Novak Djokovic’s first match at the US Open was a bit of a litmus test for the Serbian legend because he didn’t play a hardcourt warm-up tournament coming into the year’s final Grand Slam. The 24-time Grand Slam champion said he didn’t play the Cincinnati Open because he prefers to focus on the Grand Slams at this stage of his career.

Novak Djokovic fears his lack of physical conditioning may come back to haunt him as he chases a record 25th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open.

Four years ago, Emma Raducanu shocked the tennis world when she won the US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier. But nearly as staggering had been Raducanu’s lack of success at Flushing Meadows since then.

Emma Raducanu set herself a target of being seeded for the first Grand Slam of 2026 and she is closing in on that goal after an emphatic win in her first match at the US Open. The British No 1 became the first player to win a completed match at Flushing Meadows this year as she hammered Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara 6-1,