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Righto, that’s us for today. Thanks for your compnay, and see you again tomorrow. Peace out.
“It was amazing,” says Murray. “Brlliant atmosphere”. He says Moutet is one of the most skilful players on the tour, always causing chaos, and he’s delighted to be done in under three hours. He feels good, was happy with how he served post-stomach injury, and at his highest ranking since receiving his metal hip, though he’d like to be ranked higher, he’s playing better and more consistently than at any time since 2017. Finally, on having his family with him, he admits that having four little ones under seven isn’t easy, thanking his wife for bringing them, and off he goes.
Murray had kind words for Moutet at the end, and rightly so; his opponent is working his way back after injury and hung in there well – he just isn’t as good ass yer man, who played nicely today.
Andy Murray beats Corentin Moutet 6-2 7-5 6-4!
Me meets Molcan or Dimitrov next, the latter having broken the former so that we’re back on serve in the fifth.
Murray misses another match point as Draper serves out to lead Albot 6-1 6-4, then an error gives Moutet break point; a big serve and forehand resolve the situation.
Now then. Moutet makes 0-30, but Murray, hitting big from the back, comes in as his opponent nets a backhand. A serve-volley point follows, except Moutet, called for a double bounce when on the stretch pursuing an overhead, challenges; we’ve now got the tech that allows the umpire and officials to consider such corcumstances. I think, looking at the replay, that the ball comes off the surface onto his racket, because the angle at which it departs suggests that … but it takes a while for the decision to be delivered and Moutet doesn’t like it. Because when it comes, the chair announces that the VAR system isn’t working, the pictures we’re seeing from the telly inadmissible as evidence, meaning the orginal call stands. Then, at 30-all, Murray slams down an ace, raising his first match point … superbly saved by Moutet with a chip backed up with a forehand cross-court winner! Deuce it is…
Also serving for a set is Draper, who leads Albot 6-1 5-4, while Molcan will shortly serve for his match against Dimitrov at 5-2 in the fifth.
A Murray break looks inevitable, and when Moutet hooks a forehand long, he has 0-30, again. And Murray dictates the next point too, a backhand volley, high over the shoulder, keeps him in command, then a big forehand and putaway raise three break points. He’s already had six in this set and is quickly forsaken by another, then after a long rally cracks a forehand into the tape. Credit to Moutet, he’s not giving this up, and makes deuce … only for Murray to power through deuce to advantage. Surely he can’t keep spurning these chances … no he cannot! A backhand chip, obliquely over the net, makes 5-3 and Murray, who absolutely loves it, will now serve for the match at 6-2 7-5 5-3!
Murray looks strong now, coming close to breaking before holding for 4-3 in the third. Elsewhere, Albot is into his match with Draper now, trailing 1-6 4-4, Evans leads Galan 3-1, Molcan is up 3-2 on Dimitrov but they’re on serve in the decider, and De Minaur has justtaken the first set 6-2 against Skatov.
Evans breaks Galan immediately then consolidates for 2-0, while Molcan and Dimitrov are 2-2 in the fifth. Rublev has just nabbed a breaker off Cazeaux for a 6-4 7-6(5) lead, and Pliskova leads Ruse 4-1. Moutet, meanwhile, will serve at 2-3 in the third.
Eeesh. Moutet, who’s had an issue with his right wrist, falls and lands on his left. There ain’t no give in a hard court and he went over on it a bit, but though the initial pain looked intense, I think now he’s taken a moment, he’ll be alright.
On Court 12, Daniels Evans and Galan are away, while Murray, looking a little weary for the first time, is 2-2 in set three, having taken the first two off Moutet.
Deep joy! My mouse is back working, in time for me to tell you that Moutet wants pickle juice and can’t find it; Mrs Elswood sweet, I trust. Otherwise, Albot has decided he needs to meet fire with fire, attacking Draper and going for his shots; he leads 2-1 on serve in the second.
Griggzy did indeed serve out for a 7-5 fourth set, meaning he and Molcan will now play a decider.
And there we go. Murray’s incredible speed sees him race to the net and flick over a winner that gives him 0-30, then a terrific backhand to the corner gives him control of a rally that ends with him up 15-40. So Moutet tries an underarm serve, then sends a forehand winner cross-court, after which a long return has him hollering at making deuce. He’s hanging in there, and serves out for 1-1 in set three.
Murray has to plough through deuce for his hold at the start of set three, and Moutet looks unhappy; a few telling returns, and this next game might be the beginning of the end. And it’s mayham on 7, Dimitrov breaking Molcan for 6-5; if he can hold, he and we have waselves a decider.
