Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina have expressed relief for different reasons after saving Australia’s blushes with contrasting second-round US Open victories in New York.
As Alexei Popyrin, Adam Walton, Tristan Schoolkate and Maya Joint all crashed out, De Minaur hit the go button in a straight-sets victory over Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki.
De Minaur did not have it all his own way, staving off 11 break points in the opening set before seizing control for a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory.
The eighth seed and two-time quarter-finalist was pleased to have got the job done as rain closed in on Flushing Meadows.
“The result was straightforward, but it felt like quite a complicated match,” De Minaur said.
“I had to navigate a tricky opponent who played some very good tennis at times and I just had to do my best to weather the storm and use my experience and back my level over the long run.”
In a bonus for De Minaur, his rival Stefanos Tsitsipas bombed out, opening up the world No 8’s draw.
Instead of facing a player he’s lost to 11 out of 12 times, De Minaur will instead play world No 56 Daniel Altmaier for a place in the last 16 after the German ousted Tsitsipas in five sets.
While De Minaur showcased his class and electric court speed, Kasatkina had to overcome painful cramping and a dogged opponent to also avoid the Australian exodus on day five.
Kasatkina battled back from a service break down in the deciding set to live up to her 15th seeding and deny friend and former compatriot Kamilla Rakhimova a memorable 24th birthday in a two-hour, 22-minute epic at Flushing Meadows.
Kasatkina was chuffed at joining de Minaur and Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon in the last 32 with a fighting 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 comeback victory.
“When I was 4-1 down, I was just like, oh my God. I also started cramping,” the world No 18 said. “I don’t know actually how I was able to come back and win.
“My finger was cramping. My quad was cramping. I was just running on the court trying to finish as quickly as possible.
“I’m really happy with my effort today because even though I was not playing my best tennis, I was still able to get this win.”
Playing her third grand slam since switching allegiances in March, the Russian-born star looked on track for a cruisy win when leading by a set and a break.
But Kasatkina took her foot off the pedal and world No 65 Rakhimova pounced, reeling off five straight games to level the match and take control of the deciding set.
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Showing grit, Kasatkina stormed back to book a third-round tussle with two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka.
While Kasatkina and Hon march on, Popyrin was unable to repeat his 2024 heroics, bowing out in straight sets against top-seeded titleholder Jannik Sinner.
Triumphant over Novak Djokovic last year, Popyrin lost 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 against Italy’s rampant defending champion.
“I was able to put pressure on his serve but, when push came to shove, he came up flush,” Popyrin said.
“What can I say, he stepped up when he needed to. I guess that’s why he’s No 1 in the world.”
Walton, who had enjoyed the best win of his career when defeating 22nd seed Ugo Humbert in the opening round, succumbed 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong.
Schoolkate fell to 23rd seed Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in less than two hours.
Joint put up a fight against 2025 Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova before the teenage talent went down 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 to the big-hitting eighth seed on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Hon has an opportunity to advance to the last 16 on Friday (Saturday AEST) against American world No 58 Ann Li.
