Alex de Minaur finally reaches US Open second round amid scheduling backlog

After having his tournament opener against Andrea Guerrieri postponed until day four, Alex de Minaur had to endure another two-hour rain delay before putting away the Italian qualifier in straight sets.The world No 7 advanced with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory to set up a second-round clash with Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.In a clinical display, De Minaur broke Guerrieri twice in all three sets and only dropped serve once, when he was trying to close out the match at 5-2 in the third.But New York’s miserable weather has left De Minaur facing a scheduling backlog and needing to win seven best-of-five-set matches in 12 days to lift the trophy.The three-times quarter-finalist will need to be back on site on Thursday (Friday AEST) to face the 70th-ranked van de Zandschulp and again the following day if he wins again.Former champion Daniil Medvedev and American home hope Alex Michelsen were already safely through to round three before De Minaur even made it on court for his tournament opener.When he finally opened his campaign on Wednesday (Thursday AEST), De Minaur looked intent on making up for lost time, racing to a 6-2, 4-2 lead in just 49 minutes before the heavens opened.After scampering back to the locker room, De Minaur returned to court 11 to wrap up victory in less than an hour.Elsewhere, Taylah Preston’s US Open adventure has ended abruptly in the second round. The first Australian through to round two was the first to exit following a 6-1, 6-1 loss to big-hitting American Taylor Townsend.The 20-year-old wildcard, one of five Australians scheduled for day-four action, was eliminated in just 48 minutes.Daria Kasatkina’s US Open ended in the first round. Photograph: Caleb Bowlin/Getty ImagesAustralian women’s No 1 Daria Kasatkina was also removed from the draw, but not before offering more considerable resistance against Spaniard Paula Badosa.The pair resumed their stop-start affair that was halted on Wednesday night in sensational fashion.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionAfter first being forced off court because of rain early in the second set, while trailing Badosa 6-1, 1-2, Kasatkina was delighted when officials called it a night immediately after she saved a third match point.Badosa was furious and had to return 15 hours later trying to serve out the contest at 5-4 and deuce in the second set.Kasatkina saved her first two match points in an epic 22-point game serving at 3-5 in the second set, before fighting off another six more.Kasatkina also conjured two break point chances to level up at 5-5 before Badosa, a one-time world No 2, finally closed out the contest to book a second-round date with 2023 champion Coco Gauff.Maya Joint takes on ninth seed Elina Svitolina, hoping to reach the third round in New York for a third straight year.Kim Birrell is up against Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova believing she can also topple the Russian 18th seed after taking down world No 5 and 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula at the French Open.