British quartet one match from US Open main draw
Jacob Fearnley, Toby Samuel, Harry Wendelken, and Harriet Dart each won their second qualifying round in New York, putting them one victory from the main draw. Fearnley overcame Luka Pavlovic in three sets, while Samuel rallied past Billy Harris. Wendelken saved a match point to beat Remy Bertola, and Dart came from behind to defeat Kristina Penickova.
Fearnley, ranked 100th, recovered from a break down in the opening set before holding firm in the decider against Pavlovic, setting up a clash with Rodionov. Samuel, making his second Grand Slam qualifying appearance of the year after debuting at the French Open, dropped the first set to compatriot Harris before winning ten of the next thirteen games. Wendelken, ranked 196th, faced elimination at 5-2 down in the second set but denied Bertola a match point, then survived a late surge in the final set. Dart, the highest-ranked Briton in the group at 77th, dropped the opening set to 16-year-old Penickova before dominating the next two.
Elsewhere in the qualifying draw, former US Open champion Andreescu defeated Podre in straight sets, while Zheng Qinwen, a two-time quarter-finalist in New York, won her first Grand Slam qualifying match since 2022. Dimitrov, a former semi-finalist, also advanced, and Wawrinka received a late wildcard for what may be his final US Open appearance.
This qualifying round highlights the depth of British tennis, with four players potentially reaching the main draw of a major. Success here could boost the sport's grassroots appeal in the UK, inspiring younger players and reinforcing the pathway from challenger events to Grand Slams. For the players themselves, a main-draw berth brings ranking points, prize money, and visibility that can shape careers. The broader narrative of veterans like Wawrinka