If you count the exciting Fan Week that makes the 2023 US Open a three-week event, then happy US Open! Countless qualifying matches began on Tuesday across fourteen courts, with 16 male and female players allowed a spot in the main draw come Friday. This is a perfect opportunity to kickstart a new LWOS tradition, a star of the day. There’s a caveat, however, as this idea will spotlight players whose victory would never typically showcase in the tennis media world. Or at least, until the player perhaps makes history and wins a Grand Slam someday.
Some of the rules:
- The player can’t be ranked inside the Top 75 of singles
- The match must take place on the outside courts
- Typically, the player must be relatively unknown to the tennis world (as of now)
This will allow fans to learn about lesser-known events across the US Open. Junior players, wheelchair players, and up-and-coming doubles players may get some opportunities to shine on LWOS.
US Open Qualifying Day 1 Star of the Day: Fiona Crawley
Fiona Crawley features as the first Star of the Day, after the American clinched her first-ever Grand Slam qualifying victory on Tuesday. In a 2h55 epic, Crawley defeated Reka Jani 6-1 6-7 (5) 7-6 (6). The match featured numerous breaks of serve, long rallies, and a dramatic third-set tiebreaker.
Jani came into this match as the favorite as the World No. 169. With over fifteen years of professional playing experience, she had the upper hand in battling through professional tour experiences. Yet Crawley is no stranger to pressure despite her age; she is one of the hottest names in college tennis as a star of the University of North Carolina women’s tennis team. A rising senior, the American holds prestigious awards such the 2023 ITA National Player of the Year, 2023 ACC Player of the Year, and the champion of the 2022 Fall ITA Championships. Additionally, she led the team to a national championship earlier in May, playing No. 1 and No. 2 singles throughout most of the season.
Crawley has played a couple of professional tournaments in the past months, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 728. Of course, she’s been playing at a level far higher than that ranking, evident in her UTR ranking at No. 272 in the world. This was her first match in a Grand Slam.
The Match
Crawley’s confident game shined in the first set, as she cruised through the first set 6-1. The American did well to limit unforced errors, extend points, and eventually cause Jani’s game to backfire. In the second set, Jani appeared to hit more slices that moved Crawley around the court. Jani grabbed a crucial break to lead 4-3, but Crawley soon broke back to level the set at 5-5. With the momentum on her side, it seemed that the American would have enough in the tank to prevail in two sets. Yet, Jani’s relentless consistency continued late in the set. Crawley made a couple of crucial errors leading 6-5, and despite being two points away at one point, had to play a tiebreaker.
The points seemed to drastically increase in drama and length throughout the latter half of the match. Crawley took the first mini-break of the tiebreak to lead 2-1, yet quickly lost serve on the next point. Down 5-4, Crawley hit one of the best shots of the match, running down both a volley and backhand overhead from Jani, before slamming a backhand down the line herself. Once again, it seemed that the American had all the momentum needed. Yet, Jani prevailed in an exhausting rally up set-point, showing some exciting defense and eventually forcing an overhead error from Crawley.
The third set certainly brought out the best from both players. With Court 5 now just shy of full capacity, fans were able to motivate Crawley through tight moments. The American hit a solid forehand cross-court winner to clinch the first break of the third set, yet promptly dropped serve the next game. While many lower-ranked players would hit the ball harder and shorten points to avoid fatigue, Crawley’s grit and fighting spirit only became more evident. The rallies seemed to get longer, and Crawley continued to play patient tennis. Serving down 4-5 and 15-40, Crawley hit two difficult winners to stave off match points and stay alive. With the match deadlocked at 5-5, the American hit another backhand to get the crowd even more on her side.
Serving at 5-5 30-40, Jani hit a solid forehand volley winner to save a crucial break point. Yet, justifiably frustrated by losing control over the match, Jani lost focus and lost serve. It was nowhere near over, of course. Surely consumed with nerves, Crawley wasn’t able to capitalize on three match points in the next game.
The final set tiebreak definitely wasn’t the most high-quality of tiebreakers, yet it was a massive mental battle for Crawley. Perhaps one of the more nerve-wracking experiences of her career, unforced errors piled up at surprising times. Similarly, Jani also made some uncharacteristic misses. However, it was Crawley that hit the right shots when it mattered. The American hit solid deep balls to force mistakes and always seemed confident. After taking a double mini-break lead, Crawley won one final long rally to clinch the match. It was an emotional moment for Fiona Crawley, who gets to continue her fight for a main draw berth. Regardless, this is a treasure of a victory for her to remember.
Whatever happens next for Crawley, she’ll still be participating in the tournament come Monday. A winner of the 2023 NCAA Doubles Tournament, she’ll partner with UNC teammate Carson Tanguilig in the doubles US Open main draw. Who knows what can happen there? In the regular season, the pair went 19-7 in team matches and won five tournament matches to clinch the NCAA Doubles Championship. Interestingly, the pair had to go through fellow UNC teammates to win the title.
Who will be the Day 2 Qualifying Star of the Day? Stay tuned and check out exciting US Open qualifying matches through the end of this week.
