This should be a fascinating clash that pits youth against experience. 18-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko will be looking to impress following her star-making turn in Montreal, where she beat the likes of Gauff and Rybakina en route to a maiden WTA 1000 title.
2025 WTA Tour
Grand Slam Tennis
US Open Tennis
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, New York City (Outdoor Hardcourts)
Selected 1st Round Matches- 24th August
Victoria Mboko (22) 0.43 vs Barbora Krejcikova 1.75
Mboko started the year in history-making fashion, winning five ITF crowns in a sign of true intent. But nobody could have envisaged her brilliance in Montreal. She played with fearless aggression, using her lefty forehand to bludgeon opponent into submission. But she faces stiff opposition in two-time Grand Slam singles champ Krejcikova. The Czech missed the first four months of action due to a back issue and has slowly been working her way back to full fitness, winning seven of her last 12 matches. 12 years Mboko’s senior, Krejcikova can seamlessly move between all-out aggression and astute counterpunching. I expect her to extend rallies, using Mboko’s power against her. Krejcikova reached the quarterfinals here in 2021 and should provide a real challenge to tennis’ latest starlet.
The Verdict: Krejcikova to win in three at 5– This will be their first career meeting. I think this will be close, with the exuberant Mboko looking to dominate from the back of the court. I just think that the crafty Czech will figure this out, using her broader shot-making options to see off the hard-hitting Mboko. An accomplished double’s specialist, Krecikova will venture to the net often, using her sublime volleying skills to mix things up.
Clara Tauson (14) 0.25 vs Alexandra Eala 2.85
This is going to be an exciting clash between two real up-and-comers. Smooth-hitting Dane Clara Tauson has enjoyed a meteoric rise this season, rising into the top 15 in the world after starting the year ranked 50th. She won a 3rd career title in Auckland and then went on to make waves at WTA 1000 level, finishing runner-up in Dubai before reaching the recent Montreal semifinals. She was exceptional in Canada, picking up straight-sets wins over reigning Grand Slam champs Keys and Swiatek. But Tauson will not have it easy in her opener, as she is set to lock horns with Filipino trailblazer Alexandre Eala. Eala has a special affinity with this event, becoming the first Filipina player to win a Grand Slam junior title here in 2022. Eala produced one of the biggest shocks of this season, reaching the Miami semifinals and unlocking a deeply impassioned Filipina fanbase. The 20-year-old has been inconsistent since then but would still go on to finish runner-up at Eastbourne.
The Verdict: Tauson to win in straight sets at 0.68- This will be their first career meeting. I think that Tauson’s greater Grand Slam experience will come to the fore here. She has flirted with a deep Grand Slam run this year, reaching the 3rd rounds in Melbourne and Paris before an improved 4th round run in London. She is a clean ball-striker who should be able to flatten out Eala’s topspin-heavy lefty forehand.
Venus Williams 7 vs Karolina Muchova (11) 0.07
This is either the most heartwarming or most annoying narrative of this year’s US Open (depending on how jaded you are). 45-year-old Venus Williams will be competing this year, becoming the oldest person since Renee Richards in 1981 to participate in the singles draw. A former two-time champion, Williams has reached the semifinal stage here (or better) on nine occasions. She made her return to action at the Citi Open, taking down a hapless Peyton Stearns before bowing out to Magdelena Frech. She was beaten by Jessica Bouzas in Cincy and will be hoping to avoid embarrassment as she takes on Karolina Muchova. 11th seed Karolina Muchova is one of the best players in the world on her day, reaching the quarterfinal or better in all four Grand Slam tournaments (highlighted by a runner-up finish at the 2023 French Open). She has reached the last two US Open semifinals but has run into some headwind this year, disappointingly going 1-3 in the first three slams. She has had some struggles with fitness but has still managed to reach semifinals in Dubai and Linz. She looked decent in her North American hardcourt precursors, going 5-2 in Montreal and Cincy.
The Verdict: Muchova to win in three sets at 3.5– Muchova leads the head-to-head 1-0, beating the icon in straight sets at the 2020 version of this event. Nostalgia is a big thing right now and Williams will be hoping to get in on the act this week. She will no doubt receive rambunctious support and may stand a chance of nicking a set (Muchova has been in negligible form this year). However, Muchova has too much variety and won’t be bossed around by Williams.
