The US Open serves up excitement as Carlos Alcaraz begins his quest for a sixth Grand Slam crown and Venus Williams steps onto the stage for a historic 25th time.
On the tournament’s second day at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, the spotlight turns to Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Alcaraz and Williams lead the highly anticipated night session.
Alcaraz, the electrifying Spaniard who claimed his first Grand Slam right here in 2022, kicks off his campaign against the powerful American Reilly Opelka in the opening round. Seeded second, the 22-year-old could meet rival Jannik Sinner later in the tournament, with the pair having already clashed in two Grand Slam finals this year.
Venus Williams, an icon of American tennis, begins what might be her final appearance at the US Open, facing Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova in the first round. Now 45 and holding a world ranking of 602, Williams was granted a wild card entry. She makes her return after a 16-month break, having only resumed competitive play in July.
Kvitova Bids Farewell
This year marks nearly three decades since Williams debuted at the US Open as a 17-year-old prodigy in 1997, memorably reaching the final before falling to Martina Hingis.
“It never loses its thrill; if anything, the excitement just grows,” Williams shared on Saturday as she looked ahead to play.
This milestone also coincides with the 75th anniversary of Althea Gibson’s trailblazing participation at the US national championships in 1950. To commemorate Gibson, a special ceremony will precede Williams’ Monday night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“The real significance lies in honoring and remembering Althea’s achievements,” Williams emphasized. “Much of what she did hasn’t received its due recognition, which is why this celebration matters so much to me. It’s about giving her story the attention and respect it deserves.”
Elsewhere, two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova played her last professional match early Monday, falling 6-1, 6-0 to France’s Diane Parry. Following her previously announced retirement, the 35-year-old Czech was visibly emotional during her farewell speech, holding back tears as she addressed the audience.
“Of course, I hoped to perform better,” Kvitova admitted after her match. “Knowing this might be my final match made it all the more tough, especially emotionally.”
Other early round action saw Czech veteran Barbora Krejcikova sweep past promising Canadian Victoria Mboko 6-3, 6-2. Belgian 19th seed Elise Mertens rolled over wild card Alyssa Ahn 6-1, 6-0, while Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, seeded 30th, was edged out by Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.
On the men’s side, qualifier Coleman Wong made history by becoming the first Hong Kong player to win a Grand Slam singles match in the Open era, defeating American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/4).
AFP
