The US Open, the final Grand Slam tournament of the season, is underway on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows. This year’s competition runs until September 13 and offers a record prize fund of $108 million. From a Central and Eastern European perspective, the women’s draw appears particularly promising, although several men from the region are also capable of producing major surprises. (www.atptour.com)

Polish fans will naturally focus much of their attention on Iga Swiatek. Although she entered the tournament as the eighth seed, her recent performances make her one of the serious contenders for the title. Before arriving in New York, Swiatek won the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto, defeating Elena Rybakina along the way, and then reached the semifinals in Cincinnati. (www.reuters.com)

Swiatek began her US Open campaign with a comfortable 6–2, 6–3 victory over China’s Wang Xiyu. The Pole controlled the match, put considerable pressure on her opponent’s serve and avoided an unnecessarily long contest. In the second round, she will face Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska. (www.usopen.org)

However, Swiatek has been handed a difficult draw. The first seeded opponent she could meet is Marie Bouzkova of Czechia, while a quarterfinal against Rybakina is also possible. Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys are among the other dangerous players in the same section. (www.wtatennis.com)

Despite these obstacles, Swiatek has several important advantages. She already knows how to win in New York, having lifted the trophy in 2022, while improvements to her serve and a more aggressive position on the court have begun to produce results. If she maintains the form she showed in Toronto, she should be considered a genuine semifinal and title contender.

Sabalenka, Andreeva and a Strong Czech Contingent

The highest-ranked Eastern European player in the women’s draw is Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian won the two previous editions of the US Open and is now seeking a third consecutive title. She opened her campaign with a 6–2, 6–4 victory over Camila Osorio. Although Sabalenka’s recent results have been less impressive than in previous seasons, New York’s fast courts are particularly well suited to her powerful serve and aggressive baseline game. (www.usopen.org)

Mirra Andreeva must also be regarded as one of the leading contenders. The 19-year-old arrived in New York as the reigning French Open champion and the fifth seed. She defeated Janice Tjen 6–2, 6–2 in the opening round, winning 17 consecutive points at one stage. Her tactical maturity and ability to move around the court mean that she can no longer be described merely as a promising player for the future. (www.reuters.com)

Czechia has brought an exceptionally strong group of players to New York. Sixth seed Linda Noskova arrived as this year’s Wimbledon champion. She trailed Katie Volynets 2–5 in the opening round but recovered by winning 11 of the next 12 games to secure a 7–5, 6–1 victory. (www.usopen.org)

Karolina Muchova has even more experience at Flushing Meadows. She reached the US Open semifinals in both 2023 and 2024 and made the quarterfinals last year. Before beginning her singles campaign, Muchova had already won the mixed doubles title in New York alongside compatriot Jakub Mensik. (www.usopen.org)

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina also advanced from the first round. Kostyuk reached the semifinals of both the French Open and Wimbledon this year, while Svitolina has already recorded more than 40 match victories this season. Both began their US Open campaigns with commanding performances and could pose a serious threat to the leading seeds. (www.reuters.com)

Six Polish Players in the Singles Draws

Six Polish players entered the singles competitions: Iga Swiatek, Maja Chwalinska, Magdalena Frech, Magda Linette, Hubert Hurkacz and Kamil Majchrzak. (sport.tvp.pl)

Poland has already lost one of its seeded players. Chwalinska, this year’s French Open finalist, was seeded 20th but suffered a 6–2, 6–3 defeat against American Taylor Townsend. The Pole was unable to find an effective response to Townsend’s excellent first serve. (www.usopen.org)

Majchrzak, by contrast, made an excellent start. He defeated Hamad Medjedovic 6–3, 6–3, 6–3. The Pole is not among the leading title contenders, but a favourable section of the draw could give him an opportunity to equal or improve his best result in New York. (sportowefakty.wp.pl)

Hubert Hurkacz faces a much more difficult task. After defeating Damir Dzumhur 6–4, 4–6, 6–1, 6–1, he will meet Ben Shelton in the second round. The American has already won four tournaments this season, including the Canadian Open, and will be the favourite. Hurkacz, however, possesses a serve that allows him to compete with almost anyone. He has struck more than 500 aces in 2026, while his improved results have taken him back into the world’s top 50. (www.usopen.org)

Fewer Contenders in the Men’s Competition

The prospects of the region’s male players suffered a major blow on the opening day. Novak Djokovic was surprisingly defeated by Mariano Navone 7–6, 5–7, 4–6, 6–2, 6–1. The Serbian struggled physically during the final part of the match and suffered his first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam since 2006. (www.usopen.org)

Daniil Medvedev therefore appears to be the strongest remaining Eastern European contender. The 2021 US Open champion began with a straight-sets victory over Hugo Gaston. Although the Russian has struggled for consistency in recent months, his unusual playing style, excellent return and previous success in New York mean that he cannot be overlooked. (www.atptour.com)

The young Czech players are also worth watching. Seventeenth seed Jakub Mensik defeated Shintaro Mochizuki 6–1, 6–4, 7–5, hitting 18 aces. Earlier this season, he reached the French Open semifinals, while his mixed doubles title with Muchova has already given him a successful start to his stay in New York. (www.tennis.com)

Jiri Lehecka advanced with a four-set victory over Pablo Carreno Busta. The Czech is seeded 18th and has the ability to make a deep run, although his section of the draw also includes Hurkacz, Shelton and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. (www.atptour.com)

Central and Eastern Europe is particularly well represented among the leading women. Sabalenka, Swiatek, Andreeva, Noskova, Muchova, Kostyuk and Svitolina form a group capable of producing several semifinalists and possibly the eventual champion.

The outlook in the men’s draw is less encouraging, especially following Djokovic’s early elimination. Nevertheless, Medvedev and the talented Czech players remain capable of making deep runs in a tournament that already promises to be unusually unpredictable.