A Gritty Comeback in Round One
Heather Watson showed plenty of resilience in the first round of US Open qualifying in New York, overcoming sixth seed Claire Liu 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in a match that tested her composure until the final points. The 34-year-old, who first appeared in the US Open main draw back in 2011, is now chasing her first appearance in the main event since 2020.
Watson held a double-break advantage in the deciding set but nearly let it slip before steadying herself and closing out the win. She will now face Spain's Angela Fita Boluda in the second round. Players must win three qualifying rounds to reach the singles main draw, which begins on Sunday, so the challenge is far from over.
British Contingent Makes Waves in New York
Watson was far from alone in flying the flag for Britain on the opening day of qualifying. In the men's draw, Toby Samuel, Jacob Fearnley, Billy Harris, and Harry Wendelken all advanced. Samuel came from behind to beat Italy's Francesco Maestrelli and will next face fellow Briton Harris, who rolled past Peru's Gonzalo Bueno in straight sets. Fearnley defeated Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena and will take on France's Luka Pavlovic next.
Not every Briton got through, however. Liam Broady fell to Italy's Marco Cecchinato, and Felix Gill was eliminated by Francesco Passaro.
Elsewhere, former top-ten player Zheng Qinwen made a confident return to Grand Slam qualifying after elbow surgery, winning comfortably to set up a second-round clash with France's Clara Burel. TennisDraw users keeping tabs on the qualifying bracket will want to track Watson closely as she bids to reach the main draw in New York.
