Fearnley fights through as British fortunes split at the US Open

Jacob Fearnley reached the second round after a five-set fight with Martin Landaluce, while Harriet Dart also advanced and Harry Wendelken bowed out to 21st seed Luciano Darderi.

Jacob Fearnley made the most of his lucky-loser route into the US Open, beating Martin Landaluce 4-6, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 to reach the second round. It was the standout result for the British group in the latest main-draw session, with Harriet Dart also winning and Harry Wendelken going out to 21st seed Luciano Darderi.

Fearnley had to recover twice against the Spanish teenager. He levelled the match after the second set, fell behind again, then took the last two sets to turn a difficult draw into a live second-round opportunity. Tomas Martin Etcheverry is next.

Fearnley and Dart keep the British interest moving

Fearnley’s win was the longest British match of the day. Landaluce took the first and third sets, but Fearnley stayed in the contest long enough to take the fourth 7-5 before pulling away in the decider.

Dart had a more direct comeback against Peyton Stearns. The American took the opening set 6-3, but Dart responded 6-3, 6-2. She now faces 25th seed Marie Bouzkova in the second round.

That leaves two British singles players through to the next stage from this part of the draw. Katie Boulter’s opening win over Carol Young Suh Lee has set up a second-round meeting with seventh seed Karolina Muchova. Toby Samuel, who came through qualifying, will play 18th seed Jiri Lehecka after his 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 first-round win over Tomas Machac.

Wendelken’s run ends against Darderi

Harry Wendelken took a set from Darderi and made the fourth set competitive, but the Italian seed won 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. Wendelken had already secured his first main-draw appearance by coming through qualifying, and the draw gave him one of the tougher possible opening tests.

Cameron Norrie’s first-round defeat to Luca Van Assche and Wendelken’s exit mean Fearnley is the only British man from the newer main-draw results to advance. Dart’s win gives the British women a second-round presence alongside Boulter.

Seeds hold, but the first round keeps producing long days

Carlos Alcaraz beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, while Iga Swiatek defeated Wang Xiyu 6-2, 6-3 and Aryna Sabalenka beat Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-4. Daniil Medvedev, Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jakub Mensik were also among the men’s winners.

Andrey Rublev needed five sets to get past Otto Virtanen, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (0-7), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (10-5). Frances Tiafoe finished another five-set match against Martin Damm, winning 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Matteo Arnaldi was one of the seeded casualties, losing to James Duckworth 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (10-8), while Grigor Dimitrov went out to Alexei Popyrin in four sets.