Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, the world No. 2, successfully navigated the first round of the US Open tennis championships, reports infohub.kz.
In her opening match in New York, she defeated 17-year-old American Teah Froding, ranked 585th in the world, in straight sets 6:3, 6:2. The match lasted 1 hour and 14 minutes.
Rybakina controlled the game from the start. In the first set, the Kazakhstani secured a single break and closed it out 6:3. In the second set, the world No. 2 quickly took an early break and confidently served out the match. Towards the end, Froding managed to save several match points, thanks in part to her serve, but could not turn the tide. Rybakina took the second set 6:2 and wrapped up the match in two sets.
Much attention before the match was focused on the Kazakhstani's physical condition. In August, Rybakina sustained a leg injury in the quarterfinals in Cincinnati against Iga Swiatek and retired from that match. At the US Open, she took the court with tape on her left heel, but showed no noticeable movement restrictions against Froding.
In the second round of the US Open 2026, Rybakina will face the winner of the match between Czech Daria Vidmanova (75) and Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (105).
In the men's draw, Alexander Bublik (16) continues his campaign. In the first round, he defeated American wildcard Jeffrey John Wolf (285) 6:4, 6:2, 3:6, 6:1. Kazakhstan's second-ranked player, Alexander Shevchenko (97), exited the tournament, losing to Croatian Dino Prižmić 6:2, 3:6, 3:6, 7:5, 5:7.
The US Open is an annual Grand Slam tennis tournament played on hard courts. It is the last of the four majors in the calendar year. For the second consecutive year, the US Open, first held in August 1881, starts a week earlier due to the mixed doubles event being moved. The total prize money of $108 million is a record for the majors. Since 1978, matches have been held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
The defending men's champion is Spain's Carlos Alcaraz (3), who defeated Jannik Sinner in last year's final 6:2, 3:6, 6:1, 6:4. Incidentally, the Italian, the world No. 1, withdrew from the US Open 2026 due to a knee injury. In the women's draw, the 2025 champion is Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. In the final, she defeated Amanda Anisimova of the USA 6:3, 7:6 (7:3).