matches and is now 16-1 against players outside the top 50 this season.
“I was so nervous today,” Pegula said afterwards.
“A lot of nerves today, always in the first round of a slam. I feel like there’s a ton of nerves. Everybody’s kind of freaking out for the next three days, but I’m glad that it’s over with. Now, maybe I can relax a little bit.”
Despite the straight-sets victory, Pegula was made to work hard. In the third game of the match, she failed to convert eight break point opportunities and then had to save one in the following game. The world No.3 gradually gained momentum as the match unfolded as she broke twice to clinch the opening set in just under 50 minutes.
In the second frame, Pegula capitalised on a Ruse double fault to break for a set and 4-2 lead. Surging towards the finish line, she closed the match out on her third match point after a Ruse forehand went into the net.
In her 10th main draw appearance at Flushing Meadows, Pegula has the added pressure of being the highest-ranked American across both the men’s and women’s draws.
“It’s an amazing honour, especially with the depth that we have,” she said of being the top-ranked player from her country.
“It just shows how tough it is, which I think makes it even more special that I get to be the number one ranked American for now.”
In the second round, Pegula will play either Tour veteran Venus Williams or Sofia Kenin. Williams is on a 14-match losing streak and Kenin is yet to record back-to-back main draw matches this year.
Paolini makes a winning return
Jasmine Paolini has also booked her place in the second round after coming through a roller-coaster opening match against Slovenia’s Veronika Erjavec.
The 19-seeded Italian is playing in her first tournament since Wimbledon after taking time away from the Tour to nurse a troublesome left foot injury. Taking on Erjavec, Paolini showed rust at times during her 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory. She still produced more winners than unforced errors (36-27).
“It was really tough for me,” Paolini said during her on-court interview. “My first match on hardcourt coming back after injury. It’s never easy.”
“She was running really well and made not many mistakes. It was a really tough match. I’m grateful that I did it, and I hope a match like that can help me for the next round.”
Paolini is making her seventh appearance at the US Open, with her best result being a run to the fourth round in 2024. She has endured a mixed season so far. Her latest victory is only her 16th at the tour level since January. However, she did reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
“I hope I will feel better in the next round,” she admits. “I was feeling a little bit nervous, and I think that affected my legs a little bit. I wasn’t moving enough.
“I have two days off and I think I’m gonna recover well. I hope so. I hope in the next round I can have more confidence with myself on court.”
Paolini will next play either Lucrezia Stefanini or Dayana Yamstremska.
