New York (AFP)

Richard Gasquet, who arrived full of confidence at Flushing Meadows, was eliminated from entry Tuesday on the second day of the US Open, marked by a terrible standoff between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev.

On the women's side, defending champion Naomi Osaka, whose world throne is in play in the past two weeks, was badly beaten by the young Russian Anna Blinkova (84), but qualified.

For Gasquet, the course New York has stopped 2h43 after having started in the near anonymity of court 11.

The 33-year-old Frenchman took a set from his opponent, but the Italian was far too strong and won 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

"He's playing well, very well, it's not easy, he's been serving really hard, he can put you very far from the ball with a forehand, which he did on the first two sets," he said. Gasquet, who arrived at Flushing Meadows after having reached his first semifinal in Masters 1000 in Cincinnati since 2013.

"I had a lot of break points in the first set, but I took a lot of aces, he knows how to play, he knows how to get on the net, he volleyes well ...", he said.

Alizé Cornet (64) had launched the day of the French clan by easily dismissing the American Jessica Pegula (58), 6-2, 6-3.

"It went well, a match in two sets mastered from start to finish, with a good physical presence," said the 29-year-old.

"I had not won a Grand Slam game since Australia so it's nice," she added.

The French will find in the next round the Swiss Belinda Bencic (12th).

- "Big challenge" -

"There, there is a big challenge that comes with Bencic who is almost top 10 and who plays very well," said Cornet.

Gilles Simon, as usual, led a long-term battle, this time against the American Bjorn Fratangelo (117th in the world and winner of a wild card). It took 4:19 to win 5-7, 7-5, 7-5, 7-5.

Meanwhile, on court Louis-Armstrong, the name of his next opponent was decided: Tsitsipas (8th) and Rublev (43rd) fought a very high level, especially for a first round.

And it was the Russian who qualified 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 after 3:54 of play.

Both men went to the end of their forces. But it is the Greek who has been the most diminished by cramps, in the right leg.

"I too had cramps, but I did not show it," said Rublev.

In the 4th inning, Tsitsipas seemed very handicapped by his right leg, visibly crippled by cramps. He even chose to extend his rest time during a change of side, even to provoke the referee.

- "Give me a warning" -

"Give me a warning, I do not care!" threw Tsitsipas to the chair judge ... who actually gave him a penalty point.

World No.2 Rafael Nadal will open the night session on the gigantic Arthur-Ashe court against Australian John Millman (60) who dropped Roger Federer last year in the round of 16.

Spectators at the Grandstand will be able to enjoy a duel between the two Canadians expected at the highest level in the years to come: Felix Auger-Aliassime (19th at 19) and Denis Shapovalov (33 to 20).

The public of the court Louis-Armstrong will be tempted to stay late to attend the show of the whimsical Australian Nick Kyrgios (30th), scheduled late in the evening against the American Steve Johnson (86th).

The French, meanwhile, are waiting for Diane Parry and Pauline Parmentier, as well as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Benoît Paire, Ugo Humbert, Antoine Hoang and Gaël Monfils.

© 2019 AFP