This is a record at the Open.

The woman blazed the way with five of the six qualifiers in the women’s draw.

Arina Rodionova, Maya Joint, Kimberly Birrell, Priscilla Hon, Destanee Aiava and Li Tu all qualified in New York today, boosting the total number of Australians in this year’s singles main draws to 20 (12 men and eight women).

Rodionova was the only player to have previously reached a main draw as a qualifier.

Unfortunately the draw was not kind to some of the players.

Li Tu has the unenviable task of facing four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, the no. 3 seed. Tu will at least get to play on a show court against the 2022 champion.

Priscilla Hon and Destanee Aiava have the toughest opening round assignments in the women’s draw. Hon will face no. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka and Aiava the no. 4 seed Elena Rybakina.

The full list of Australian players and their opponents is below.

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The last time they met was at 2020 Australian Open when Kyrgios defeated his opponent in five sets, four of them decided in a tie-breaker. The match lasted four hours and 26 minutes.

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This time at the US Open they again went the distance, this time it was Khachenov that claimed victory.

Khachenov, a former top-ten player held his nerve when it mattered and just got the better of the Australian.

In the first set both players were holding serve comfortably, suddenly that changed in the 12th game with Kyrgios serving.

Kyrgios sent a forehand long at 15-15 to fall behind on serve for the first time. The Australian hit back with an unplayable serve, then a backhand winner to go to 40-30.

Another forehand error from Kyrgios brought up the first deuce of the match. A double-fault gave Khachenov a set point.

Kyrgios chose to serve and volley on the second serve, his volley was a looping one that Khachenov lobbed his opponent for a winner and with that, he claimed the first set.

After the first set, the Australian got treatment on his left knee. It had seemed to affect his backhand.

Kyrgios would strike first in the second set. He broke serve to lead 2-1. From there he was able to hold serve to take the second set 6-4.

Khachenov was immediately under pressure at the start of the third set. When he pulled a forehand wide he was suddenly facing a breakpoint. A wide Ace erased that breakpoint.

A down-the-line backhand from Kyrgios that just landed in earned the Australian his second breakpoint opportunity in that game.

Again a well-placed wide serve to the backhand of Kyrgios save the breakpoint. An Ace would close out that game.

In the ninth game, it was again Khachenov that was facing breakpoints. He was down 15-40 after netting a backhand and then Kyrgios blasted a forehand winner.

Another Ace out wide and another breakpoint was saved, one still remained. Kyrgios hit well long and then tossed his racquet into the court.

Kyrgios added to his frustration when he netted a forehand after looking in control.

Khachenov fired down another Ace to escape that game, he lead 5-4.

Kyrgios was then facing set points against him in the next service game when he found himself at 15-40. He fought back to hold, although he was lucky that Khachenov made a mess of a short forehand on his first breakpoint opportunity. It was an ugly miss that sailed well past the sideline.

Again in the 12th game of a set Kyrgios would pay dearly for a bad game.

A serve and volley play from Kyrgios on the opening point saw Khachenov again lob for a winner.

A poorly played drop shot that went into the net saw Kyrgios at 0-30, a forehand winner got him back to 15-30.

Another shot into the net and Kyrgios was in trouble at 15-40. Some big hitting wasn’t enough as Khachenov kept getting the ball back to Kyrgios. The Australian would eventually net a backhand to lose the set.

In the fourth set, it was Kyrgios that broke for a 3-2 lead, only to be broken back in the next game.

Kyrgios again had a chance to break in the ninth game, but he didn’t convert. Games went with serve to take the set to a tiebreaker.

Kyrgios dominated and won the breaker 6-3.

So it was to be decided in the fifth set, just like in 2020.

Going into the fifth Kyrgios was 11-3 in five-set matches, Khachenov 7-8.

Kyrgios won the opening point of the first game before losing the next two. As the three hour mark was reached Kyrgios again came to the net only to be passed to give Khachenov a breakpoint.

A long rally followed in which Kyrgios finally made an error, hitting a backhand into the net.

That break of serve would prove crucial. Kyrgios wasn’t able to break the serve of his opponent and the Russian would claim a memorable win to advance to his first Grand Slam semifinal.

Kygios shook hands and then proceeded to take out his anger on a few rackets.

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“I’m obviously devastated,” Kyrgios said after the match. “But all credit to Karen. He’s a fighter. He’s a warrior. I thought he served really good today. Probably the best server I played this tournament, to be honest, the way he was hitting his spots under pressure.”

“I did it! I did it!,” Khachanov said. “I’m really proud of myself, I was focussed from the beginning to the end.

