US Open: Daniil Medvedev safely through, Simona Halep suffers shock exit

OUT: Simona Halep, of Romania, reacts during the first round of the US Open tennis championships against Daria Snigur, of Ukraine in New York. Pic: AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Defending champion Daniil Medvedev was first out on Arthur Ashe Stadium and he made short work of American Stefan Kozlov.

Medvedev, one of five men who could end the tournament at world number one, dropped just six games in a 6-2 6-4 6-0 victory.

Kyle Edmund was beaten by Casper Ruud on his return to grand slam tennis but gave a decent account of himself against the fifth seed.

Edmund had not played a singles match at any of tennis' biggest events since the US Open in 2020, after which he underwent three knee operations before finally making his return earlier this summer.

He was given a very tough draw against French Open finalist Ruud, who is a contender for the title, and came up short in a 6-3 7-5 6-2 defeat in sweltering conditions at Flushing Meadows.

The first big shock of the tournament saw seventh seed Simona Halep knocked out by Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur.

The 20-year-old, who was Wimbledon girls' champion in 2019, wore a ribbon in the colours of the Ukrainian flag on her chest and made a heart shape around it at the end of her 6-2 0-6 6-4 victory.

Halep went into the event as one of the favourites after winning the big warm-up title in Toronto and returning to the top 10 but, although she threatened a comeback from 5-1 down in the decider, Snigur made it over the line.