Keys Advances, Tiafoe Shines on US Open Day 2

Despite the gloomy weather conditions outside on Day 2 of the US Open, American Madison Keys shined in Arthur Ashe Stadium, topping Belgium’s Elise Mertens, 6-3, 7-6. 

The No. 15 seed brought an aggressive game and consistent serve to her Round 1 match. The 22-year-old converted 18 of 27 net point opportunities and finishing with 32 winners, including five aces. 

Keys' win comes on the heels of a blazing summer playing in the US Open Series, where the American won her third career title at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford. Her success has been impressive, considering she missed the first two months of 2017 due to a wrist injury and subsequent surgery she had in November. 

With the win, Keys moves into the second round of the US Open for the fourth consecutive year and the fifth time overall. The world No. 16 will face German Tatjana Maria in her next match. 

After Keys' victory, American and ATP NextGen contender Frances Tiafoe had a five-set brawl with former world No. 1 and five-time US Open champion Roger Federer, ultimately falling to the Maestro, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4. 

The young gun entertained, the atmosphere among the crowd electric. Playing on his home turf, Tiafoe jumped out to a 2-0 lead against the 19-time Grand Slam champion and stayed ahead to take the first set. The Maryland native served out the set to love.

Although the match may not have finished in his favor, Tiafoe was proud of his showing against the Swiss.

“I was really excited for it," he said. "I was going to give my best stuff no matter what, and that's what I did.”

Day 3 of the Open sees American men Sam Querrey take on Israel’s Dudi Sela and John Isner plays Korea’s Hyeon Chung. 

On the women’s side will have three All-American matchups, with Shelby Rogers squaring off against Kayla Day, Alison Riske facing CoCo Vandeweghe, and Sofia Kenin playing Sachia Vickery.