Welcome to this week's edition of "Hot Shots," a USOpen.org-curated look at what you may have missed on social media over the past few days. In the first edition for 2022, we check in with the ATP and WTA action from Down Under, and celebrate Sloane Stephens' wedding.
Sloane Stephens started off the new year by starting a new chapter of her life, as she and American soccer star Jozy Altidore were wed on New Year's Day. The reception was held at the St. Regis in Bal Harbour, Fla., in Miami Beach.
“I really liked the symbolism of starting a new year completely fresh with a new beginning—plus I fly to Australia to start my season soon so this is what needed to happen!” Sloane told Vogue. The outlet also spoke to the groom for a feature story on the wedding, which included a tennis tournament, crawfish boil and wine tasting.
Among those to wish the newlyweds well on social media were tennis players Jennifer Brady, Kim Clijsters, Conchita Martinez and Marion Bartoli.
From the 2017 US Open women's singles champ to our 2018 and 2020 winner... Naomi Osaka is through to the semifinals of her first tournament of the new season, the WTA 250 Melbourne Summer Set 1 event. After wins over Alize Cornet, Maryna Zanevska and Andrea Petkovic, she will take on Veronika Kudermetova in the semis. The opposite semi will see Simona Halep take on Zheng Qinwen.
Osaka, currently the world No. 13, retweeted this video from her guest appearance on Sesame Street, where she discussed the importance of sunscreen. In related news, Sesame Street's Elmo went viral this week when an old clip resurfaced of him fueding with his friend, Zoe, about her pet rock.
On the ATP Tour, 2012 US Open men's singles champ Andy Murray opened his '22 campaign with a three-set defeat to Facundo Bagnis at the ATP 250 in Melbourne. Murray will next compete in Sydney, where Team Great Britain competed this week in ATP Cup action. The British team, which did not include Murray, failed to advance to the knockout semifinal stage despite a 2-1 record in the competition.
Canada, led by Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov, topped the group and were joined by Russia, Spain and Poland in the final four. Spain defeated Poland in the first semifinal, with Russia and Canada set to square off on Saturday in Sydney.
But Murray, who will compete in the Sydney ATP 250 next week as wild card, was on hand to support his British compatriots... and to get some jokes in at the expense of Liam Broady.
Earlier in the week, Murray and Broady traded some friendly Twitter barbs on another topic, when Broady mistook Emma Raducanu's coach, Torben Beltz, for the Scot...
Back on the court, reigning US Open champ Daniil Medvedev helped Russia in the ATP Cup semis with singles wins over Alex de Minaur and Matteo Berrettini, with his win over the Italian coming in a gripping 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 match. Another notable result saw Auger-Aliassime take out Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Rafael Nadal, the US Open champ in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019, made a winning return in his first competitive action since before last year's US Open. After a first round bye, the Spaniard knocked off Ricardas Berankis in straight sets then got a walkover against Tallon Griekspoor to reach the semis. On Saturday, the top seed and current world No. 6 will take on Emil Ruusuvuori for a spot in his first final of the new year. Grigor Dimitrov and Maxime Cressy will meet in the opposite semifinal.
Another big result from the week saw world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty come from behind to beat Coco Gauff in the Aussie's first match of 2022, at the Adelaide WTA 500. Barty kept rolling in the quarterfinals to knock off another American in Sofia Kenin, and now faces Iga Swiatek in a marquee Saturday semi. It's Elena Rybakina vs. Misaki Doi in the other final four matchup.
Barty is also through to the doubles final in Adelaide, alongside compatriot Storm Sanders.
Check back next week for more US Open Hot Shots.
