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Jannik Sinner cruises past Mackenzie McDonald after early scare

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World number one Jannik Sinner fought back from a set down to beat American Mackenzie McDonald 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 in the first round of the US Open.
The Australian Open champion arrived at the tournament under intense scrutiny for escaping a doping ban despite failing two drug tests in March.
And in the early stages, the attention may have played a role in his slow start as McDonald started strongly and led by a set and a break.
However, the Italian stormed back against an opponent, who couldn’t maintain his high level and eased through the final three sets to reach the second round.
“It started not in the best way, but you know, the first matches in every tournament are not easy, you have to accept it,” Sinner said in his on-court interview.
“He played really, really well in the beginning and I tried to stay there mentally and tried to get into rhythm, which I’ve done at some point in the second set and then just tried to keep going. I’m very happy to be in the next round.
“We go day by day. Tomorrow I have one day off where we will try to get a little bit more rhythm and improve for the next match.”
From a set and a break down…Jannik Sinner overcomes an early scare and defeats McDonald in four! pic.twitter.com/7yIQ3oAzsD
Sinner’s win was his first on Arthur Ashe after a few disappointing defeats, including his five-set loss to Alexander Zverev in the fourth round last year.
”(The win) means a lot to me,” he said.
“Obviously, the support is always amazing, so thanks everyone for coming, for staying, and now let’s see what’s coming in the next round.”
I started not in the best way, but the first matches in every major tournament are not easy. You have to accept it. He played really well in the beginning.
I tried to stay there mentally and I tried to get into rhythm, just tried to keep going, so I’m very happy to be in the next round. It’s the first time I have won in this court so I am very happy.
I have room to improve so I am looking forward to this one and see what I can do.
It means a lot to me. The support is always amazing so thank you everyone for coming and staying.
From a set and a break down…Jannik Sinner overcomes an early scare and defeats McDonald in four! pic.twitter.com/7yIQ3oAzsD
The scrutiny and spotlight have been on Sinner over the past week. And it looked like it had taken a toll on him as he lost the first set. But the world No 1 deserves credit for his response and he wraps up victory with a service hold to 15 when McDonald nets a backhand.
Sinner gets another warm reception from the crowd as he gives them a thumbs up. Not major celebration but most importantly, it is job done.
McDonald gets himself another game on the scoreboard but after two hours and 22 minutes, Sinner will serve for the match.
The events of the first set seem a long time ago as Sinner moves to within a game of the second round with an unreturned first serve.
Back-to-back double faults by McDonald hand Sinner two break points. Credit to the American as he saves both of them and he finally gets on the board in this set after a forehand winner.
Big cheers as McDonald wins his first point of the set with a backhand winner down the line, 15-15. Double fault by Sinner opens the door for McDonald at 30-30 but back-to-back first serves unreturned seals another game for the Italian.
McDonald is a forlorn figure on the court. A forehand long gives Sinner three break points at 0-40. Deep Sinner forehand and McDonald sends a backhand spinning out of court. 
Sinner gets the double break. The gulf in class between the two players is looking seismic at the moment.
The crowd energy has completely disappeared as McDonald wilts and Sinner asserts his authority.
An ace by Sinner at 40-0 seals the game and consolidates the break.
Lenghtly break between sets after McDonald left the court at the end of the third. But the bathroom break doesn’t appear to have helped as he loses the first three points. Sinner has won 23 of the last 26 points.
Sinner forehand down the lines, McDonald moves slowly to his fight and flicks a forehand long. Only two hours gone but McDonald looks to be done out there.
Sinner breaks to start the set.
Three set points for Sinner after McDonald nets a forehand. And Sinner moves one set away from round two with a forehand winner into the open court. 11 winners and 0 unforced errors by Sinner. McDonald won just 25 per cent of points on his second serve.
This match has turned very quickly but credit to Sinner for showing why he is the best in the world.
Jannik Sinner switches to cruise control ✈️The World No. 1 leads McDonald two sets to one. pic.twitter.com/R9PZ2mQTmc
McDonald’s forehand is letting him down now and creating chances for Sinner to break. The Italian moves to 15-40 and breaks with an exceptional cross court backhand pass. That was brilliant from the world No 1.
Sinner breaks again and will serve for the set. 
The atmosphere is a bit flat on Arthur Ashe as Sinner takes full command of the set. McDonald doesn’t appear to have the answers to get back into this.
Here comes Sinner. The Italian moves to 0-30 when McDonald nets a backhand. The weight of shot coming from Sinner’s forehand proves too much for McDonald and Sinner has three break points. 
McDonald approaches into Sinner’s backhand, the American gets what should be an easy volley but pushes his effort long. Sinner breaks.
Sinner wrong foots McDonald with a backhand pass down the line, 40-15 and he finishes the game with an ace down the T.
Serve dominating the early stages of the third set as McDonald holds to 15 easily.