“It was a crazy match but I came ready to fight and to play five sets.”

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If not for the points not being awarded from Wimbledon, Kyrgios would be at world no. 7 in the live rankings.

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Kyrgios showed his recent form is no fluke as he again defeated world no. 1 and the defending champion Daniil Medvedev.

The loss for Medvedev will see him lose the no. 1 ranking in men’s tennis.

Kyrgios is in career-best form and he jumped out to a 4-2 lead after breaking Medvedev’s serve in the sixth game after a forehand unforced error from the world no. 1.

The lead was short-lived as Medvedev broke back in the next game. From there the service games were held to send the first set to a breaker.

Kyrgios opened with an Ace. The next two points were split after Medvedev hit a winner and then Kyrgios matched that effort.

A backhand unforced error from Medvedev gave Kyrgios a handy 3-1 lead which he added to with a backhand volley winner.

Medvedev then got back into the breaker with a winner then an Ace. A Kyrgios Ace and it was 5-3.

The Russian then won three straight points to hold a set point at 6-5, but on the serve of Kyrgios. A forced error saw the score at 6-6 after a 132 mph serve out wide was hit long on the return.

Kyrgios hit a forehand long to give Medvedev another set point, but on his serve. Kyrgios saved it brilliantly when he blasted a down the line backhand winner from inside the baseline.

An Ace and a third set point. Kyrgios missed his first serve but got a good deep second serve to keep the breaker alive. Kyrgios moved to the net and volleyed down the line and just caught the line by 1 millimeter. 8-8.

A big serve down the T from Kyrgios could not be returned and the Australian had a set point. An Ace and it was 9-9.

Another set point came up for Kyrgios after Medvedev hit just over the baseline.

After a long rally it was Kyrgios that folded after hitting a backhand into the net. The next point saw Kyrgios hit a drop shot from the baseline. Medvedev got to the ball but hit a cross court shot into the net. 10-11.

Medvedev got to the net to force an error from the Australian, 11-11. A rediculous angle on a drop shot that was a winner and Kyrgios had yet another set point. Kyrgios faked a drop shot but the pushed the ball deep, Medvedev hit wide and the set was over.

The Australian headed to the change room just off court to get changed.

Medvedev then raced to a 4-0 lead in the second set. He would close it out at 6-3 to level the match.

Kyrgios had a scary moment at 0-1, 15-30 in the third set when he lost his footing and fell heavily onto his back. He would get up and continue.

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It would prove to be an interesting game. At 30-30 Kyrgios hit a hard forehand at Medvedev who was near the net. The Russian hit a volley that went up high on his side but was going to land wide.

Kyrgios ran around the net to be near the doubles side line and he volleyed into the court of Medvedev.

The Australian held up an arm and smiled after completing an astounding point, only to hear that he lost the point. It should have been a break point for Kyrgios.

Medvedev instead held for 1-1.

From there Kyrgios found the resolve to comfortably win the next two sets to claim a famous victory.

The final score was 7-6(11), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The match lasted 2 hours and 54 minutes ending with an Ace from the Australian.

Next up is another Russian, Karen Khachanov, the world no. 31. The head-to-head is 1-1. Kyrgios most recently won a classic five setter at the Australian Open in 2020.

Kyrgios moves up seven places to No. 18 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings and has replaced Alex de Minaur as Australia’s highest-ranked player. He has not been ranked that high since August 2018. The Australian was World No. 137 six months ago on 22 February.

“I just feel like I’m playing for a lot more than myself. I’ve just got a lot of people, a lot of support, and on the flip side I got a lot of people doubting me and trying to bring me down all the time as well. I’ve got a lot of motivation in the back of my mind,” Kyrgios said. “I’ve been away from home now for four months. My whole team has. We don’t get to see our family like other tennis players do the majority of time. I’m trying to make it worthwhile, trying to make it a memorable ride for all of us. Hopefully we can get it done, go back home and really celebrate.”

“Obviously winning helps. I’ve been winning a lot this year. The motivation has been there. It’s easy to train. It’s easier to wake up obviously when things are going great,” Kyrgios said. “I was just really sick of letting people down. I don’t know, just feeling like that. I feel like I’m making people proud now.”

“It’s a great win. But I come off the court and I’m just almost relieved that it’s over because there’s just so much pressure every time I go out on court, so much expectation, so much unpredictability of what I can do,” Kyrgios said. “I just sit there in the locker room after and I’m just super proud of the performance because there was really a time where I didn’t think I was capable of producing and doing this any more.”

