1st September, 2025
It’s been a hectic week in the tennis world with eight days of play now complete at the US Open. For those who missed the opening week, we break down all the big results, storylines and drama from the first week in New York.
Biggest upsets at the 2025 US Open so far
Men’s singles
- Alexander Zverev (3) lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime (25) (R3)
- Karen Khachanov (9) lost to Kamil Majchrzak (R2)
- Holger Rune (11) lost to Jan-Lennard Struff (R2)
- Casper Ruud (12) lost to Raphael Collington (R2)
- Daniil Medvedev (13) lost to Benjamin Bonzi (R1)
The men’s singles has been largely bereft of major upsets so far. Yes, a handful of top-15 seeds have exited, however the likes of Zverev, Ruud and Medvedev have hardly been a picture of invincibility this season.
Perhaps the biggest shock has been injury, with two outside shots at the title – Ben Shelton and Jack Draper – both withdrawing from the US Open. Shelton’s came mid-match against Adrian Mannarino with the contest sitting at two sets apiece, while Draper’s was ahead of his second-round clash.
Women’s singles
- Mirra Andreeva (5) lost to Taylor Townsend
- Madison Keys (6) lost to Renata Zarazua
- Jasmine Paolini (7) lost to Marketa Vondrousova
- Elena Rybakina (9) lost to Vondrousova
- Emma Navarro (10) lost to Barbora Krejcikova
A few more upsets have taken place in the women’s draw, with Keys the first big name to fall. The American stumbled in round one, spraying close to triple-digit unforced errors. Paolini was an early exit too, while Andreeva and Rybakina – both top-five title favorites – have fallen more recently.
Who’s hot in New York?
Men’s singles
- Alexander Bublik
- Felix Auger-Aliassime
- Carlos Alcaraz
While it’s true you can’t win a Grand Slam in week one, a few statements have been made already. Auger-Aliassime played lights-out tennis to beat Zverev and looks very much the player that was once touted to be a future world No 1 years ago. More on Auger-Aliassime and his racquet.
Bublik, meanwhile, is an incredible 25-3 since the Rome Masters, having won 11 on the bounce now.
And of course, Alcaraz. The 2022 champion is looking red-hot, is yet to drop a set, and adds to his highlights reel every time he steps on court.
Taylor Fritz, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner – plus Alex de Minaur to a lesser extent – are all in the picture too, but have been a little more sedate across the opening week.
Women’s singles
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Marketa Vondrousova
- Barbora Krejcikova
Top seed Sabalenka continues to be a wrecking ball at majors in 2025, blitzing her way through the top section of the draw without dropping a set. But she has some competition when it comes to red-hot form, with fellow Grand Slam champs Vondrousova and Krejcikova looking lethal in New York.
Vondrousova has taken out seeds McCartney Kessler, Paolini and Rybakina so far, while Krejcikova knocked out the in-form Victoria Mboko first round, Navarro third round, and most recently out-lasted Townsend in an epic, saving eight match points.
Swiatek and Pegula have been less flashy, but are very much doing what they need to as well.
Ostapenko x Townsend drama
This time last week it was Medvedev grabbing headlines for his on-court antics. Now, Jelena Ostapenko has been dominating the news for her post-match comments to Townsend.
Townsend knocked out Ostapenko in the second round, but was confronted by her at the net, with the Latvian saying she has no education. Given Townsend is a black American, these comments went viral due to their historical implications.
Ostapenko has since apologised, saying these were no racial undertones to her comments, and explaining that she was upset about Townsend not acknowledging a net cord during one of their rallies.
Alcaraz’s hair, or lack of it
On a lighter note, Alcaraz briefly broke the internet when he revealed a new haircut in New York. The 22-year-old Spaniard was sporting a skinhead, a style that he later confessed was not planned.
“I felt like my hair was really long already,” Alcaraz explained. “Before the tournament I just really wanted to get a haircut. Suddenly just my brother just—he misunderstood with the machine. He just cut it. Then, you know, the only way to fix it is just shave it off. To be honest, it’s not that bad. I guess.
“It was funny when I saw myself on the screen with the haircut. [My head] was super white. It’s weird for me to see myself that white in the hair.”
Coming up this week
It goes without saying that this week will be all about the US Open heading towards its finale. Will we see another Alcaraz vs Sinner final? Can Djokovic clinch slam number 25? Will Sabalenka be able to shake off her major disappointment in 2025? Is Swiatek going to continue her vein of form? As of writing, 12 men and 12 women remain, but this time next week, we’ll have a champion on each side.
