U.S. Open Day 2 recap: Venus survives Kozlova, Wawrinka and Halep advance

Get all of the must-know results, storylines, news and more from Day 2 at the 2016 U.S. Open.

NEW YORK – A recap of the day session action on Day 2 on Tuesday at the 2016 U.S. Open, including results, tweets, hot shots, photos and more.

Results Roundup

• Last year’s U.S. Open semifinalist Simona Halep cruised through her opening round match on Tuesday, beating Kirsten Flipkens 6-0, 6-2. Halep had match point up 6–0, 5­–0 and was unable to close out the match, but ultimately advanced in just under an hour.

“I had two good tournaments before coming here. I have no expectations still, but I'm here just to do my job, to enjoy the moment, and to give everything for every match,” she said after the match. “I can say I'm very confident in myself. I feel the game. I move very well on court. I am positive all the time. Sometimes I get upset on myself, but still helps me to stay motivated and to stay focused.”

JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Halep will face Lucie Safarova on Thursday after the Czech defeated Russia’s Daria Gavrilova 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday.

• No. 3-seed Stan Wawrinka advanced in straight sets in his first match, beating Fernando Verdasco 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-4 for his 20th hardcourt win of the season.

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"I had almost 10 days here in New York to do great preparation. Now, I'm focused on the tournament, match after match," Wawrinka said after the match. "But the way I started today, I'm really happy with that. Let's see what's gonna happen the next few days and weeks."

• No. 6-seed Venus Williams survived a tough test from 22-year-old Kateryna Kozlova in the last day session match on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday. After winning the first set in 38 minutes, Venus went up 3-0 in the second set but her level dropped and Kozlova took advantage to level the second set at 4-all. The young Ukrainian forced a decider but Venus—a two-time champion at the U.S. Open playing in her 18th tournament—was able to pull out the win, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

• After winning bronze in singles at the Rio Olympics, Kei Nishikori needed four sets to defeat Benjamin Becker, 6-1, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, in his opening match. Nishikori was a runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2014 but lost in the first round in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Seeded at No. 6, Nishikori will next play Russian qualifier Karen Khachanov, who beat Thomas Fabbiano 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Tuesday.

Olympic mixed doubles silver medalist Rajeev Ram wasn’t able to capitalize on his Rio performance at the U.S. Open in singles on Tuesday, as Great Britain’s Daniel Evans won 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

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•  No. 29-seed Ana Ivanovic made an early, first-round exit from the tournament on Tuesday, losing to Denisa Allertova 7-6(4), 6-1. Ivanovic served for the first set twice, at 5-3 and 6-5, and ended up losing the tiebreak before falling in the second set. Allertova will move though to play Johanna Larsson, who beat Karin Knapp 6-4, 6-2. The 28-year-old Serb said her confidence level affected her during the match, especially in the tiebreak.

“I had that set point and I went for my big forehand and it was quite a bad miss because I was a little bit in two minds what to do with it,” she said after the match. 

Despite her recent struggles—Ivanovic hasn’t advanced past the third round a major since the French Open in 2015—she says she’s not ready to call it quits on her career.

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“I just need to really see why is this happening. Because I had struggles throughout my career; I had some tough times. This is not the first time I'm going through this,” she said. “I feel like I have potential and game, but it hasn't really been coming together. Like I said, it's not like I don't work. I really put a lot of hard work.”

• In one of the biggest upsets of the day, 19-year-old American Jared Donaldson defeated No. 12-seed David Goffin 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-0.  "I think it was a really, really special victory for me," Donaldson said after the match.

When Juan Martin del Potro was given a wildcard, Donaldson was forced to play through the qualifying rounds in order to earn a spot in the main draw. After his match on Tuesday, the Rhode Island-native credited former ATP player Taylor Dent for improvements to his game, such as his serving technique.

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“Taylor has kind of crafted my game since I just turned 17, for all the kind of things I'm doing out there now is a reflection of his influence on me, coaching with me, working with me. I owe a lot to him,” he said. “We see the same overall picture the same, which I think is really important for a coaching relationship. I think that he's done a good job and I've done a good job also of kind of listening to him and then working really hard at doing what he said.”    ​

In the second round, Donaldson will face Viktor Troicki, who beat Radu Albot in a tough five-setter, 5-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6. 

Del Potro also advanced on Tuesday, finishing off Diego Schwartzman in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(3). 

• While her U.S. Open concussion lawsuit continues on, Eugenie Bouchard's 2016 U.S. Open campaign is over as quickly as it started. The 22-year-old Canadian lost the opening set to 20-year-old Katerina Siniakova, but was able to win the second set to level the match. But in the deciding set, Siniakova's level proved too much for Bouchard and the Czech advanced, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 to mark her first career U.S. Open win. 

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• Grigor Dimitrov took care of business against Inigo Cervantes, winning 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 to advance and 18-year-old Alexander Zverev needed four sets but beat Daniel Brands 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 to make the second round. Young American Michael Mmoh didn't have such luck—Frenchman JeremyChardy beat Mmoh 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 on Tuesday.

• There were three notable retirements in the men’s draw on Tuesday, as Nicolas Mahut won after Philipp Kohlschreiber retired in the third set and David Ferrer advanced after Alexandr Dolgopolov retired in the first set. Later in the day, Borna Coric retired down 3-4 in the opening set to Feliciano Lopez. 

• More notable results: No. 25-seed Caroline Garcia d. Pauline Parmentier 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; Yaroslava Shvedova d. Lara Arruabarrena 6-2, 6-3; Ana Konjuh d. Kiki Bertens 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; Qiang Wang d. Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; Richel Hogenkamp d. Heather Watson 6-2, 7-5; Pablo Carreno Busta d. Ilya Ivashka 6-0, 7-5, 6-2; Timea Babos d. Barbara Haas 5-7, 6-3, 7-5; Nicole Gibbs d. Aleksandra Krunic 6-1, 6-0; Samantha Stosur d. Camila Giorgi 7-5, 6-7, 6-1; Elena Vesnina d. beat Anett Kontaveit 7-6, 4-6, 6-3; Joao Sousa d. Victor Estrella 6-0, 6-1, 6-1; Naomi Broady d. Laura Robson 6-7, 6-3, 6-4; Nastia Pavlyuchenkova d. Louisa Chirico 6-1, 6-4; Jelena Jankovic d. Mariana Duque Marino 6-4, 6-1; Montserrat Gonzalez d. Danka Kovinic 7-5, 6-2; Damir Dzumhur d. Bernard Tomic 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6

Quote of the Day

After her match on Tuesday, Simona Halep talked about riding rollercoasters with coach Darren Cahill.

Daily Data Viz

The Pliskova twins are the top serving sisters in tennis

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

While many may tout Serena and Venus Williams as the best sister duo, Karolina and Kristyna Pliskova are at the top.

This post will be updated.