Day two of the US Open served up a thrilling spectacle of shock exits, nail-biting comebacks, and a stunning display of Australian prowess, headlined by a monumental victory for qualifier Adam Walton.
The world number 149 delivered the upset of the tournament so far, dismantling the 28th seed, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, in a commanding straight-sets victory (6-4, 6-2, 7-6). Walton's aggressive play and unshakeable composure on the grand stage of Court 7 left the Argentine star with no answers.
Kasatkina's Great Escape
Over on the Louis Armstrong Stadium, eighth seed Daria Kasatkina was staring down the barrel of an early exit. Her opponent, Romania's Gabriela Ruse, powered through the first set and was on the brink of victory with a 5-2 lead in the second.
However, in a breathtaking display of resilience, Kasatkina mounted a heroic fightback. She clawed her way into a third set, ultimately prevailing 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 after a gruelling two-hour, forty-minute battle, saving her campaign from the brink of disaster.
Green and Gold Glory
The Australian contingent enjoyed a remarkably successful day in New York. Joining Walton in the second round is Priscilla Hon, who secured a hard-fought win against Germany's Tamara Korpatsch (6-3, 6-7, 6-4).
Rinky Hijikata also advanced, continuing his strong form from the qualifying rounds to defeat an out-of-sorts Jan-Lennard Struff in four sets. The results mark a significant and positive shift for Australian tennis on the sport's biggest stages.
As the tournament moves into its third day, all eyes will be on these emerging stars to see if they can continue their giant-killing runs and cause further chaos in the draws.
