Australian Tennis Stars Shine at US Open
Australian tennis has turned New York into a payday and a proving ground, with five players storming into the second round of the US Open and banking at least $AU265,000 each for their efforts.
On a day that felt like a throwback to the nation’s grand slam heyday, James Duckworth and Alexei Popyrin delivered heavyweight upsets, Kim Birrell and Maya Joint dug deep to advance, and Taylah Preston’s early win completed a statement opening for the green and gold.
By night’s end, the combined haul from the five sat at $1.325 million — and rising.
Duckworth stuns 30th seed Arnaldi
James Duckworth has spent much of his career fighting the rankings, his body and the draw. In New York, he took on a French Open semi-finalist and simply refused to blink.
Up against 30th seed Matteo Arnaldi, the Australian underdog dropped a tight first set but then ripped into the Italian’s game, surging to a 5-7 6-3 6-2 7-6 (10-8) comeback victory.
The match turned on Duckworth’s resilience. Once he levelled at a set apiece, he began dictating with conviction, racing through the third set and pushing Arnaldi onto the back foot. The fourth-set tiebreak became a test of nerve; Duckworth passed it, edging the breaker 10-8 to complete one of the standout wins of his grand slam career and extend his red-hot run of form.
Popyrin floors former World No.3 Dimitrov
If Duckworth’s win shook the draw, Alexei Popyrin’s result rattled it.
Facing former World No.3 and grand slam semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov, Popyrin looked in trouble early as the Bulgarian took the opening set. Then the Australian reset, tightened his game and turned the contest on its head.
From 3-6 down, Popyrin rolled through the next three sets 6-3 6-2 6-2, dismantling a player known for his shot-making and big-match pedigree. Ranked No.130 in the world and coming off a wretched run of injuries and poor form, Popyrin played with the freedom of a man with nothing to lose and the quality of one who has been there before.
By the end, Dimitrov was the one searching for answers as Popyrin powered back into the winner’s circle at grand slam level.
Birrell’s overnight escape and first US Open win
Kim Birrell’s path to the second round was anything but straightforward.
She trailed Petra Marcinko, lost the first set 3-6, and then had to sleep on the tension when rain forced the match to be suspended overnight. When they resumed, the pressure sharpened: Birrell stared down a match point and the prospect of a fourth straight first-round exit at Flushing Meadows.
Instead, she dug in.
Birrell dragged the contest into a tiebreak, held her nerve to take it 7-4, and then rode that momentum through the decider to clinch a 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 victory. For the World No.71, it was more than just a win. It was her first singles victory at the US Open after opening-round defeats in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Off court, the reward is tangible. With a wedding to coach Matt Fraser at the end of the year and a mortgage to think about, Birrell admitted the cheque will matter as much as the ranking points.
"Oh my gosh, I don't think I'll be spending it here," she told AAP in New York. "I'll definitely save some of it. We're getting married at the end of the year so that helps a lot and maybe I'll buy some extra flowers. And we've got a mortgage. Yeah, the mortgage."
The relief, and the planning, said everything about how hard this breakthrough has been earned.
Joint’s revival gathers pace
Maya Joint added another layer to the Australian surge, toppling higher-ranked Russian Liudmila Samsonova 3-6 6-2 6-2.
After a horror start to 2026, Joint has been searching for a foothold. She found it here the hard way, recovering from a set down and then seizing control with aggressive, confident tennis. Once she levelled the match, Samsonova’s authority faded, and Joint swept through the final two sets with authority to keep her revival rolling.
Preston sets the tone, Hijikata and Vukic fall short
Taylah Preston had already laid down an early marker on Monday, her first-round victory setting the tone for the Australian contingent. By the end of day two, she had company — four compatriots joining her in the second round and locking in that $AU265,000 minimum payday.
Not everyone could ride the wave.
Rinky Hijikata ran into third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and bowed out in four sets, unable to consistently trouble one of the tournament’s leading contenders. Aleksandar Vukic, meanwhile, endured a marathon against Rei Sakamoto, only to fall in five sets after their match was also postponed overnight. Both pushed, neither quite broke through.
Alcaraz returns, Sabalenka starts three-peat bid
Beyond the Australian storylines, the defending champions sent their own messages.
Carlos Alcaraz, back on tour after four months out with a wrist injury, walked into Arthur Ashe Stadium and looked like he had never been away. The Spaniard dispatched Roman Safiullin 6-4 6-4 6-4, a clean, controlled performance that settled any early doubts about his fitness.
"It's been a really tough five months for me," Alcaraz said. "Being able to step on the Arthur Ashe, being able to compete again, I couldn't decide to come back in a better tournament. It's a really special place for me."
Aryna Sabalenka, chasing a rare US Open three-peat, began her campaign with a 6-2 6-4 win over Camila Osorio. The scoreline reflected her authority, but she acknowledged the Colombian’s resistance.
"She brought the fight," Sabalenka said. "She battled really well and I just tried to stay as aggressive as possible.
"I think I played great. She's a tough opponent, makes you work really hard to get every point, so I'm happy that I was able to close the match in straight sets."
As the first round closes, the giants are moving smoothly, the defending champions look sharp, and the Australians have turned a solid presence into a genuine surge. The question now is simple: can this bold opening week turn into something far bigger in the second week at Flushing Meadows?