The fearsome Griggzy Dimzy ultras are giving it loads on Court 7, their man levelling at 5-5 trailing 1-2; meantime, Draper has spanked Albot 6-1 in their first set.
OK, my mouse appears to have conked on me, so I’m now on a laptop which means I can’t watch a match on it; apologies for that. But looking around the courts, Molcan leads Dimitrov 7-6 7-6 1-6 4-4, Hsu has beaten Kokkinakis in four, Isner leads Diaz Acosta by a set and break, Kasatkina has come back from a set down to lead Parks 2-0 in the decider, and Draper now leads Albot 5-0. What a return that is (so far).
Back to Murray, he dropped a bit at the start of this set but he’s playing beautifully now, holding for 6-5 then responding to Moutet’s drop with a better one of his own for 15-all. Real talk, Moutet still seems vexed at not serving out and when he botches a lob, Murray is two points from the set. And though a fine forehand winner makes 30-all, seconds later Murray has set point, behind in the next rally, he tries a moon ball … and Moutet responds with a wild smash from the back that flies long! Murray leads 6-2 7-5, and you have to fancy him to see it out from here.
Jack Draper is away and how good it is to see him back. I’m told he’s got a lot of what you need to reach the top – height, leftiness, aggression – and though Radu Albot is a wily campaigner, he leads him 3-0.
Now then! Murray powers a backhand down the line and not only does it clip the cord, but it sends the ball leaping over his shoulder for advantage. AND LOOK AT THAT! Murray slams a gorgeous backhand winner cross-court, Moutet annihilates his racket – in comms, they note that had it bounced into the crowd, as it could’ve done given the hard court, it might’ve resulted in a DQ –and we’re level at 5-5 in set two, Murray having won the first 6-2. Otherwise, my mouse has packed up, so if you don’t hear from me for a few minutes, that’s why.
Two overheads make 0-15, then an adroit volley follows up a deep forehand to the corner, and Murray is two points away from breaking back. He winds up at 15-40, gets a second serve to go at … and looks in control of the next rally until Moutet charges in after a drop to flick a terrific backhand lob for a winner! That is very nice indeed, and despite a poor second serve next, a backhand into the net allows Moutet deuce. But to sonic boom forehands, from centre to forehand corner, give Murray advantage … for as long as it takes him to net a backhand return; he’s now 2/13 on break points. So Moutet then unleashes a backhand winner cross-court, high-fiving his coach who’s sat nearby … but a double brings us back to deuce.
Murray holds, forcing Moutet to serve for set two at 2-6 5-4.
Elina Svitolina [26] beats Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-3 6-1!
She meets Pavlyuchenkova or Crawley next.
Murray’s net-play has dipped in this set but again he makes it to deuce on the Moutet serve … before a glorious drop on advantage secures the hold for 5-3.
Yup, Dimitrov takes set three off Molcan 6-1 to trail 2-1, while Rublev serves out for a 6-4 lead over Cazaux. He now knows he can move through the first week of a slam, but the question is whether he can beat a higher-ranked player when it really matters. This time, it’s Medvedev seeded to meet him in the last eight, and though he’s nasty on hard, there are worse draws.
Murray finds himself a break-back point, but running in, he can’t flip over a drop, Moutet holds through deuce, and leads 4-2 in the second.
Moving around the courts, we have: Diaz Acosta 2-3 Isner; Cazaux 3-5 Rublev [8]; Kasatkina [13] 2-6 1-1 Parks; Kokkinakis 3-6 4-6 5-3 Hsu.
Griggzy Dimitrov is another beginning a comeback – perhaps. Two tiebreaker-sets down to Alex Molcan, he now leads 4-1 in the third.
Thanks Bryan and hi again; we’ll go straight to Grandstand, where Moutet has break point at 3-6 2-2 advantage … and when Murray swipes a backhand long, he leads 3-2. Might that signal a switch in momentum?
That’s all for me. Handing it back over to the sure hands of Daniel Harris.
Arthur Fils beats Tallon Griekspoor [24] 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 7-5!
The French teenager has gone the distance over nearly four hours for his first main-draw victory at a grand slam over on Court 10. He’ll face Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the second round for a potential meeting with Britain’s Cam Norrie in the round of 32.
Jessica Pegula [3] beats Camila Giorgi 6-2 6-2!
