Britain’s rising star Toby Samuel made a memorable debut at the US Open by clinching his first Grand Slam victory in dominant fashion, while fellow Briton Katie Boulter also progressed after a hard‑fought three‑set win. In contrast, veteran Cameron Norrie suffered a third straight first‑round defeat at a major this season, bowing out to France’s Luca Van Assche. Samuel entered the tournament through the qualifying rounds, having battled through three preliminary matches to earn his place in the main draw.
In the first round he was paired with former world No. 20 Tomas Machac, a seasoned Czech competitor. Samuel’s performance was nothing short of spectacular: he dispatched Machac in straight sets, 6‑2, 6‑3, 6‑2, completing the match in just ninety minutes.
His serve was precise, his groundstrokes crisp, and his movement on the court seemed effortless. The British youngster’s aggressive play and minimal unforced errors left Machac unable to find a foothold, and the result propelled Samuel into the top 100 of the ATP rankings for the first time.
Looking ahead, Samuel will face the 18th‑seeded Jiri Lehecka, another Czech player, in the second round on Wednesday. After the match, a visibly exhausted yet elated Samuel reflected on his achievement: “I’m so tired, but I’m really happy to have gotten the job done. I played a great match and I’m grateful to everyone who has supported me to this point.
Hopefully I can keep the momentum into next week.” He added that the first two sets felt almost routine, while the third required a brief adjustment after a brief dip in performance. "I’m just going to try and do exactly what I did today in the next match," he said.
Samuel’s victory was marked by early breaks in both the first and second sets, allowing him to build a comfortable lead that Machac could not overturn. The only moment of vulnerability came early in the third set when Samuel was broken, but he immediately responded by winning six consecutive games, sealing his maiden Grand Slam win and ending his winless streak at the majors. On the women’s side, Britain’s number one Katie Boulder faced American wildcard Carol Young Suh Lee in a tense encounter on Court Five. Boulter, 30, started strongly, taking a set and a break ahead, but a series of costly double‑faults allowed Lee to claw back into the match.
Despite the setback, Boulter, bolstered by the vocal support of her husband, Australian player Alex de Minaur, steadied herself and ultimately prevailed 6‑4, 3‑6, 6‑0. The final set was a display of dominance, as Boulter unleashed a barrage of powerful groundstrokes and served with unerring accuracy, leaving Lee unable to mount a comeback. Looking forward, Boulter could face a challenging second‑round opponent, potentially the Wimbledon runner‑up Karolina Muchova, which would test her ability to sustain the high level she displayed against Lee. Cameron Norrie, meanwhile, endured a disappointing exit.
After a string of three consecutive first‑round losses at Grand Slam events this year, Norrie fell to French teenager Luca Van Assche with a scoreline of 7‑6(8‑6), 2‑6, 2‑6, 3‑6. The opening set was a tightly contested affair that Norrie managed to clinch in a tiebreak, but his performance slipped early in the second set.
Van Assche seized the momentum, dictating long baseline rallies and gradually pulling away. Norrie’s frustration grew as he struggled to regain his footing, and despite a brief resurgence in the fourth set that saw him level the score at 3‑3, Van Assche broke again to secure the match and advance to the second round for the first time in his career. Reflecting on his defeat, Norrie admitted that nerves had affected his start: “It was really tough.
I was pretty nervous and it showed in the beginning of the first set, but I did well to steal that first set. However, I could never maintain a good level of energy and momentum. I’d play well for a little bit and then drop off a couple of games here and there. It was super frustrating and pretty surprising.
I felt like I lost to myself today.” Norrie’s recent results have seen him overtaken as Britain’s No. 1 by Arthur Fery, who reached the Winston‑Salem final earlier in the week. The British tennis community remains supportive, hoping that both Samuel and Boulter can build on their performances as the tournament progresses. The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports daily through September 13, with streaming options available via the NOW platform and the Sky Sports app, offering fans contract‑free access to tennis action.
Additionally, the Laver Cup will be held at The O2 in London from 25‑27 September, also televised on Sky Sports for viewers seeking more high‑level tennis coverage.