British tennis saw contrasting fortunes on the opening day of the US Open with qualifier Toby Samuel advancing to the second round while Cameron Norrie suffered a fourth consecutive early exit at a Grand Slam this season.
Samuel, 23, secured his first-ever Grand Slam match win with a commanding straight-sets victory over Czech player Tomas Machac, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. The Winchester-born player, who had previously faced first-round defeats at both the French Open and Wimbledon, broke through in New York after coming through qualifying. The victory guarantees Samuel a prize of £140,000 and is expected to propel him into the ATP top 100 rankings for the first time. Samuel’s win came in just 90 minutes, capitalizing on a less mobile Machac, ranked No. 58 and struggling with form after playing only two matches since the French Open. Despite Machac’s earlier career highlights, including reaching as high as No. 20 and winning the French Open boys’ title in 2021, he was unable to withstand the confident and composed play of Samuel.
Samuel’s rise has drawn comparisons to fellow young Briton Arthur Fery, who made a notable Wimbledon semi-final run this season. Like Fery, Samuel developed his game in the U.S. college tennis system but faced setbacks from a serious bone bruise injury in his right arm, which saw him ranked as low as No. 1,871 in early 2025. A strong performance on the lower-tier Futures circuit later that year reignited his progress, culminating in his breakthrough at Flushing Meadows. Samuel will meet Jiri Lehecka, the 18th seed from the Czech Republic, in the next round, a challenging opponent who reached the US Open quarter-finals last year.
In contrast, Cameron Norrie, Britain’s long-standing No. 1 and a consistent presence in previous Grand Slams, was eliminated in the first round by 22-year-old Frenchman Luca Van Assche in four sets, 6-7 (6-8), 2-6, 2-6, 3-6. This marks Norrie’s third straight first-round Grand Slam loss this season, following an injury-forced retirement at the French Open and defeats at Queen’s and Wimbledon. After an early break against him and 49 unforced errors compared to Van Assche’s 21, Norrie briefly recovered to take the first-set tiebreak but was unable to sustain momentum. The match, characterized by long baseline exchanges, saw Van Assche serve well and increase pressure through aggressive forehand play. Norrie acknowledged nerves and difficulty maintaining his energy as factors in his performance.
Van Assche, ranked No. 40, has a strong junior pedigree including the 2021 French Open boys’ title and has previously lost to Norrie in their three prior encounters. Despite a recent period of improved form after a brief break, Norrie’s defeat highlighted continuing struggles as the British No. 1 seeks to regain his best level in a highly competitive field.
The mixed results underline a transition in British men’s tennis, with emerging talents like Samuel and Fery beginning to make their mark while established players face challenges maintaining consistent major tournament success.