Playing her first Grand Slam qualifying occasion in almost half a decade, Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen superior to the second spherical of US Open qualifying with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Chinese compatriot You Xiaodi in 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Zheng’s solely earlier expertise of Grand Slam preliminary rounds got here on the 2022 Australian Open, the primary main occasion of her profession. Qualifying and reaching the second spherical enabled her to interrupt into the Top 100, the place she remained till June this yr. Last July, Zheng underwent elbow surgical procedure; although she tried to return in September, she managed to contest simply two matches in Beijing earlier than being sidelined till this February. In 2026, she has compiled a 12-13 document up to now, and her rating has fallen to No. 121 this week.
However, the No. 14 seed received off to a strong begin towards her countrywoman. You had gained their solely earlier assembly 6-4, 6-1 — although that match, in the 2018 Nanjing W15 quarterfinals, had occurred when Zheng was 15 years outdated and enjoying in her fourth profession skilled match. Eight years on, Zheng was in cost. She conceded simply three factors behind her first serve, broke You at first and finish of each units, and fired 18 winners to her opponent’s 9.
No. 205-ranked You, who’s now on a seven-match shedding streak relationship again to June, notched some strong holds and gained six out of seven factors at web, however dedicated 19 unforced errors as she struggled to maintain up with Zheng’s weight of shot.
Zheng, a two-time US Open quarterfinalist in 2023 and 2024, will subsequent face former No. 42 Clara Burel. The Frenchwoman can be on the comeback path — she suffered an ACL harm in April 2024 and was sidelined for the following 12 months. Now ranked No. 410, she defeated one other Chinese participant, Ma Ye-Xin, 6-4, 6-2.
Andreescu wins in straight units
In the ultimate match of the day, 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu scored a 6-1, 6-2 win over Dutchwoman Eva Vedder in 1 hour, 6 minutes. The Canadian hit 23 winners towards 15 unforced errors, in contrast with 10 winners and 17 unforced errors for Vedder.
Since successful her first and solely Grand Slam title in New York seven years in the past, Andreescu has returned to the principle draw 3 times, reaching the fourth spherical in 2020, the third spherical in 2021 and the primary spherical two years in the past. Now ranked No. 183 in the world, the 26-year-old shall be hoping to qualify for her second consecutive Grand Slam predominant draw after coming by way of the qualifiers at Wimbledon.
She will subsequent face No. 24 seed Veronika Podrez, who scored a 6-2, 0-6, 6-3 win over American Caroline Dolehide. Ranked a career-high No. 132 in the world, the Ukrainian made her Grand Slam qualifying debut at Roland Garros. In her third try at Grand Slam qualifying, the Rouen runner-up remains to be on the lookout for her first predominant draw berth.
Other notable US Open first-round qualifying outcomes
- No. 284-ranked wild card Julieta Pareja, 17, defeated American compatriot No. 9 seed Kayla Day 6-3, 6-1 — a reprise of her 7-6(5), 6-4 defeat of Day on the similar stage of the competitors in 2024, when Pareja was 15 years outdated and enjoying her first Grand Slam qualifying occasion.
- Qualifying high seed Polina Kudermetova was knocked out in the primary spherical by Czech Linda Fruhvirtova. In a battle between two former Top 60 gamers, Fruhvirtova dominated to win 6-1, 6-3 in 1 hour, 7 minutes, as Kudermetova was undone by 40 unforced errors. After shedding in the primary spherical of qualifying right here the previous two years, the 21-year-old Czech is hoping to achieve the principle draw for the third time in her profession. Her greatest efficiency got here in 2022, when she reached the second spherical.
- Former junior US Open champion Robin Montgomery kicked off her qualifying marketing campaign with a formidable 6-1, 6-1 win over Canadian Kayla Cross. The 21-year-old, who gained the ladies singles and doubles titles in New York 5 years in the past, gained her first WTA singles title on the 2026 Libéma Open in June. Ranked No. 484 on the time, she turned the lowest-ranked lady to win a tour-level title on grass and the fifth-lowest-ranked titlist in WTA historical past. The victory was Montgomery’s first on the US Open, in qualifying or the principle draw. She had misplaced in the primary spherical of the principle draw and first spherical of qualifying on two earlier events every.
- Italy’s Tyra Caterina Grant superior to the second spherical of qualifying with a 6-2, 6-4 win over American Savannah Broadus. The 18-year-old got here by way of qualifying at Wimbledon and reached the second spherical there in June. That end result, together with a WTA 125 title in Italy in June, has helped her break into the highest 150 of the world rankings for the primary time.
- American Madison Brengle additionally superior to the second spherical with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Anastasia Gasanova. The 36-year-old is enjoying on the US Open for the twentieth time in her profession and shall be hoping to make her twelfth look in the principle draw, the place her greatest end result has been reaching the third spherical in 2015 and 2020.
- Last yr’s junior champion Jeline Vandromme, seeded twenty sixth, received off to begin with a 6-1, 6-3 win over fellow Belgian Greet Minnen. The 18-year-old is enjoying in Grand Slam qualifying for the third time in her profession and is hoping to make her Grand Slam predominant draw debut in New York.
- Alevtina Ibragimova, who made an influence on her WTA main-draw debut in Iasi final month by pushing Paula Badosa to a 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-4 second-round loss, was victorious in her Grand Slam qualifying occasion. The 21-year-old upset No. 15 seed and former No. 33 Rebecca Sramkova 6-2, 6-4.