US Open day two: Andy Murray leads perfect day for Brits, VAR bungle, John Isner ‘still alive’

Tennis365
Andy Murray screaming
Andy Murray fired up for the US Open

All six British players reached the second round at the 2023 US Open on a spectacular Tuesday for British tennis at Flushing Meadows.

Andy Murray made it through after beating fiery Frenchman Corentin Moutet in straight sets.

The Scot was joined in round two by Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Jack Draper, Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage, making at a magnificent seven after Lily Miyazaki’s win on Monday.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is through after Dominik Koepfer retired injured in the second set, while Venus Williams’ 24th US Open ended abruptly with a 6-1, 6-1 defeat by Greet Minnen.

Pic of the day

Dominik Koepfer in action

Jason DeCrow/AP

Any chance Dominik Koepfer had of beating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz ended very early on as he suffered an ankle injury during the opening game of the match.

Match of the day


Grigor Dimitrov, the 19th seed, came from two sets down and saved three match points, including two in a final-set tie-break, to beat Alex Molcan 6-7 (9-11), 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (11-9) in a four-and-a-half hour marathon. His reward? A second-round meeting with Murray.

Stat of the day

200 – Andy Murray is the eighth male player in the Open era to win 200 Grand Slam matches.

Quote of the day

Three hours is a lot shorter than some of my matches – Andy Murray after his relatively quick win over Moutet.

Bungle of the day

A VAR system to check for incidents such as a double-bounce or hindrance has been introduced this year. But when it was used for the first time, when Moutet challenged a double-bounce call, it did not work properly and proved inconclusive, rather embarrassingly for organisers. Yellow card, surely?

John Isner is still alive

John Isner is playing in his final US Open, but he kept his journey going with a three-set win over Facundo Acosta.

Isner will face fellow American Michael Mmoh in the second round and he told spectators that he is “actually feeling pretty good” and “wants to keep this thing going for as long as possible”.

Fallen seeds

Men: Karen Khachanov (11), Tallon Griekspoor (24), Ugo Humbert (29).

Women: Caroline Garcia (7), Donna Vekic (21).

Who’s up next?

The action on Arthur Ashe Stadium kicks off with an all-teenage battle between 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva and 19-year-old Coco Gauff before Novak Djokovic takes on Bernabe Zapata Miralles. Local hope Frances Tiafoe then takes on Sebastian Ofner before the day’s proceedings on the main court is ended by Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki.

World No 2 Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, faces Daria Gavrilova on Louis Armstrong while fourth seed Elena Rybakina will also be in action.

Britain’s Lily Miyazaki faces a tough second-round assignment against the 15th seed and current Olympic champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.

READ MORE: Andy Murray baffled by VAR shambles – ‘When it goes like that, it turns into a bit of a farce’

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