Kazakh tennis player Elena Rybakina (2) advanced to the second round of the US Open 2026. In her opening match in New York, she defeated 17-year-old American Thea Frodin (585) in two sets – 6:3, 6:2. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

Rybakina controlled the course of the match from the very beginning. In the first set, the Kazakh player made one break and finished the set 6:3. After that, the world number two quickly took a break lead in the second set as well.

At the end of the set, Frodin managed to save several match points, including thanks to her serve, but could not turn the match around. Rybakina took the second set 6:2 and finished the match in two sets.

Special attention before the match was focused on the Kazakh player's physical condition. In August, Rybakina suffered a leg injury in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati tournament against Iga Swiatek and withdrew from the match. At the US Open, she took the court with tape on her left heel, but did not experience any noticeable movement restrictions in the match against Frodin.

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 racket Alexander Shevchenko (97) ended his tournament run, losing to Croatian Dino Prizmic – 6:2, 3:6, 3:6, 7:5, 5:7.

The US Open is an annual Grand Slam tennis tournament on hard courts. It is the last of the four majors in the calendar year.

For the second consecutive year, the US Open, which was first held in August 1881, starts a week earlier due to the rescheduled mixed doubles tournament. The total prize money of $108 million is a record for majors.

Since 1978, matches have been held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

The reigning men's champion is Spaniard 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 number one, withdrew from the US Open 2026 due to a knee injury.

In women's singles, the 2025 champion was Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. In the final, she defeated Amanda Anisimova of the USA – 6:3, 7:6 (7:3).