Defending US Open Champ Sinner Dominates First Round

Jannik Sinner began his U.S. Open title defense with a commanding 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Vit Kopriva, demonstrating full recovery from a recent illness that forced him to retire during the Cincinnati final against Carlos Alcaraz. The top-seeded Italian, who has won three of the last four hard-court majors including the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year, is aiming to join legends like Rod Laver, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic by reaching the final of all four Grand Slams in the same year. Sinner's dominant performance in New York, where he only conceded four games, keeps him on course for his fifth Grand Slam title and in contention for the World No. 1 ranking, which could shift depending on Alcaraz's progress. After a medical timeout for a finger issue late in the match, Sinner will next face either Alexei Popyrin or Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round. His fitness and form appear restored, having won 27 of his last 28 hard-court matches, with his only recent defeat coming via retirement due to illness. Sinner expressed happiness to be healthy again and is optimistic about his chances as he continues his campaign in Flushing Meadows.