New York | Watson and Kartal win opening qualifying matches

The US Open beckons, with the qualifying stages now underway at Flushing Meadow this week, and main draw action beginning next Monday, 26 August.

This is the biggest and most exciting year yet for US Open Fan Week, and we hope everyone comes to enjoy a full week of world-class tennis and entertainment, all with free grounds admission to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Stacey Allaster, US Open Tournament Director

Great Britain’s Heather Watson has made it through the 1st-round of qualifying, the former British No 1 moving past last year’s junior Wimbledon champion Clervie Ngounoue from the USA with a comfortable 6-1 6-1 win in 69 minutes.

Fans in the UK can watch US Open qualifying action live on Sky Sports+ from 4pm daily, while main draw matches will be available on Sky Sports Tennis.

Watson is joined in women’s qualifying by Lily Miyazaki, Sonay Kartal and Francesca Jones.

Miyazaki, who is seeded 31, qualified for the US Open for the first time last year, and secured a win on her main draw debut against Margarita Betova to reach the 2nd-round.

She will play Dalila Jakupovi from Slovenia on Tuesday, as does Jones, who opens with a meeting against 5th-seeded Rebeka Makarova from Spain.

Jones is attempting to qualify for the US Open for only the second time after reaching Q2 in 2021.

Watson is the most experienced of the bunch at 32 years old, and, with the highest career ranking of 38 back in 2015, she has got herself over the first hurdle.

She has never made it past the 1st-round of the main draw in 10 prior visits to Flushing Meadows, though, and has failed to qualify in the past 2 years.

Watson meets Aliaksandra Sasnovic, the No 2 seed from Belarus in the 2nd-round, who saw off France’s Harmony Tan, 6-2 6-3.

Kartal is a familiar name to many after her run to the 3rd-round at Wimbledon earlier this summer, which included a win over 29th seed Sorana Cirstea, and she, too, is well under way with a 6-3 6-3 win on Monday over Spain’s Guiomar Maristany Zuleta De.

She will take on Simona Waltert in Q2, after the Swiss upset 18th seeded Emina Bektas from the USA, 6-4 6-4.

© Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

In other action on Monday, there was a 4-6 6-4 6-4 upset of No 8 seed Olga Danilovic from Serbia by China’s Gao Xinyu, who, at the age of 26 is playing US Open qualifying for the first time. Gao trailed 4-0 in the 3rd set.

A win for American teenager Valerie Glozman in the 1st round of qualifying for the 3rd year in a row saw the 17-year-old, a rising freshman at Stanford University, topple Chinese No 17 seed Bai Zhuoxuan, 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2, and she will next face a compatriot 21 years her senior in 38-year-old Varvara Lepchenko, who dispatched Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek, 6-2 6-3.

Mary Stoiana, a year-end No 1 player in Division I women’s tennis for Texas A&M University, toppled Polina Kudermetova, the younger sister of former Top 10 player Veronika from Russia, 7-6(3) 7-6(3).

Late in the evening, former US Open quarter-finalist and 9-time doubles Grand Slam champion Kristina Mladenovic from France picked up 3-set come-back win, defeating Czech Linda Fruhvirtova, 3-6 6-3 6-3.

The 2024 US Open Qualifying Tournament continues on Tuesday with more 1st-round action, with notable players in action including No 6 women’s seed and 2021 US Open junior champion Robin Montgomery and 2022 US Open girls’ singles champion Alexandra Eala.

US Open Fan Week kicked off on Monday with free entry to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA

US Open Fan Week at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center kicked off on Monday, for which fans are able to able to enter the grounds free of charge to enjoy world-class tennis in the qualifying rounds, as players battle for the last 16 spots remaining in the main draw, and a jam-packed schedule of off-court events.

“This is the biggest and most exciting year yet for US Open Fan Week, and we hope everyone comes to enjoy a full week of world-class tennis and entertainment, all with free grounds admission to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center,” said US Open Tournament Director Stacey Allaster.

“With a lineup of unique signature events starring tennis icons and headlining entertainers, up-close access to the sport at its pinnacle and a variety of fun activities available every day, the US Open is truly open and accessible for all, as we welcome all fans and families alike to experience this one-of-a-kind festival the week before the US Open main draw.”

Fan Week consists of several signature events taking place throughout the week, including most evenings, but while the grounds are always free to enter, some of these events require a separate ticket.

• Tuesday, 20 August: US Open Mixed Madness presented by IHG Hotels & Resorts exhibition
• Wednesday, 21 August: Stars of the Open presented by Chase exhibition, featuring four-time and defending US Open champion Novak Djokovic, two-time US Open champion Venus Williams, 2022 US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, top Americans Jessica Pegula and Frances Tiafoe, two-time US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki, as well as former champions Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Gabriela Sabatini, Andy Roddick and more.
• Thursday, 22 August: Flavors of the Open presented by Dobel Tequila food tasting
• Friday, 23 August: US Open Media Day and US Open Block Party
• Saturday, 24 August: Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day
• Sunday, 25 August: Open Practice Day

Tuesday’s US Open Mixed Madness is a new addition to the ticketed event slate, and offers a blockbuster mixed doubles event featuring 4 teams of current superstars competing for $500,000 in prize compensation, with $250,000 going to the winning team.

The teams are defending US Open champion Coco Gauff & Ben Shelton; two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka & Nick Kyrgios; Stefanos Tsitsipas & Paula Badosa; and Taylor Fritz & Aryna Sabalenka.