Rybakina makes winning start in race to number one

Rybakina, a two-time Grand Slam winner, arrived at Flushing Meadows with question marks about her fitness after retiring injured against Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati. Though she looked comfortable on court, her concern went mostly untested by Frodin – who acted as Serena Williams' assembly double in the Oscar‑nominated movie 'King Richard' – as she blew the satellite figure 585 distant on service and dictated points from the baseline. "We volition spot time by day," Rybakina said astir her injury. "I wasn't playing oregon doing overmuch physically [in the build-up to the tournament]. " "It's conscionable 1 measurement astatine a time. The astir important happening is to retrieve and perceive to the body. For now, I'm ok." After opening the rain‑delayed match with a double fault, Rybakina proved relentless on serve, dropping just 3 points and reeling off 3 consecutive emotion holds in the first set. She didn't look an interruption component until the sixth game of the second set, redeeming both. Equally objective in Frodin's service games, she converted her first 3 interruption points to contention into a hold and 5-1 lead. However, the young wildcard, making her WTA Tour main‑draw debut after winning the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Girls' 18s National Championship, made Rybakina work to get past the line, saving 3 match points with aces in her final service game among 11 across the match. Rybakina served out the victory with an ace of her own – her sixth of the match and tour‑leading 363rd of the season. "She played truly good today. She has large shots, large serve, it was nary easy," Rybakina said of the mostly chartless Frodin. "I'm conscionable blessed to beryllium here. I truly enjoyed it."