Kyrgios talks about that shot

“I think I had probably the most boneheaded play of all time tonight. I thought it was legal to be honest. I genuinely thought it was legal,” Kyrgios said in an interview with ESPN. “I thought I was playing the concrete streets of my suburb in Canberra. That’s something I would do there and I realised that it wasn’t legal. You can see my face… I was so happy. I was like, ‘That’s the best shot ever’ and it wasn’t legal. But it was fun.”

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Serena Williams had announced that she will transition away from tennis after the US Open.

New York fans were hoping Serena would go out a winner, but it was not to be.

Serena looked to be on track to take the first set when she was serving at 5-3.

A recent lack of match play didn’t help, where Tomljanovic had in the previous round escaped from 3-5 down in the third set and the Australian has recently reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and she was battle-hardened after a good summer in the USA.

Tomljanovic would frequently force another shot from Serena to have her claim a point. That would bring errors from the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

After serving an Ace for 30-30, Serena played a running approach shot which she hit into the net to present a break back opportunity.

On the next point, Serena hit well long to see her opponent back on serve.

Tomljanovic completed a string of four straight games to take the first set.

Again Serena was serving for the set with a good advantage, at 5-3.

The Australian was not giving in easily and broke back before taking the set to a tiebreaker.

Serena would come out on top but she was using precious energy.

The third set was all Tomljanovic’s and she closed out Serena’s career with a 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1 victory in 3 hours and five minutes.

At the end of the match, Serena was interviewed by Tomljanovic and completed the customary winner’s on-court interview.

“I’m feeling really sorry, just because I love Serena just as much as you guys do,” said Tomljanovic, addressing the sold-out crowd during her on-court interview.

“What she’s done for me, for the sport of tennis, is incredible. 

“I never thought that I’d have a chance to play her in her last match when I remember watching her as a kid in all those finals, so this is a surreal moment for me.”

Next up for Tomljanovic is world no. 35 Liudmila Samsonova.

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The top-ranked Australian set up a third-round clash against the world no. 605. This is not your normal 605th ranked player in the world, it is Serena.

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Tomljanovic fought off an unranked player in her second-round match when she defeated 33-year-old mother of two Evgeniya Rodina. The Australian survived having Rodina serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set.

Rodina who had not played since the 2019 Eastbourne tournament wasn’t able to hold her nerve as Tomlanjanovic hit back to get back on serve.

It looked like the Australian had blown her chances after racing to 15-40 only to make some errors to have her opponent back at deuce.

Tomljanovic corrected the situation with a forehand winner to again hold a breakpoint.

This time the battle-hardened Australian converted to stay alive in the match.

From there it was Tomlanjanovic that showed the composure of someone that has been in some tight battles recently and come through.

From 3-5 to 7-5, it was Tomljanovic that set up a potential clash with Serena. This came despite dropping the first set 6-1.

For fans that had been following Tomljanovic, they would have known she does fight back well after dropping the first set.

Not long after the conclusion of this match, Serena Williams defeated Anett Kontaveit to keep her farewell fairytale alive.

Serena will have nearly all of the crowd behind her when the pair walk out onto Arthur Ashe stadium in two days time, can Tomljanovic bring a close to Serena’s singles career?

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The players have known each other from juniors and had not met at the senior level until now.

“When we both saw the draw, it was a nightmare, honestly,” said Kyrgios. “We never want to play each other. I’ve just got so much respect for him. I can’t wait to get out there and play doubles with him on the right side of the net.”

Famously the ‘Special K’s’ had won the Australian Open doubles title to start the year.

That experience seems to have given Kyrgios a new appreciation of tennis and he has played at a high level in 2022, reaching the Wimbledon final and claiming the singles and doubles title in Washington.

Against Kokkinakis, Kyrgios didn’t face a break point against his formidable serve, and more impressive was that he wasn’t even taken to duece once in the match.

In the opening set it was Kyrgios that got a break of serve in the eighth game, the break point coming when Kokkinakis hit a backhand into the net. The break was sealed with a flashy forehand winner that Kokkinakis could only watch zip past him.

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Kyrgios would then hold serve to take the first set 6-3 after 30 minutes.

The second set saw Kyrgios break to love in the opening game, from there it was a string of service holds for both players which eventually saw Kyrgios serve for the set at 5-4. He held to love to take a two sets to nil lead.

In the third set it was again looking ominous for Kokkinakis when he was 0-40 in the fifth game. To his credit he won that game to keep games on serve.

The players held serve all the way until the end of the 12th game, sending it to the breaker.

