Andreescu Sweeps Aside Vedder as US Open Qualifying Narrows; Tsitsipas Headlines Winston-Salem Draw
Bianca Andreescu needed just over an hour to dismiss Eva Vedder 6-1 6-2 in US Open qualifying, on a day that also brought Sloane Stephens' exit in Philadelphia and set up a heavyweight Winston-Salem opener between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jenson Brooksby.
Bianca Andreescu66
Eva Vedder12Before the match we said62%Bianca Andreescu
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- Aces
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The qualifying rounds at Flushing Meadows rarely produce a name as familiar as the one that dominated Monday's order of play. Bianca Andreescu, working her way back through the sport's side doors, needed no more than a routine afternoon to beat Eva Vedder 6-1 6-2, the sort of scoreline that says as much about intent as it does about form. It was the most emphatic women's result of the round, matched only by Gabriela Andrea Knutson's 6-1 7-5 win over Varvara Lepchenko, an all-experience duel decided when Knutson held her nerve late in the second.
Elsewhere in the women's draw the pattern was messier. Veronika Podrez survived one of the strangest matches of the day against Caroline Dolehide, winning 6-2 0-6 6-3 after being blanked in the second set. Dominika Salkova came from a set down to edge Akasha Urhobo 3-6 6-3 7-5, and Ekaterine Gorgodze recovered from a set and a tie-break scare to beat Katarzyna Kawa 3-6 7-6 6-2. Tyra Caterina Grant (6-2 6-4 over Savannah Broadus), Carson Branstine (6-2 7-6 against Clervie Ngounoue) and Despina Papamichail (7-5 6-2 over Laura Pigossi) advanced with fewer alarms.
The men's qualifying rounds offered less drama and more efficiency. Mackenzie McDonald, the most recognisable name in the field, controlled his match with Stefano Napolitano 6-4 7-5, while Chak Lam Coleman Wong recovered from an opening-set loss to beat Elmer Moller 5-7 6-3 6-4. Otto Virtanen (6-4 6-4 over Ugo Blanchet), Lukas Neumayer (6-1 6-4 against James Mccabe), Francesco Passaro (7-6 6-2 over Felix Gill), Alexis Galarneau (7-6 6-3 against Keegan Smith), Tom Gentzsch and Harry Wendelken, who outlasted Stefano Travaglia 6-4 3-6 6-3, completed the list of survivors.
On the WTA Tour proper, Monterrey delivered a statement and two comebacks. Ann Li was ruthless against Camila Osorio, winning 6-1 6-2, while Janice Tjen recovered from a set down to beat Dayana Yastremska 2-6 6-3 7-6 in the longest match of the day. Alycia Parks followed a similar script against Petra Marcinko, 2-6 6-4 6-4. In Philadelphia, Mananchaya Sawangkaew produced the headline upset, beating Sloane Stephens 4-6 6-2 6-2 after losing the opening set; Fiona Crawley and Lizette Cabrera also advanced, the latter after a three-hour-style grind past Talia Gibson 7-5 6-7 6-4.
Tuesday's schedule is built around Winston-Salem, where the draw opens in earnest. The match of the day is Stefanos Tsitsipas (#53) against Jenson Brooksby (#73), a contrast of styles — the Greek's forehand geometry against Brooksby's absorption and redirection — on a hard court that historically rewards clean first-strike tennis. Just behind it sits Mattia Bellucci (#96) versus Luciano Darderi (#22), the highest-ranked player in action, and Botic Van De Zandschulp (#71) against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo.
There is subplot value too. Mees Rottgering, unranked, arrives fresh from a 7-5 2-6 6-4 win over Jan Choinski and now faces Tomas Machac (#58), a considerable step up. Arthur Fery (#37) meets Cruz Hewitt, and Raphael Collignon (#38) takes on Rinky Hijikata (#85), with James Duckworth (#79) against Mariano Navone (#48) and Benjamin Bonzi facing Quentin Halys completing a dense first day.