Impressive start to the third set as Sinner holds to love and looks confident in his tennis again. Can McDonald rediscover his form from the first set?
One weakness in Sinner’s game is his volley game and it is shown when he pushes a volley into the net, 40-15. But back-to-back forehand winners by Sinner makes it deuce.
Heavy forehand return by Sinner rushes McDonald into an error and brings up a set point. Entertaining cat and mouse rally and it ends with McDonaldo inexplicably putting a forehand volley long.
Sinner takes the set. 20 unforced errors by McDonald hurting him badly.
Sinner strikes back to to take the second set 6-2! pic.twitter.com/5NZFLYtYTc
Once again a few frailties off the forehand side by McDonald prove costly as Sinner holds to 30 and puts himself a game away from the second set.
McDonald secures the first love hold of the match as he settles down after Sinner’s strong response in this set.
Four successive points for Sinner after falling to 0-30 and he holds serve to consolidate the break.
Definitely seeing a dip from McDonald compared to the high level of the first set. Sinner hasn’t really elevated his level but has cut down the errors and his opponent has gifted away points.
Sinner earns two break points at 15-40. McDonald saves the first with some heavy hitting on the forehand side. He tries to serve and volley on the second, Sinner hits a backhand cross court, McDonald opts not to hit the volley and the ball drops in.
Sinner breaks again.
Much needed routine service game by Sinner as he holds to 15. How will McDonald react to the change in momentum now?
119mph ace down the T by McDonald moves him to 40-30. A forehand into the net by the American makes it deuce. Sinner starting to show signs of digging in here but spoils it with another forehand error. That shot has been all over the place for him today.
McDonald double fault gives Sinner a break point chance. Frustration for Sinner after hitting an eighth unforced error on the forehand side. 
Another McDonald double fault. Sinner break point… Sinner backhand into the tramlines. Back to deuce we go.
As we pass the 10 minute mark for this game, McDonald hits a forehand long and Sinner has another break point.
Sinner gets a look at a backhand down the line but nets. Another chance for Sinner to break with McDonald’s forehand goes long.
McDonald forehand into the net and Sinner finally gets the break. Is that the turning point in this match?
Two double faults by Sinner and he gives away another break point to McDonald at 30-40. McDonald is causing Sinner all sorts of trouble here and the Italian nets a forehand on the stretch.
McDonald breaks again. It’s one way traffic at the moment. It is 21 years since the men’s world No 1 last lost in the first round of the US Open…
Sinner is handed an easy volley to put away but pushes his volley wide, 15-0. A shot that encapsulates his performance so far.
Sinner backhand return into the net, 40-0. Sinner backhand pass wide and McDonald takes the set. Sinner walks to his chair and scratches his head. 14 unforced errors. Just 28 per cent of points won on his second serve. 
Full credit to McDonald for an excellent display so far.
The top seed is down a set 👀Mackenzie McDonald takes the first 6-2. pic.twitter.com/wKPZMs2BOY
Sinner in trouble at 0-30 here. Exquisite volley by McDonald, Sinner reaches it but can’t get the ball over the net. Two break points.
Sinner drop shot is poor, McDonald gets there and put a forehand down the line with Sinner moving in the other direction.
Brilliant from McDonald, who breaks again and will serve for the first set.
Sinner’s struggles continue as McDonald moves to 40-15 easily. McDonald is hitting with pace, control and at a really high level.
That’s the only way he will beat Sinner and he has put himself position to win the first set by consolidating the break.
McDonald is getting plenty of joy off the Sinner second serve. The Italian slips to 2/11 when a forehand goes long to give McDonald a break point.
Sinner is forced to hit another second serve but hold his nerve and finishes the point with a backhand down the line winner.
Lovely feel by McDonald to hit an angled forehand drop shot winner, break point. Sinner backhand long and McDonald breaks again.
And it is fully deserved based on his performance so far. Work to do for Sinner.
McDonald is looking really good at the moment and Sinner isn’t playing anywhere near his usual level. But after McDonald moves to 30-0, Sinner wins three points in a row and now has a break point.
McDonald rises to the moment with a forehand winner. McDonald tries to serve and volley but nets the backhand volley. Break point Sinner. Sinner forehand down the line, McDonald is forced into a defensive backhand and the ball drops long.
Sinner breaks.
Back-to-back forehand errors make his 0-30. More great defence by McDonald, he makes Sinner hit an extra ball and the top seed pushes a forehand long again. Two more break points.
131mph ace by Sinner to save the first. Then an unreturned first serve to save the second. Deuce.
Forehand winner to hold by Sinner. Relief for the Italian after a sluggish start.
Full credit to McDonald as he backs up the break with a service hold to 15. Sinner seems to be struggling on the forehand side in the early stages. The court isn’t particularly quick but he is looking a bit hurried out there.
