But the opening round of matches seemed well-received by the New York crowd. Spectators flocked to the two show courts, Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong, in their droves, and loudly backed home favourites including Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka.

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz’s all-star partnership was brought to a premature end as they were beaten in the first round of the revamped US Open mixed doubles.