Day 1 of the main draw presented predictably hot weather and huge crowds. The USTA announced an all-time high attendance on Monday, with a total of 74,641 fans entering the gates of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens and it certainly felt crowded. Every day of life is practice, but being here for qualifying was under completely different conditions. Last week saw less than half of the crowds and dream-like cool weather with low humidity. Yesterday, after matches on Ashe, Armstrong and Grandstand finished, a sea of tennis humanity kept me from bouncing around the grounds with any efficiency.
I followed the progress of several of the qualifying players I observed last week, and as always, there were mixed results. Maya Joint delivered big. The 18-year-old New Zealander who’s signed to University of Texas tennis team had her new college coach in the stands as she bested Laura Siegemund, 6-4, 7-5. That was the high watermark for the qualifiers we highlighted last Thursday. Others, like 21-year-old Polish player Maks Kasnikowski, found that playing five sets can be downright brutal. He valiantly pursued the win into the fifth set super tiebreak before Pedro Martinez of Spain survived the assault, 7-6(6), 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(6). Both Joint and Kasnikowski enjoyed tremendous crowd support.
Other victors from last week included Yuliia Starodubtseva, who took the first set from Azarenka, who eventually overcame the qualifier, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1, and Priscilla Hon, with the tough draw against Sabalenka, with the world #2 cruising at 6-3, 6-3 under the lights of Armstrong. Qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera and Solana Sierra also lost in straight sets. Who loses to Tatiana Maria in straight sets? A qualifier.
On to the big names where there weren’t exactly a plethora of upsets. Can you even call a disjointed Sloane Stephens opening round loss an upset anymore? Well, this one was even more gruesome than usual. Stephens was playing lights out tennis, winning the first set 6-0, and had a 2-0 lead on Frances’ Clara Burel before shutting down and handing Burel the victory at 6-0, 7-5, 7-5.
Surprisingly with the conditions, there was only one retirement yesterday as Maria Sakkari threw in the towel after losing the first set to Yafan Wang, 6-2. I expect more retirements today and definitely on Wednesday, the hottest day of the event.
The infamous and notorious Alex Zverev defeated his former roomie, Max Marterer in 4 sets on Grandstand and Olympic Silver Medalist Donna Vekic won in straight sets against qualifier Kim Birrell.
Today, many eyes will be on French Canadian qualifier Gabriel Diallo, as he takes on Jaume Munar on Court 8. And yes, they’ll be on Iga, Jannik, Carlos and Naomi, but you know I love the outer courts. See you there.
—S. Fogleman
Tennis Atlantic 
Return Serve?