Queens, NY—Jannik Sinner looked every bit the defending champion on Tuesday, breezing past Vit Kopriva with a dominant 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 win in the first round of the U.S. Open.
Just over a week ago, Sinner was forced to retire from the Cincinnati final against Carlos Alcaraz due to illness. He subsequently withdrew from the U.S. Open’s mixed doubles competition and admitted late last week that he still wasn’t feeling at full strength. But with the tournament’s new three-day first-round format, the top seed had a bit more time to recover—and he made the most of it.
Sinner showed no signs of fatigue or discomfort as he dispatched his Czech opponent in just 1 hour and 39 minutes.
“Very happy to be healthy again,” the Italian said after the match. “We worked hard to make sure I was in the best possible shape for this tournament.”
The world No. 1 returns to Flushing Meadows not only as the reigning U.S. Open champion—after defeating Taylor Fritz for his first Grand Slam title here last year—but as a three-time major winner in 2025, having added trophies at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
With Tuesday’s win, Sinner remains in contention to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a single season—a rare feat achieved only by Rod Laver, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic in the Open era.
“New York always brings back amazing memories,” he said. “Every year is a fresh start, and I wanted to open this one in the best possible way—and I think I did that today.”
Sinner came into the U.S. Open with 26 straight wins on hard courts, a streak snapped by Alcaraz in Cincinnati. Judging by his form on Tuesday, he’s ready to start another.
