US Open day one: Sharapova wins thriller, Cilic shakes off rust

Maria Sharapova won a blockbuster, Marin Cilic shook off his ring rust, and Shania Twain got the party started. Yes, there was plenty to chat about on the opening day of the US Open.

The women: Sharapova wins blockbuster

It was the most anticipated Grand Slam first round in years, and it didn’t disappoint. Maria Sharapova has beaten Simona Halep over three scintillating sets on the opening day of the US Open. 19-months since her last appearance at a Grand Slam, Sharapova went toe to toe with Halep for nearly three hours, eventually securing a 6-4 4-6 6-3 win.

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In a tight, tense match, Sharapova led 4-1 in both the second and third sets, only for Halep to rally to the death. In a suitably dramatic finale, Halep sailed a return long and Sharapova sank to her knees in tears.

“I am embracing every moment of this and I love it,” Sharapova said after the match. “This girl has a lot of grit and she’s not going anywhere.”

Halep wasn’t the only big name to fall on day one: Johanna Konta suffered the ignominy of being the first seed to crash out. The Brit, one of eight women who had the chance of becoming No.1 by the end of the tournament, started strongly, but was ultimately overwhelmed by world No.78 Aleksandra Krunic 4-6 6-3 6-4. “First rounds in every tournament, and especially at slams, can be tricky,” Konta lamented after the fact.

There were no such problems for Garbine Muguruza, who breezed through her opening match against the potentially tricky Varvara Lepchenko. Muguruza made short work of the American, firing down 16 winners during the 6-0 6-3 win.

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Elsewhere, Venus Williams overcame a second set hiccup as she downed Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3 3-6 6-2; Petra Kvitova got the better of Jelena Jankovic in a tight 7-5 7-5 win; Sloane Stephens impressive return to form continued, the American downing 2015 runner-up Roberta Vinci 7-5 6-1; and Caroline Wozniacki was a 6-1 7-5 winner over Mihaela Buzarnescu.

The men: Rusty Cilic up and running

It was going on midnight when Alexander Zverev took to Arthur Ashe, hoping for a quick match against Barbados’ Darian King. Zverev was to be disappointed, as King took the match to him in an enthralling two hours 49 minute encounter.

Zverev initially looked to be in trouble as King broke in the opening set. However, the German steadied to edge it in a thrilling tiebreak 11-9. It was a similar story in the second, Zverev breaking at the death to take control of the match. King fought, but Zverev held on to secure a 7-6(11) 6-5 6-4 win.

“Obviously the ranking says he’s whatever, 150 in the world. He definitely didn’t play like it today,” a sleepy Sascha said after the match.

Marin Cilic looked a far cry from the man who stormed into the Wimbledon final as he laboured to a 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-3 win over Tenny Sandgren. The Croat, who was playing his first tournament since his straight sets defeat to Federer at SW19, was broken three times during the match. However, despite one or two blips the fifth seed was pleased with his performance: “I’m just lacking a little bit of that consistency point after point, to be continuing with my aggression, with my tennis,” Cilic said after the match.

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In a half of the draw lacking major star power, it was left to the Americans to command attention on the opening day. Sam Querrey got his campaign off to a good start with a 6-4 6-3 6-4 win over the tricky Gilles Simon; John Isner needed four sets to get the better of Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-1 6-3 4-6 6-3; Steve Johnson was a 6-4 7-6[2] 7-6[5] winner over Nicolas Almagro; but Jack Sock crashed out to Jordan Thompson, beaten 6-2 7-6(12) 1-6 5-7 6-4.

Elsewhere, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was a straight sets winner over Copil, coming through 6-3 6-3 6-4; Kevin Anderson was a 6-3 6-3 6-1 winner over JC Aragone; Lucas Pouille downed Ruben Bemelmans 6-3 6-4 6-4; and Gilles Muller got the better of Bernard Tomic, winning 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4.