Madison Keys beats nerves and Alina Korneeva to progress at US Open

On a rainy afternoon in New York filled with frustrating delays for the majority of players waiting to enter the court for the first-round matches at the US Open, Madison Keys took advantage of her prime court assignment under the Arthur Ashe Stadium roof by closing out Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4 to reach the second round.This year marks a milestone 15th US Open appearance for the 31‑year‑old Keys, who turned professional on her 14th birthday in February 2009. The 2025 Australian Open singles champion has spent her recent days reflecting on the fact that she has now officially worked as a tennis player for the majority of her life.“I was thinking a little bit more about it just because the last couple of days everyone keeps reminding me that it’s my 15th US Open, which doesn’t feel possible because I’m so young,” Keys said, laughing.“It’s just I think that in a lot of ways it’s been a huge blessing I started so young, just because I really got to get into it at such a young age and when I didn’t really even understand what was going on, so I was able to just kind of experience it in a really different way. But it’s definitely been, I think, the most interesting, because I feel like as a person I’ve changed a lot throughout the years and kind of just evolved as a person while getting to kind of do the same job.”Keys’s steady performance against Korneeva was a particular relief in the context of one of her toughest defeats in New York, losing in the first round last year against the world No 82 Renata Zarazúa. Keys explained later how palpable the tension is in the locker room as players try to shake off their pre-tournament nerves and settle into the event. “You can kind of feel [the tension] as the days are getting closer,” Keys said. “Everyone gets here, you have a week, everyone is excited to be here, and then as the days are slowly getting closer to first rounds, rackets are maybe getting a little slippery, you can hear more yelling happening, and you can kind of feel the tension.“I think collectively we all just get really anxious. We’re probably feeding off of each other as well, but we all want to do well. It all feels like I think the buildup is always so hard, just because you’re so in it and you’re anticipating the tension that’s going to happen and the anxiety that’s going to happen. So it’s definitely very relevant and very real.”Flavio Cobolli lets it all out after battling back from two sets down to see off Francisco Comesana. Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty ImagesElena Rybakina took a positive step forward in her pursuit of the No 1 ranking as she moved into the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 win against the 17‑year‑old American wildcard Thea Frodin.Rybakina sustained a foot injury at the Cincinnati Open that forced her to retire from her quarter-final against Iga Swiatek, but she appeared comfortable on court here against her inexperienced opponent.Rybakina sits at No 1 in the live rankings and she will become the world No 1 for the first time in her career if she reaches the semi-finals and if Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff do not win the tournament.In the men’s draw, the fifth seed and French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli produced one of the best comebacks of his career to escape a tough first-round battle with Francisco Comesaña, recovering from a two-set deficit to reach the second round with a 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win.