Linda Noskova Wins 11 of Final 12 Games to Reach U.S. Open Round 2

Q: How will Stefanos Tsitsipas’s shocking upset over Arthur Fils reshape the remaining men's draw at Flushing Meadows?

Stefanos Tsitsipas’s win dramatically opens that section of the men’s draw and replaces a rising top-10 seed with a far less predictable threat. Arthur Fils arrived in New York as the No. 10 seed, fresh off the Cincinnati title and viewed as one of the more dangerous hard-court players in the field. His exit removes a player many saw as capable of making a deep second-week run. In practical terms, that eases the projected path for others in that quarter, because Fils’s power, athleticism and recent form made him a looming obstacle. Tsitsipas, however, does not make the section easy—just different. He is unseeded and ranked outside the elite now, but he remains a former world No. 3 and two-time Grand Slam finalist. By beating Fils 4-6, 7-6, 6-1, 6-4 after trailing by a set and 5-2, he showed he can still produce top-level tennis over four sets. If that level holds, he becomes a dangerous floater rather than a conventional favorite. The immediate impact is on the next rounds. Tsitsipas now faces Lloyd Harris, a far more manageable matchup on paper than what many expected Fils to navigate going forward. That gives Tsitsipas a real chance to build momentum at a tournament where he has never been beyond the third round. More broadly, in a tournament already shaken by Novak Djokovic’s early exit, Fils’s loss adds to the draw volatility. It increases uncertainty in the bottom half and gives experienced players and mid-tier contenders a clearer opening to push deeper than expected.

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 31

Linda Noskova beat Katie Volynets 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 after a poor opening set, surging into the U.S. Open second round with a dominant comeback.
11 of the final 12 games went to the world No. 6 once her serve and backhand settled, leaving Volynets with little answer after the first-set turnaround.
Noskova still criticized her own display, calling the first set “horrible” and saying there were “not too many” positives despite the emphatic finish.
The 2026 Wimbledon champion joins defending champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, plus Amanda Anisimova, among Day 2 winners at Flushing Meadows.