First round singles action continues on Monday in New York.
Day 2 provides several compelling first round encounters. The legendary Venus Williams returns to Grand Slam competition for the first time since 2023, and faces Karolina Muchova, a semifinalist in each of the last two years. Five-time Major singles champion Carlos Alcaraz takes on big-serving American Reilly Opelka. Teenage phenom Joao Fonseca makes his US Open debut against Miomir Kecmanovic, an ATP champion in 2025. And two-time Major singles champ Barbora Krejcikova plays Victoria Mboko, the 18-year-old Canadian who shocked the tennis world by winning the WTA 1000 event in Montreal just a few weeks ago.
Plus, WTA Major champs Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina, and Petra Kvitova play their opening rounds, in what will be the last tournament of Kvitova’s storied career.
Throughout the tournament, this preview will analyze the day’s four most prominent matches, while highlighting the other notable matches on the schedule. Monday’s play gets underway at 11:00am local time.
Barbora Krejcikova vs. Victoria Mboko (18) – 11:00am on Louis Armstrong Stadium
Mboko’s title run at her home country’s biggest event, in just her third appearance at WTA 1000 level, was beyond impressive. She defeated four Major champs (Kenin, Gauff, Rybakina, Osaka), and did so with a compelling mix of power, speed, and endurance. But her first WTA title wasn’t completely unexpected, as she’s now 51-9 during 2025 at all levels, with five titles at lower-level events between January and March. After starting the season ranked 333rd in the world, Victoria is now the World No.24.
Krejcikova’s season didn’t begin until mid-May, as she missed the first four-and-a-half months of the year due to a back injury. Barbora is a modest 8-6 on the year, though she did earn three victories earlier this month in Cincinnati, which included a three-set win over Elina Svitolina. However, the US Open remains her worst Major, where Krejcikova is just 6-4 lifetime, and has only once advanced beyond the second round.
In their first career meeting, Mboko is certainly the more in-form player. But the x-factor here is if the teenager will suffer from a hangover after such a life-changing result. Judging by the way she handled the pressure of playing in Montreal, I don’t see Victoria having a huge letdown, and I favor the Canadian to prevail in her US Open debut.
Joao Fonseca vs. Miomir Kecmanovic – Second on Grandstand
Here we have another teenage standout making their US Open debut, as 19-year-old Fonseca put the tennis world on notice with his exhilarating form between December and January, winning both the Next Gen Finals and a Challenger title, before upsetting Andrey Rublev in the first round of the Australian Open. However, Joao’s results have not progressed within the past six months, and since winning another Challenger title in March, he’s just 10-10 at all levels. But he’s yet to lose in the first round of a Major, having won his opening round in his debut at the other three Slams this year.
Kecmanovic’s 2025 title came back in February at Delray Beach, yet like Fonseca, his results have tapered off across the last six months. Miomir is a modest 23-23 this year, and he’s just 4-6 at the US Open, where he has never reached the third round.
In another first-time encounter, I favor the more explosive game of Fonseca. Plus, he’ll certainly have a vocal Brazilian following in New York City. And as per Tennis Abstract, Kecmanovic owns a losing record this season against top 50 opposition such as Fonseca.
Venus Williams (WC) vs. Karolina Muchova (11) – Not Before 7:00pm on Arthur Ashe Stadium
It was 28 years ago when Venus made her US Open debut, advancing all the way to her first Major final. Yet this will only be her sixth singles match since a 6-1, 6-1 loss two years ago in the first round of this tournament. And she’s just 1-4 in those five matches, with the sole victory coming last month in Washington against fellow American Peyton Stears. But Williams played her best tennis in several years during that win, and described how this was the healthiest she had felt on court in a long time, due to her painful battle with fibroids that have severely impacted her health.