Kokkinakis served an Ace to get things started.

Kyrgios landed two first serves to take control of the next two points for a 2-1 lead. An unforced error from the Canberran saw the scores level at 2-2.

Kokkinakis kept a run of five straight first serves from either player as he forced an error from Kyrgios for 2-3.

Another first serve was landed to see Kyrgios take control of the point, a point he won for 3-3. A seventh straight first serve saw Kygios get on top for a 4-3 lead.

The serving clinic continued and it was 4-4 after attacking play from Kokkinakis forced an error.

Finally a first serve was missed, Kyrgios would take control of the point, eventually forcing an error from his opponent.

The mini break was all that Kyrgios needed as he stepped up to serve at 5-4. A big first serve setup a bounce smash for Kyrgios, which he sent into the stands. That brought up match point.

A wide serve that could not be returned by Kokkinakis saw Kyrgios claim a comfortable three set win.

“We just know each other’s games like the back of our hand,” said Kyrgios, who was out-aced, 14-13. “We’ve played together since we were about 9 years old. He knows my game well. I know his game extremely well. I just played the bigger points well early on. We’re going to play each other, hopefully, never again.”

Next up for Kyrgios will be France’s Benjamin Bonzi, the world no. 50. It will be their first meeting.

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There will be 10 Australian men and three Australian women lining up in singles action.

The draw was cruel to two pairings. Good mates, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are drawn to play each other in the opening round.

James Duckwork and Christopher O’Connell are another all-Aussie pairing in round one.

The Special K’s are the headline match on the opening night.

“It’s just going to be an experience. For us to go out there and play on Arthur Ashe Stadium together, it’s something that’s pretty special,” Kyrgios said ahead of the match.

“It will be interesting,” Kokkinakis said. “Obviously he’s got an unbelievable serve and he’s playing some great tennis right now, but I know on my day I can match it with anyone.”

Rinky Hijikata after receiving a Wildcard has the uneviable task of trying to defeat Rafa Nadal in the opening round. It will make one hell of a story if he can.

John Millman perhaps has the easiest of the opening matches when he faces USA Wildcard Emilio Nava. The world no. 103 has struggled to find form in 2022. He will looking to use his experience to advance.

de Minaur, the top-ranked Australian, at least for now will be looking forward to advancing to the second round after losing first round in 2021. “I play well here, so I always look forward to coming back,” he said.

Alexei Popyin is another player struggling to find form in 2022 at ATP level. He did however win a Challenger title in Bordeaux to push back towards the top-100 after entering that week at no. 127.

Two more good results at Challenger level took Popyrin back inside the top-100 but he has just one win since playing on the Challenger tour. I would love Popyrin prove me wrong, but I am tipping Tseng to advance.

The Duckworth v O’Connell match will guarantee that two Australian men reach the second round. Duckworth probably has the edge on his less experienced opponent.

Jordan Thompson again is not hitting top form. He most likely will bow out against Sonego from Italy.

Jason Kubler’s match is an interesting one. Kubler is one of the form Australians. de Minaur and Kyrgios have won titles recently, but Kubler has had a lot of wins recently including six wins at Wimbledon including three qualifying matches.

He will have to be at the top of his game to advance past Ymer, but it is possible.

Women in top form

Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Saville are in good form and could do well at the US Open.

Wildcard Jaimee Fourlis is not at the same level but could claim a first round victory.

Muchova is on the comeback from injury and could present a problem for Tomljanovic, but if the Australian plays like in recent tournaments she should advance.

Saville, a few days ago lost the final in Granby against Daria Katsakina, it was a match in which she had her chances. The one concern was did she take it too far. She was hobbling at the end of the final.

If Saville recovers from the final run last week she should be too good for Ruse.

Below are all of the round one matches involving the Australians.

[18] Alex de Minaur 20 v Filip Krajinovic (SRB) 44
[23] Nick Kyrgios 25 v Thanasi Kokkinakis 70
Alexei Popyrin 84 v Tseng Chun-hsin (TPE) 89
James Duckworth 83 v Chris O’Connell (AUS) 118
Jordan Thompson 102 v Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 63
John Millman 103 v [WC] Emilio Nava (USA) 203
Jason Kubler 109 v Mikael Ymer (SWE) 99
[WC] Rinky Hijikata 198 v [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) 3

Women’s Singles

(Ranking is after the player’s name)
Ajla Tomljanovic 46 v Karolina Muchova (CZE) 235
Daria Saville 58 v Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) 101
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis 173 v (Q) Yuan Yue (CHN) 142

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