The short version
- Four British players advanced to the final stage of US Open qualifying after winning their second-round matches in New York.
- Jacob Fearnley and Toby Samuel both required three-set comebacks to defeat their respective opponents and remain in contention.
- Harry Wendelken saved a match point to overcome Remy Bertola, while Harriet Dart dominated the final two sets against Kristina Penickova.
Four British tennis players have advanced to the final round of qualifying for the US Open main draw after securing victories in their second-round matches in New York. Jacob Fearnley, Toby Samuel, Harry Wendelken, and Harriet Dart now stand one win away from earning a spot in the prestigious tournament. Their progress comes amidst a challenging qualifying bracket that includes former champions and rising stars from around the world.
Jacob Fearnley, ranked 100th in the world, demonstrated resilience in his match against France’s Luka Pavlovic. The 25-year-old recovered from being down a break of serve in the opening set to take it 6-4. Although Pavlovic leveled the match by winning the second set in a tie-break, Fearnley held his nerve in the deciding third set to clinch a 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 victory. He will next face Austria’s Jurij Rodionov.
Toby Samuel, making his bid for a first US Open main draw appearance, also required a comeback effort. The 23-year-old, who made his Grand Slam debut at the French Open earlier this year, faced fellow Briton Billy Harris. After dropping the first set, Samuel rallied to win the next two sets 6-4 and 6-1. His victory sets up a match against Chile’s Cristian Garin, a former top-20 player.
Harry Wendelken endured a grueling three-hour contest against Switzerland’s Remy Bertola. Ranked 196th in the world, Wendelken had never previously contested the main draw at an overseas Grand Slam. He found himself on the brink of elimination when trailing by a set and 5-2 down in the second. However, he denied Bertola a match point to level the score at 5-5 before edging out the tie-break. Wendelken then controlled the third set, building a 5-2 lead and withstanding a late surge from his opponent to win 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. He is scheduled to face Lithuania’s Vilius Gaubas next.
In the women’s draw, Harriet Dart also had to overcome an early deficit to maintain her qualifying hopes. The 30-year-old, ranked 77th, lost the first set to American teenager Kristina Penickova but dominated the subsequent sets. Dart won the second and third sets 6-0 and 6-3 respectively, securing a 5-7, 6-0, 6-3 victory. She could potentially face fellow Briton Heather Watson or Spain’s Angela Fita Boluda in the final qualifying round.
Other British players are also competing in the qualifying stages. Fran Jones is set to face Germany’s Mona Barthel, while Katie Swan will take on American Mary Stoiana. Both aim to reach the third and final qualifying round. However, Jack Pinnington Jones saw his bid end after taking the opening set but ultimately falling 2-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 to Finland’s Otto Virtanen.
The qualifying field features notable international competitors. Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, a former semi-finalist, secured his place in the final round with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 win over Kazakhstan’s Timofey Skatov, maintaining his bid for a 15th US Open men’s singles appearance. He will face Virtanen next. China’s Zheng Qinwen, a two-time US Open quarter-finalist, won 6-1, 7-5 against France’s Clara Burel in her first Grand Slam qualifying event since the 2022 Australian Open. She will face Russia’s Elena Pridankina.
Former champion Bianca Andreescu also advanced, defeating Ukraine’s Veronika Podre 6-0, 6-3. The 26-year-old must now overcome Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek, a 2021 French Open semi-finalist, to secure her first US Open main draw appearance in two years. The final qualifying matches will determine which players join the main draw alongside those who received wildcards or entered through direct ranking.
The outcome of these final qualifying rounds will shape the composition of the US Open main draw. For the British contingent, success means a return to the Grand Slam stage after varying degrees of recent form and injury challenges. The matches highlight the depth of competition at this level, where even top-ranked players must navigate tough opponents to secure their places.
As the qualifying process concludes, attention will shift to the main draw schedule and the potential matchups for those who succeed. The performances in New York underscore the competitive nature of professional tennis, where resilience and consistency are key to advancing. Fans and analysts will watch closely to see which qualifiers make an impact in the tournament proper.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC Sport↗Fearnley among Britons closing in on US Open place
