US Open 2025
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September
Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website & app
Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz cruised into the US Open second round as they began their latest bids to end America’s 22-year wait for a men’sGrand Slam singles champion.
Andy Roddick was the last American man to win a major singles title with his 2003 US Open triumph.
Fritz has come closest to breaking the drought, having reached the final at Flushing Meadows last year – making him the first American man in 15 years to reach a major showpiece.
Seeded fourth in New York this year, Fritz beat compatriot Emilio Nava 7-5 6-2 6-3, while sixth seed Shelton dispatched Grand Slam debutant Ignacio Buse 6-3 6-2 6-4.
It is the first time since the 2007 US Open that two American men have been seeded inside the top eight.
“We’re in a great place in American tennis,” Fritz said.
“The women have been really carrying for a long time, but the men – we’re coming.”
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‘We are here for the long haul’
Shelton was the first player of this year’s tournament to play on the iconic Arthur Ashe show court, taking just over two hours to wrap up victory.
The former semi-finalist is in good form, having won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open earlier this month.
“The US Open is the pinnacle of tennis for me and what I dreamed about as a kid,” Shelton said.
“It is starting to feel like home for me.”
Shelton beat Fritz in the semi-finals on his way to the title in Toronto and the two could potentially face one another in the last four in New York.
But Shelton, 22, remained cautious when asked if he could go far at this year’s tournament.
“As soon as you start looking ahead of yourself you stumble over your own feet so for me it is one day at a time,” he said.
“We are here for the long haul and I am looking forward to it.”
Fritz, who lost out to world number one Jannik Sinner in last year’s final, has also performed well in recent months.
He reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and won grass-court titles at Eastbourne and Stuttgart, putting him in the sort of form that suggests he can go far at the year’s final Grand Slam.
Mensik advances on opening day
Teenage sensation Jakub Mensik had to work hard for a 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 6-4 victory over Chile’s Nicolas Jarry as play got under way on Sunday.
Mensik won his first ATP Tour title back in March, beating Novak Djokovic in the Miami Open final, and has twice reached the third round in New York.
He will face qualifier Ugo Blanchet next after the Frenchman beat Fabian Marozsan 6-4 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2.
Elsewhere,18th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina needed only 89 minutes to beat Alexander Shevchenko 6-1 6-1 6-2.