Aussies Sweeny, Schoolkate march on at US Open

Diminutive Dane Sweeny and qualifier Tristan Schoolkate have stormed into the US Open second round to continue Australia's excellent start to the season's final grand slam.

Sweeny was leading the crafty Corentin Moutet 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 3-0 when the Frenchman retired injured on Monday (Tuesday AEST).

Schoolkate then celebrated like Lleyton Hewitt when he finished off American qualifier Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-3 6-4 in a tick over three hours.

The 25-year-old Sweeny marked his maiden appearance in the US Open main draw with a first-ever victory at an overseas grand slam.

The wildcard next faces either Italian 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti or rising Brit Arthur Fery for an improbable place in the last 32.

Schoolkate is into round two for a second time and will next play Italian fifth seed Fabio Cobolli, the 2026 French Open runner-up.

Sweeny, who only stands 170cm high, and Schoolkate give Australia at least seven players in round two, joining Taylah Preston, Kim Birrell, Maya Joint, Alexei Popyrin and James Duckworth.

Men's sixth seed Alex de Minaur and women's Australian No.1 Daria Kasatkina will try to join the party in their first-round matches later on day three.

Sixth-seeded de Minaur launches his title quest against Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri, while Kasatkina is set to face Spain's former world No.2 Paula Badosa.

But the luckless Thanasi Kokkinakis had to pull out of his scheduled opener against Spanish 12th seed Rafael Nodar with an ankle injury.