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Pegula, Paolini & Kostyuk start US Open with wins
Reuters • August 31st, 2026 7:00 pm
In her 10th US Open appearance, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula is safely through to the second round | Photo: AP
American Jessica Pegula has cruised past Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3 6-2 to reach the US Open second round, taming early nerves in her latest bid for a maiden major title.
Rain eventually arrived on the opening day of the tournament, suspending play on the outside courts, but not before Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina also made strong starts to their US Open campaigns, with Kostyuk cruising past Australian qualifier Storm Hunter before ninth seed Svitolina took control against Argentina's Solana Sierra.
The world No. 3 Pegula squandered eight break-point chances early in the first set as she opened the action on Arthur Ashe Stadium, before hitting her stride with 26 winners to just 14 from her opponent, closing it out with an unreturnable forehand.
Jessica Pegula eventually hit her stride well and took control of her opening clash | Photo: AP
She will have two days' rest under the 15-day schedule the tournament rolled out last year.
"I was so nervous today," she said.
"(Now) I get to sit around the site and watch everyone else freak out."
Those nerves were apparent in a tricky opening set, in which Ruse saved eight break points in a marathon third game but sent a shot wide to hand a break to Pegula in the fifth.
The Romanian held her arms aloft after surviving an entertaining cat-and-mouse exchange at the net to save break point in the seventh with a perfect backhand slice.
But Pegula took control of the match from there, cruising through her next service game before breaking Ruse with a forehand winner to close out the set.
Pegula sprinted through the next set, when she won all of her first-serve points and broke in the sixth and eighth games.
Meanwhile, twice grand slam winner Barbora Krejcikova became the first seeded player (27) to exit the tournament, saving six match points before succumbing to Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 on the outer courts.
Barbora Krejcikova was the first seed to exit the US Open after losing to Kamilla Rakhimova | Photo: AP
Rakhimova, who has never made it past the third round at the majors, will play the winner of Monday's match between Japan's Aoi Ito and Spain's Oksana Selekhmeteva.
Italian 19th seed Jasmine Paolini survived a scare to get past Slovenia's Veronika Erjavec 6-3 3-6 6-4 in the opening match at Louis Armstrong Stadium, firing off 36 winners to just 13 from her opponent.
Kostyuk launched her latest bid for a maiden Grand Slam title by breezing past Australian Hunter 6-4 6-1.
After stumbling at this year's Australian Open, Kostyuk has been in sublime form at the Grand Slams, making the semi-finals of the French Open and Wimbledon to arrive at Flushing Meadows as a genuine contender in the women's draw.
Marta Kostyuk was too strong for Australia's Storm Hunter and was fired up to get the win | Photo: AP
The 11th seed got down to business quickly once the match began and powered to a 4-1 lead before overcoming a wobble to close out the first set when Hunter produced a double fault on set point.
Kostyuk tightened her grip on the clash in the second set, breaking early and never allowing Hunter a route back into the match as she wrapped up victory in 67 minutes.
"I'm very happy to be back to this amazing place," Kostyuk said on court.
"It's not easy to play a qualifier, they've played a whole tournament (already). I'm very happy with my performance today. I try to keep myself grounded. There's still a long way to go, I'm enjoying my tennis."
Later, Venus Williams bowed out of her 26th US Open singles campaign, falling in straight sets to fellow American wild card Sofia Kenin after not getting on the court until midnight.
Venus Williams suffered another first round exit | Photo: AP
The 46-year-old lost 6-2 7-6 (8-6) in what could be the final singles match at a grand slam, if not her illustrious career. It was Williams' 15th consecutive singles defeat dating to her last victory in Washington in July 2025.
Williams has now lost six in a row at the US Open since winning in the first round in 2019. With doubles coming up later this week with sister Serena, Venus was not ready to contemplate her future in tennis.
"I don't think I should have to," Williams said. "My mind is fully focused on that."
