Sports
US Open Tennis 2020: TV Schedule, Start Times for Tuesday Night Draw
Frank Franklin II/Associated PressVenus Williams has never lost in the first round at the U.S. Open. That record will be tested Tuesday night, when she faces Karolina Muchova in the first of two matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Muchova will be a tough opponent for Williams, as she upended a seeded player in each of the last…
Frank Franklin II/Associated Press
Venus Williams has never lost in the first round at the U.S. Open.
That record will be tested Tuesday night, when she faces Karolina Muchova in the first of two matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Muchova will be a tough opponent for Williams, as she upended a seeded player in each of the last two U.S. Opens. This time around, Muchova has a number next to her name and is not an unknown quantity.
When Muchova and Williams are finished, men's No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev begins his quest to get back to the U.S. Open final against Federico Delbonis.
Medvedev is one of a few men's players looking to take advantage of the absences of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer and win his first major title in New York.
U.S. Open Tuesday Night Schedule
Start Time: Matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium begin at 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2 (7-8 p.m. ET), ESPN (8-11 p.m. ET)
Live Stream: Watch ESPN or ESPN app
Venus Williams Looking For Another 1st-Round Victory
According to NBC Sports' Nick Ziccardi, Williams will break Martina Navratilova's Open Era record for U.S. Open appearances when he steps on the court Tuesday night.
Nick Zaccardi @nzaccardi
Tonight, Venus Williams breaks Martina Navratilova’s Open Era record for U.S. Open appearances with her 22nd. Venus, who is 21-0 in U.S. Open first round, can become the third woman in her 40s to win a U.S. Open singles match and the first since Renée Richards in 1980. (Getty) https://t.co/T1viqisWdA
Williams is 79-18 at the USTA National Tennis Center and holds a 21-0 first-round record at the event.
A year ago, she made quick work of Zheng Saisai by losing one game in the opener and she ousted Svetlana Kuznetsova in three sets in 2018.
Williams has been involved in a handful of close matches this season, as she has been eliminated four times in three-set contests.
One of her setbacks was a first-round defeat to Coco Gauff at the Australian Open in straight sets.
To avoid a similar fate Tuesday, Williams must be at her best against Muchova, who pushed Naomi Osaka to three sets in the round of 32 at the Western and Southern Open.
In 15 service games against Osaka, Muchova recorded six double faults and four aces. If Williams attacks her serve early, the American could gain an advantage through a break or two.
Even if Williams is in top form, she may have to go the distance to put away the No. 20 seed, who has not lost in a Grand Slam first round since the 2019 Australian Open.
If an upset occurs, Muchova would be a rare early exit from the list of seeded players. Only one of the 16 ranked players were eliminated in Monday's first-round action.
Danill Medvedev Attempting To Return To Men's Singles Final
Medvedev's Grand Slam breakthrough occurred last September in New York.
The Russian's path to the final was not easy, as he produced two straight-set victories in six triumphs.
One of those three-set victories occurred in the first round, and he should produce a similar result against Delbonis.
The 29-year-old Argentinian has exited the U.S. Open after one match on three occasions and has two opening victories in his last eight Grand Slam entries.
Medvedev had his way with unseeded players at the Australian Open and Western and Southern Open. He dropped one set in six meetings with unseeded men.
The No. 3 seed is coming off a pair of straight-set wins at the Western and Southern Open, but he did not make it past the third round after losing to Roberto Batista Agut.
If he cruises Tuesday, Medvedev should face an easy path to the second week of the U.S. Open. Grigor Dimitrov, who he beat in the 2019 semifinals, is the highest-ranked player in his section of the men's draw.
Matteo Berretini or Andrey Rublev would be Medvedev's quarterfinal foe if chalk holds throughout the first week.
The most anticipated showdown involving Medvedev could happen in the semifinals against No. 2 seed Dominic Thiem.
Thiem and Medvedev are viewed as the best candidates to win their first major title since they have appeared in the last two Grand Slam championship matches.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ATPTour.com and WTATennis.com.
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