Start as you mean to go on Sinner! The Italian hammers down an ace on the opening point but a forehand drive into the net gifts McDonald two break points at 15-40.
Sinner saves the first when McDonald nets a defensive forehand and takes the game to deuce when McDonald’s return goes long.
Third break chance for McDonald after a lengthy rally ends with Sinner pushes a forehand long. Sinner sees out the danger with an unreturned first serve but another forehand error by Sinner and McDonald has a fourth break point.
McDonald is forced to scramble on the baseline amid a barrage of shots by Sinner. The Italian gets the chance to finish at the net and does so with a volley winner.
Oh wow. Sinner has an easy overhead but he lets the ball bounce and hits the smash into the net. The crowd gasps in shock. Fifth break chance for McDonald.
McDonald forehand return down the line winner! The American finally breaks.
After a short break following Swiatek’s match, Sinner follows McDonald onto court and receives a very warm welcome for the crowd on Arthur Ashe.
Not many people in the lower bowl of the stadium but it should fill up soon. 
Men’s Singles First Round
Jordan Thompson, Australia, beat Constant Lestienne, France, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2.
Jakub Mensik, Czechia, beat Felix Auger-Aliassime (19), Canada, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
David Goffin, Belgium, beat Alejandro Tabilo (22), Chile, 7-6 (7), 6-1, 7-5.
Mariano Navone, Argentina, beat Daniel Altmaier, Germany, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.
Hubert Hurkacz (7), Poland, beat Timofey Skatov, Kazakhstan, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3).
Tomas Machac, Czechia, beat Fabio Fognini, Italy, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.
Women’s Singles First Round
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (25), Russia, beat Taylah Preston, Australia, 6-2, 6-0.
Jessika Ponchet, France, beat Zheng Saisai, China, 6-4, 6-1.
Karolina Muchova, Czechia, beat Katie Volynets, United States, 6-3, 7-5.
Ashlyn Krueger, United States, beat Zhang Shuai, China, 0-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Sara Errani, Italy, beat Cristina Bucsa, Spain, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Katie Boulter (31), Britain, beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Belarus, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Caroline Dolehide, United States, beat Danielle Collins (11), United States, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Iga Swiatek (1), Poland, beat Kamilla Rakhimova, Russia, 6-4, 7-6 (6).
I always believe that I kept playing tennis because in my mind I knew that I haven’t done anything wrong. I knew that I was very clean and I knew that I was always looking forward to be a fair player.
Obviously this coming out might change a couple of things but whoever knows me very well knows that I haven’t done and I would never do something what goes against the rules.
It has been a very tough moment for me and my team. It still is, because it’s quite fresh.
Here I also know who is my friend and who is not my friend because my friends, they know that I would never do that and sticking together.
About my reputation, we will see now, moving forward, no? Because this, I can’t really control. So let’s see.
The women’s world No 1 has booked her place in the second round. She progressed in straight sets 6-4, 7-6 over Kamilla Rakhimova but needed to save three set points in the tiebreak to finish the job.
Next up on Arthur Ashe, it is Sinner time…
How?! 🤯Karolina Muchova hits one of the shots of the year 🔥 pic.twitter.com/15m5SFu6jd
After Harriet Dart last night, British No 1 Katie Boulter has joined her in round two after fighting back from a set down against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
It means hopes of a Boulter vs Emma Raducanu showdown in the third round are still alive.
Follow the latest reaction here.
Boulter ADVANCES to the second round! 💪The Brit defeats Sasnovich 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/kK9m0QfMjY
Hello and welcome to coverage of the US Open as men’s world No 1 Jannik Sinner gets his campaign underway.
The Italian has been at the forefront of the news over the past week after he escaped a drugs ban despite failing two tests.A tribunal accepted that the positive results were due to contamination from a massage by his physiotherapist, who has since left Sinner’s team.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed said Sinner bore “no fault or negligence” over the presence in his urine of the banned steroid clostebol both during and after March’s Masters 1000 tournament at Indian Wells.
But he was still stripped of the 400 ranking points and £250,000 prize money he earned at the tournament, where he was beaten in the semi-finals by Carlos Alcaraz.
Ahead of the final grand slam of the year, Sinner said he feared it could have been much worse, with not all athletes found to have tested positive through contamination avoiding suspension.
“Of course, I was worried, because it was the first time for me and hopefully the last time that I am in this situation, position,” Sinner said. 
“A different part we have to see is the amount I had in my body, which is 0.000000001, so there are a lot of zeroes before coming up with one. So I was worried, of course, because I’m always the player who was working very, very carefully in this. I believe I’m a fair player on and off the court.
“Whoever knows me very well knows that I haven’t done and I would never do something what goes against the rules.
“Here, I also know who is my friend and who is not my friend, no, because, my friends, they know that I would never do that.”
The 23-year-old has weathered the storm so far but will hope to avoid a hostile reception from fans when he takes on American McDonald on Arthur Ashe.

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