Pegula has taken care of business in her first-rounder on Ashe, brushing aside Giorgi in 82 straightforward minutes. A second-round tie with the winner of today’s match between Patricia Maria Tig and Rebecca Marino awaits.
The killer stat? Pegula was 40-of-43 on first-serve points won in the match (with eight aces), including 15-of-15 in the second set. If the 29-year-old American keeps serving like that, she’ll be a tough out in this event.
Thanks Daniel. Katie Boulter was all smiles after meeting the press following her first ever main-draw win at Flushing Meadows. The British No 1 has finally re-established her spot inside the top 100 after falling out of it four years ago due to a stress fracture in her back and was happy to build on her title in Nottingham and a second consecutive Wimbledon third round.
“I feel like the first time that I [reached the top 100], I was probably running on a lot of steam the whole time, an empty tank, which clearly you could see in the end it paid off in my body,” Boulter said. “I feel like now I’ve really built a solid base. It’s taken me a while, probably more than a lot of people. But the base that I have built, I feel in a position that I can springboard off it rather than me just trying to chase and trying to chase.
“I was playing some unbelievable tennis back then, but I feel in a much better position now physically as well than I did back then.”
Boulter’s first-round win projects a new career-high ranking in the No 53 range, but seventh-seeded Caroline Garcia’s defeat just now has opened things up in her neighborhood of the draw.
Righto, I’m off for a minor recess. Here’s Bryan Armen Graham to chill with you for the next little bit.
We’re still on serve on Grandstand, Murray leading Mouter 3-2, but as I type that and at the end of a sapping point, he lays a gloriously oblique backhand slice that breaks the sideline and Moutet, though he dives, can’t make it. That’s sensational behaviour, and Murray leads 4-2.
Madison Keys [17] beats Arantxa Rus 6-2 6-4!
A happy Maddy is such a delight to behold, and she meets Wickmayer or Zvonareva next. I worry she’s missed her chance to win one of these, given Swiatek and Sabalenka are now where they are – i can’t see her beating either in a big match – but you never know.
Wang Yafan beats Caroline Garcia [7] 6-4 6-1!
Next for her is Katie Boulter, who won’t fail to notice the number seven seed’s path through the draw is now available to her.
We said earlier that Moutet likes the needle. Here it is.
But he finds himself 15-40 down, finding a service winner to save Murray’s first break point, then an ace down the middle. And from there, he closes out, a spinning backhand volley sealing the deal.
Michelson beats Ramos-Vinolas 4, 3 and 4; Jarry beats Van Assche 6-3 3-6 6-2 7-6(3). The winners meet in round two.
She’s wearing them in dayglo yellow today, but I enjoy and desire Arantxa Rus’ shorts.
Murray and Moutet swap holds as their match kicks off. On Ashe, Pegula, whose improvement is prodigious but not yet reflected in Slam performances, leads Giorgi 6-2 1-1, and on Court 5 Wang is 6-4 4-0 up on Garcia who, I imagine, is sharing her displeasure with the world.
Back on Armstrong, Keys now leads Rus 6-2 4-2, and might she be finding equilibrium, whereby she no longer tosses matches in which she should beat inferior players? I’d love to see it, because far worse players have won majors.
Michael Mmoh beats Karen Khachanov [11] 6-2 6-4 6-2!
That’s another kicking, Mmoh equaling his best-ever US Open performance; he meets Diaz Acosta or Isner next.
Jarry has a lot of support out on Court 13 and after breaking Vas Assche back to save the fourth set and himself a fifth, he leads 4-2 in the tiebreaker so is just three points from round two.
Cameron Norrie [16] beats Alexander Shevchenko 6-3 6-2 6-3
That’s a proper good hiding, administered in just 90 minutes. Next for Norrie, it’s Kokkinakis or Hsu; currently Hsu leads 6-3-2-3.
Also for you:
Murray hasn’t ever played Moutet but they’ve practised together and says he’s got a great tennis IQ. Generally, Murray disposes of players of his ilk because he has similar plus better power and hands; it’s time to find out.
“He’s tricky, says Calv Betton of Moutet, Murray’s opponent. “No real power, runs a lot, makes it awkward, winds people up. Weird loopy lefty forehand.”
Sounds like me (save the running a lot, making it awkward, and loopy lefty forehand parts).
Mmoh is all over Khachanov, now up two sets and a break, while Fils has forced a decider against Griekspoor. Molcan just sneaked the first set off Dimitrov 7-6(9), Hsu leads Kokkinakis 6-3 1-1, and at 6-4 6-2 3-1, Norrie is almost back in the locker room.
English (US)