USTA officials scheduled the first round of the US Open to stretch over 3 days. Despite this scheduling, nearly half of the American men in the draw, 11 of 23, play on Monday, August 25. From wild cards to a qualifier to seeded players, there are significant opportunities and attention-grabbing storylines amongst the men playing in their home Grand Slam on Monday.
The Seeds
Frances Tiafoe (17) and Alex Michelson (28) are the two seeded American men in action on Monday. Tiafoe plays veteran Yoshihito Nishioka in the afternoon in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Michelson, playing on his 21st birthday, faces world No. 54 Francisco Comesana out on Court 7.
Playing in his 10th US Open, Tiafoe looks to make the finish strong after a relatively mediocre 2025 Grand Slam season and some injury problems late this summer. With two runs to the semifinals and one to the quarterfinals in the last three US Opens, Tiafoe is no stranger to Arthur Ashe Stadium and big crowds. Look for him to cruise to the second round relatively easily.
Michelson played well at times during 2025 and carries some US Open experience into this year’s event. It should be a truly happy birthday as he should knock off Comesana in what may be a very crowded outer court match on Court 7.
Veterans Looking To Bounce Back
Three American veterans enter their home Grand Slam event with world rankings over 50 slots lower than their career high. Reilly Opelka was once world No. 17 and is now No. 67. Not too long ago, Sebastian Korda held the No. 15 spot in the world; he’s now No. 75. Mackenzie McDonald reached world No. 37 less than two years ago. Still, he arrives in Flushing at No. 100.
Each of these veterans faces a tough task to advance past their opening match. Opelka is most likely to lose. The American veteran squares off against megastar and No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz. While not as daunting as Opelka’s draw, Korda must knock off World No. 35 Cam Norrie to advance. Korda does hold a 3-1 advantage over his British foe, but Norrie’s current form is solidly ahead of Korda’s. It will likely be a tough day for the American.
McDonald has a solid opportunity to advance. He hopes to knock off veteran Jan-Lennard Struff in the first-ever meeting between the two men. Struff has also dropped significantly from once holding the world No. 21 ranking. If McDonald can play at the top of his game, this is a chance to make some progress in regaining his former status.
Intriguing Kid’s Stuff
Three American kids, the oldest of whom is 21 years old, have very interesting Day 2 matches.
American wild card entry Nishesh Basavareddy plays #17 seed Karen Khachanov. Then, both making their Grand Slam debut in their home country, Martin Damm and Darwin Blanch play each other.
Unfortunately for Basavareddy, the 20-year-old who is also making his US Open main draw debut, will run into a buzzsaw in Khachanov. While seeded #17, Khachanov’s recent play brings him to New York City as the No. 9 ranked player in the world. His skill and experience make him the clear favorite in this match.
Then, in what may be the least anticipated but most intriguing match of Day 2, Damm and Blanch open play on Court 11 Monday morning. For perspective, megastar Novak Djokovic enters this tournament at age 38–while Damm and Blanch are 38 years old combined.
The 17-year-old Blanch gained entry by winning the 18 and under boys USTA title this summer, while the 21-year-old Damm survived three rounds in the US Open Qualifying Tournament. Besides being complete newbies, each player is ranked outside of the top 400 in the world.
Still, someone has to win. Whoever wins will guarantee themselves $154,000–which is more than triple each of the player’s current career singles earnings. Additionally, the survivor will likely find themselves in Arthur Ashe Stadium in a few days facing Frances Tiafoe. While unlikely to be seen on ESPN, a match like this draws the true tennis dreamers, look for the crowd on Court 11 to swell if this one goes five sets.
A Full Day
Besides the matches highlighted, Americans Jensen Brooksby, Alex Kovacevic, and Tristan Boyer also play Monday. From raw rookies to aging veterans to seeded stars, the day is filled with American men trying to make progress at their home Grand Slam. Time to play, all day.
Main Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
