Jannik Sinner recovers to progress at US Open in first match since avoiding ban

Jannik Sinner returned to competition for his first match since his anti‑doping case was made public and he recovered from an early scare to defeat Mackenzie McDonald 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 and reach the second round of the US Open.

Sinner struggled badly early on against McDonald, who is ranked No 140 and has been out of form this year, trailing by a set and a break at 2-6, 0-1. Just as the match seemed to be moving away from him, he began to turn it around. After striking 14 unforced errors in the opening set alone, Sinner finished the final three sets with just 15 unforced errors in total.

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Last week, the International Tennis Integrity Agency revealed that the men’s world No 1 had failed two anti-doping tests in March before an independent tribunal had ruled that Sinner bore no fault or negligence for the positive tests. Sinner argued successfully that the positive tests had been a result of contamination after his physio had treated a cut on his finger with an over-the-counter spray containing the banned substance clostebol before massaging Sinner during their daily treatment.

Since the news was released, ­Sinner has received a positive reception from crowds in New York and it was a similar case on Tuesday in front of a sparse, understated crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I started a little bit not in the best way, but for sure, the first matches in the biggest tournaments are not easy,” Sinner said. “I’m very happy to be in the next round, first time to win on this court after some attempts.”

Naomi Osaka, meanwhile, began her tournament with the biggest result of her comeback since ­giving birth as she defeated Jelena ­Ostapenko, the 10th seed, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the second round in New York.

Having been handed a difficult draw against Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, Osaka rose to the occasion and played a ­brilliant match. She backed up her elite serving with clean, relentless ball striking to clinch a first top‑10 win since January 2020.

After sitting back down in her chair, the 26-year-old cried into her towel. “It’s been so much hard work, so much, like, dreams and wishes, and I hope that I can continue. As of right now, I am really happy with how I played,” Osaka said.

Iga Swiatek, the No 1 seed, reached the second round with a tough 6-4, 7-6(6) win against Kamilla ­Rakhimova after saving three set points from 3-6 down in the second‑set tiebreak.

Danielle Collins, meanwhile, refused a retirement presentation after her 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 first‑round defeat against her compatriot ­Caroline Dolehide.

To commemorate Collins’s final grand slam match before her retirement at the end of the season, Stacey Allaster, the US Open tournament director, stood by the court entrance with a bouquet of flowers but the 11th seed opted to make a quick exit.

“I had requested not to have any presentation on the court,” Collins said. “I’m not somebody that likes to celebrate my accomplishments. I’ve struggled with feeling guilt around success, and that’s something I have had to work on. So I’m not great, honestly, at having an all‑about-me moment.

“I just would prefer to do something like that maybe in private, you know. But I feel like I’ve gotten enough attention to last a lifetime.

“I was kind of thinking of that movie, I think it was Meet the Parents or Meet the Fockers, where, you know, Gaylord has a shrine and all his 18th-place medals. I don’t want to be like Gaylord, so I think I’m good.”