Jessica Pegula, Daniil Medvedev, and Marta Kostyuk secured straight-set victories on the opening day of the U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sunday. The tournament launched its second year of a Sunday start amid a massive $800 million stadium renovation.
The U.S. Open got underway under unusual scheduling and challenging weather on Sunday. For the second year of a Sunday start, tournament organizers deployed a Sunday start for the main draw at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, giving early competitors a head start on the fortnight—provided they won their opening matches.
Jessica Pegula Navigates Nerves and Chases the No. 1 Ranking
Buffalo’s Jessica Pegula wasted little time claiming her spot in the second round, though she admitted to a wave of early anxiety on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court against Elena-Gabriela Ruse. The third-seeded American missed her first nine break-point opportunities before finding her rhythm, ultimately sealing a 6-3, 6-2 victory in 83 minutes.
“I was so nervous. I was like sending GIFs of what I felt like. It was GIFs of people freaking out and stuff. … The first round of a slam, there’s always a ton of nerves.”
Jessica Pegula
Pegula enters the tournament coming off a run to the final at the Cincinnati Open, where she lost to Coco Gauff. She currently leads the women’s tour with 46 wins this season, boasting two titles and three other finals appearances according to AP News. Beyond the trophy, the world No. 3 has her sights set higher: she can capture the world No. 1 ranking if she wins her first major singles title and second-ranked Elena Rybakina exits before the semifinals.
Early Victories for Medvedev, Kostyuk, and Weather Delays at Flushing Meadows
While Pegula enjoyed the luxury of an early win, fellow competitor Marta Kostyuk highlighted the psychological tightrope of the Sunday schedule. After defeating Storm Hunter 6-4, 6-1, the No. 11 seed noted the stark contrast between winning and losing on the opening day.
“We were just talking about it, and I said, it’s so nice to play on Sunday when you win. But if you lose it’s not nice, because you feel like the tournament didn’t even start and you’re out of it.”
Marta Kostyuk, No. 11 seed
On the men’s side, seventh seed Daniil Medvedev brushed aside a rocky North American hard-court swing—during which he managed just a 1-3 record—to defeat Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Medvedev acknowledged his recent struggles after the match, noting that the preceding weeks were far from easy before expressing satisfaction with his high-level execution.
Weather disruption struck the grounds early. Rain forced the suspension of play on outer courts and required the roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium to close during Novak Djokovic’s opening-night match against Mariano Navone. Djokovic, 39, most recently lost his opening match earlier this month at Cincinnati. Even retractable roofs proved vulnerable to mechanical hiccups; a sensor malfunction at Louis Armstrong Stadium delayed play between Alexander Bublik and J.J. Wolf until technical issues were cleared and the court dried. Meanwhile, 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic and 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud both withdrew with injuries.
Staples of the Grounds Face a Massive Multimillion-Dollar Overhaul
Fans walking the grounds experienced a tournament in transition. The venue is currently advancing through the second year of a three-year, $800 million renovation project focused primarily on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The comprehensive upgrades feature reimagined lower-level seating, expanded entertainment zones, and a newly constructed player performance center. Signage above the main entrance greets visitors with a direct request to pardon the ongoing construction while the facility reimagines its spaces ahead of a scheduled 2027 completion date.
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