Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Sep 1

Alcaraz, Sabalenka and Tsitsipas Advance at U.S. Open as Rublev Saves 1 Match Point

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Sep 1

Alcaraz, Sabalenka and Tsitsipas Advance at U.S. Open as Rublev Saves 1 Match Point

Q: What really triggered the viral emotional meltdown during Emma Navarro’s dramatic rain-delayed victory at Flushing Meadows?

It was triggered by Loïs Boisson’s frustration at letting a real comeback chance slip away in the final game, not by anything Navarro did. Boisson had pushed the match to a deciding set after the rain suspension, erased Navarro’s earlier advantage, and even held a break point in the last game. But she lost the next three points and the match, 7-6(6), 6-7(1), 6-3. That sequence appears to have been the immediate spark for the outburst. The viral moment came seconds later because of the contrast on camera. After the handshake, Navarro turned to celebrate with the crowd while Boisson, in the background, smashed a racket and then hurled it across the court. The image spread widely because it captured tennis’s emotional extremes in a single frame. Context also mattered. Reports noted that Boisson had endured a difficult season after her 2025 breakthrough, with ranking decline and physical problems, including an ankle issue before the U.S. Open. Against Navarro, she had come close to flipping the match after the rain delay, only to fall short at the end. That made the loss especially raw. So the meltdown was really set off by Boisson failing to convert her late opening and watching the comeback disappear at match point, with the two-day, high-pressure nature of the match amplifying the reaction.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 1

Carlos Alcaraz opened his singles campaign with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Roman Safiullin, while defending champion Aryna Sabalenka began with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Camila Osorio.
Stefanos Tsitsipas produced the biggest turnaround, rallying from 6-4, 5-2 down to beat No. 10 seed Arthur Fils 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4 for his first top-10 win since March.
Andrey Rublev added another escape, recovering from two sets down and saving 1 match point to edge Otto Virtanen 6-7(5), 6-7(0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6(10-5).
Emma Navarro completed a rain-suspended match by beating Loïs Boisson 7-6(6), 6-7(1), 6-3, and Zheng Qinwen continued her comeback from elbow surgery with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over qualifier Kristina Liutova.
Day 2 also sent Iga Świątek, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Matteo Berrettini through, underscoring a first round shaped by both routine progress and hard-fought recoveries.