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Holger Rune was among the few early casualties on Day 1 of the US Open. The opening day at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center saw a total of 64 first-round matches take place in the men's and women's singles categories.
Several top players were in action and many of them made it to the second round. These included Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Elena Rybakina. The likes of Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz, Christopher Eubanks, Danielle Collins, and Jennifer Brady also won their respective opening matches.
A total of nine seeded players were eliminated in the first round of the US Open and some of these defeats were very surprising considering the quality of the players involved.
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On that note, let's take a look at some of the upsets that took place on Day 1 of the New York Major.
#1. Holger Rune losing to Roberto Carballes Baena
Holger Rune was among the top four seeds at a Grand Slam for the very first time in his career but his stay was short at the US Open.
The Dane faced Roberto Carballes Baena in the first round and found himself a set down. He bounced back in the second set and won it 6-4 to level the match. However, the 30-year-old took the next two sets to register a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win and book his place in the second round of the US Open.
Holger Rune will finish the 2023 season with 10 wins out of 14 Grand Slam matches, reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open and the Wimbledon.
#2. Maria Sakkari losing to Rebeka Masarova
Maria Sakkari's disappointing run of form continued as she suffered an opening-round exit at the US Open.
The eighth-seeded Greek was up against Spain's Rebeka Masarova and started the match well by taking a 3-1 lead in the first set. However, Masarova won five out of the next six games to win the set 6-4.
The 23-year-old broke in the seventh game of the second set and this turned out to be decisive as she won it 6-4 to book her place in the Round of 64 in Flushing Meadows.
Maria Sakkari will end 2023 with only two wins out of six Grand Slam matches.
#3. Lorenzo Musetti losing to Titouan Droguet
Lorenzo Musetti, seeded 18th, was also among the early casualties on Day 1 of the US Open. The Italian faced French qualifier Titouan Droguet in the first round and found himself a set down.
However, he roared back in the second set and won it 6-0 before taking the third set 7-6(5) to take the lead in the match. Musetti broke serve in the fourth set to lead 3-2 before Droguet won the next four games to level the match and force it into a decider.
The Frenchman dominated the final set and won it 6-2 to seal his place in the second round of the US Open. Musetti thus lost in the opening round of the New York Major for the very first time in his career.
