US Open Kicks Off with Djokovic and Pegula in Action
As the US Open begins this Sunday, tennis star Novak Djokovic is once again aiming to set a historic record, while home favorite Jessica Pegula looks to claim her first Grand Slam title.
Djokovic, now the fifth seed, starts his tournament against Argentina’s Mariano Navone at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium. The seasoned player is chasing his 25th major title after recently securing his 24th at the US Open in 2023. Since then, he has reached two major finals and six semi-finals, including a trip to the Australian Open finals earlier this year and a semi-final appearance at Wimbledon. However, the coveted 25th title still eludes him, and he has no plans to retire anytime soon.
In a recent documentary, Djokovic shared, “People have been predicting my retirement for years. But why should I step away when I still compete at such a high level? I’m still among the top players in the world and proving I can win.”
Veteran player Venus Williams, a two-time champion, will be making her 26th appearance at the US Open, taking on fellow American Sofia Kenin in the first round. At 45 years old, Williams remains a prominent figure in the tournament and is eager to kick off her campaign with success against Kenin, who won the 2020 Australian Open.
Jessica Pegula, competing in her tenth US Open, will face Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse. The 32-year-old had a strong showing last year when she reached the final but was defeated by Aryna Sabalenka. Pegula has had a solid start to the year, making it to the semi-finals of the Australian Open and the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, in addition to finals appearances in Washington and Cincinnati.
In another match, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk will play against Australia’s Storm Hunter, looking to build on her impressive season. Kostyuk has reached the semi-finals at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon and enters the US Open ranked 11th in the world. She expressed her excitement saying, “I want to cherish this moment and appreciate how far we’ve come together, my team and I.”
Defending champions Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, and Alexander Zverev will start their tournaments later in the week.
SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE OF MATCHES
Arthur Ashe Stadium – From 9:30 PM IST
- Jessica Pegula vs. Elena Ruse
- Daniil Medvedev vs. Hugo Gaston
- TBD matches
4:30 AM IST (Monday)
- Mariano Navone vs. Novak Djokovic
- Venus Williams vs. Sofia Kenin
Louis Armstrong Stadium – From 8:30 PM IST
- Jasmine Paolini vs. Veronika Erjavec
- Coleman Wong vs. Tommy Paul
- TBD matches
4:30 AM IST (Monday)
- Elina Svitolina vs. Solana Sierra
- Alexander Bublik vs. J.J. Wolf
Grandstand – From 8:30 PM IST
- Ji Leheka vs. Pablo Carreo Busta
- Marta Kostyuk vs. Storm Hunter
- Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Denis Shapovalov
2:30 AM IST (Monday)
- Emma Navarro vs. Los Boisson
Stadium 17 – From 8:30 PM IST
- Kamilla Rakhimova vs. Barbora Krejcikova
- Shuai Zhang vs. Leylah Fernandez
- Joo Faria vs. Jenson Brooksby
2:30 AM IST (Monday)
- Alex Michelsen vs. Federico Cina
This year’s US Open promises to be exciting as top players take to the courts, each with their own story and goal in mind.