Muchova is a two-time defending semifinalist in New York, but like her fellow countrywoman Krejcikova, she’s missed significant portions of the last several seasons due to injury. Most recently, she missed most of the clay court season with a wrist injury, and also suffered from an illness. Karolina is just 16-12 on the year, and with an early loss at the Open, she would lose approximately one-third of her ranking points.
Despite that pressure, Muchova remains a considerable favorite in this first round contest. She’s obviously the more match-tough player, and five years ago in their only previous meeting, at this same event, Karolina defeated Venus 6-3, 7-5. Regardless, it will be a joy to see Venus Williams back on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Reilly Opelka vs. Carlos Alcaraz (2) – Last on Arthur Ashe Stadium
Can anyone prevent a third consecutive Major final between Sinner and Alcaraz? The top two players in the world have played in the final of the last four tournaments they’ve both entered, and Carlitos has won 30 of his last 31 matches, with the only loss coming against Jannik in the championship match of Wimbledon. Alcaraz leads the ATP with 54 match wins this season, and just six losses.
But Opelka is far from an ideal first round opponent, as he has one of the most imposing serves on tour. And his matches often end up decided by tiebreaks, where the margins are so small. The 27-year-old stands at nearly seven-feet-tall, but he’s battled a plethora of injuries within the last few years, including a failed wrist surgery that almost ended his career. Playing his first full schedule in several seasons, he’s gone 23-17 at tour level, and is 2-1 against top 10 opposition, which recent victories over Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur.
Alcaraz can be prone to surprisingly early losses, as a year ago at this same tournament, he was upset in the second round by Botic van de Zandschulp. He’s also never faced the Opelka serve in competition, which will certainly be an adjustment. However, this is a more physically and emotionally rested Carlitos than a year ago, when he was coming off a heartbreaking loss at the Paris Olympics. And he is one of the sport’s best returners, so Alcaraz should be able to battle his way through this complicated opening round draw.
Other Notable Matches on Monday:
Petra Kvitova vs. Diane Parry – Kvitova has announced this US Open will be the last tournament of her career, which has seen her win Wimbledon twice, and peak at a ranking of No.2 in the world. But she’s just 1-7 this year since returning from maternity leave, and hasn’t played a match since The Championships. Parry is a former top 50 player who has struggled of late, and the 22-year-old is 1-4 lifetime at the US Open.
Madison Keys (6) vs. Renata Zarazua – Keys is 37-12 this season, though she has failed to reach another final after claiming her first Major this past January in Melbourne. Madison has advanced to the semifinals or better three times in New York, most recently in 2023. Last year at Roland Garros, she defeated Zarazua 6-3, 6-2.
Jack Draper (5) vs. Federico Agustin Gomez (Q) – Draper’s breakout season was derailed this summer by injury, as the left-hander has been dealing with a left arm injury, and hasn’t played a singles match since Wimbledon. That is far from ideal when defending the biggest Major result of your career, as Jack was a semifinalist a year ago. Agustin Gomez is a 28-year-old Argentinian qualifier playing in just his second main draw at a Slam.
Elena Rybakina (9) vs. Julieta Pareja (WC) – Rybakina is 41-16 on the year, yet she’s only achieved one WTA final since April of 2024. Pareja is a 16-year-old American wild card ranked 338th in the world, who reached the girls’ finals in both singles and doubles at Wimbledon last month.
Frances Tiafoe (17) vs. Yoshihito Nishioka – Tiafoe has reached the quarterfinals or better in each of the last three years at this event, but has underperformed this season, with a record of only 24-18. Nishioka has lost nine of his last 10 matches at tour level, as he’s spent much of 2025 battling a left shoulder injury.
Alycia Parks vs. Mirra Andreeva (5) – Andreeva is another player who has been dealt an injury blow, as she was forced to withdraw from Cincinnati after suffering an ankle injury in Montreal. Parks is a 24-year-old American who is coming off a semifinal run this past week in Monterrey, where she upset Emma Navarro.
Monday’s full Order of Play is here.
