Jessica Pegula advanced to the second round of the 2026 US Open with a straight-sets victory over Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday. The world No. 3 secured her win 6-3, 6-2 in front of a home crowd eager to see the highest-ranked American player in action. Pegula, who was the tournament’s runner-up in 2024, described feeling nervous early in the match, a common experience in a Grand Slam first round.
Pegula’s next opponent will be the winner of the match between wildcards Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin, who were scheduled to play later Sunday night. Both Williams and Kenin hold the chance to progress further, with the Williams sisters also slated to partner for the doubles draw.
In a notable upset, 27th seed Barbora Krejcikova exited the tournament in the first round, falling to Kamilla Rakhimova of Uzbekistan. Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam champion, saved six match points but ultimately lost 7-6, 6-2. This marked the earliest exit for a seeded player at the tournament this year. Rakhimova, who has not previously advanced past the third round in a major, will face either Japan’s Aoi Ito or Spain’s Oksana Selekhmeteva in the next round.
Other first-round matches on Sunday included Italian Jasmine Paolini overcoming a challenge from Slovenia’s Veronika Erjavec in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, hitting 36 winners to 13 from her opponent. Paolini will next face either fellow Italian Lucrezia Stefanini or Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.
On the men’s side, 18th seed Jiri Lehecka began his campaign with a four-set win over Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta on the Grandstand court, taking the match 6-1, 7-6, 4-6, 6-2. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic started his bid for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title in the evening but lost the first set to Argentina’s Mariano Navone. The match was briefly interrupted as rain forced closure of the roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium, suspending play on the outside courts.
The 2026 US Open is operating under a new 15-day format, introduced the previous year to accommodate growing attendance and player demand. The tournament purses totaled approximately £80 million, the largest in tennis history, aimed at providing players with a greater share of tournament revenue. The schedule adjustment also allows for the first round to be played over three days, offering additional rest opportunities for players who advance.
As competition continues, Pegula remains a strong contender. She leads the women’s tour with 46 wins this season, including two titles and three final appearances. A victory at this tournament would not only mark her first Grand Slam title but could also elevate her to the world No. 1 ranking, contingent on other results.