On a humid New York day that felt like it might never end, Australian tennis refused to blink.
By the close of play, five Aussies were safely through to the second round of the US Open, more than $AU1.3 million collectively banked, and a couple of big names sent packing in the process. This wasn’t a quiet resurgence. It was a statement.
Duckworth stuns Arnaldi
James Duckworth provided the headline shock.
Up against 30th seed Matteo Arnaldi, a French Open semi-finalist and a man expected to cruise through, Duckworth dug in and flipped the script. He dropped the first set 5-7, then ripped through the gears to claim a 5-7 6-3 6-2 7-6 (10-8) victory, the tiebreak a tense, lung-burning scrap that underlined how far his form has come in recent weeks.
This was no fluke. The Australian has been riding a hot streak, and under the lights of Flushing Meadows he played like a man who believed he belonged. Arnaldi blinked; Duckworth did not.
Popyrin floors Dimitrov
If Duckworth’s win was a boilover, Alexei Popyrin’s was every bit as significant.
Across the net stood Grigor Dimitrov, former World No.3, a grand slam semi-finalist, a name that still carries weight in any draw. Popyrin, ranked 130 in the world and scarred by a grim run of injuries and poor results, could easily have faded after dropping the opening set 3-6.
He did the opposite.
The Australian took control of the baseline, hammered his forehand, and ran away with the next three sets 6-3 6-2 6-2. By the end, Dimitrov looked short of answers, Popyrin full of them. For a player who has spent too long on the treatment table and in the shadows, this was a return to the grand slam winner’s circle that felt overdue.
Birrell’s sleepless breakthrough
Kim Birrell’s win came with its own kind of drama.
Her first-round clash with Petra Marcinko stretched across two days after rain forced a suspension, leaving Birrell to stew overnight having already stared down a match point. That kind of pause can break a player.
It didn’t break her.
The World No.71 returned to court and clawed out a 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win, finally securing her maiden singles victory at the US Open. The significance ran deep: she had lost in the first round in each of her previous three main-draw appearances in New York, in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
This time, she changed the script.
Off court, life is moving quickly too. Birrell is set to marry her coach Matt Fraser at the end of the year, and the guaranteed $AU265,000 second-round cheque is already earmarked.
"Oh my gosh, I don't think I'll be spending it here," she said in New York. "I'll definitely save some of it. We're getting married at the end of the year so that helps a lot and maybe I'll buy some extra flowers. And we've got a mortgage. Yeah, the mortgage."
A career milestone, a wedding on the horizon, a mortgage to feed. It all suddenly looks a little lighter.
Joint and Preston keep the run rolling
The Australian charge didn’t stop there.
Maya Joint added another upset to the tally, coming from a set down to beat Liudmila Samsonova 3-6 6-2 6-2. Samsonova arrived as the higher-ranked, more established threat; Joint simply outplayed her when it mattered. After a brutal start to 2026, this felt like the beginning of a genuine revival.
On Monday, Taylah Preston had already set the tone with her own first-round win, meaning five Australian players are now into the second round after just two days of the tournament. Each of them is guaranteed that $AU265,000 payday. Go one step further, and the numbers jump again.
For a group still largely finding its way on the biggest stages, that kind of reward is fuel.
Not all smiles for Australia
The day wasn’t perfect.
Rinky Hijikata ran into third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and bowed out in four sets, the Canadian’s firepower and ranking class eventually telling. Aleksandar Vukic endured a marathon against Rei Sakamoto, stretching into a fifth set after an overnight postponement, only to fall short in the decider.
Two brutal exits, but on a day like this, they were swept up in a broader sense of progress.
Alcaraz returns, Sabalenka cruises
Beyond the Australian surge, the heavyweights handled their business.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz stepped back into Arthur Ashe Stadium after a four-month layoff with a wrist injury and looked immediately at home. He dispatched Roman Safiullin 6-4 6-4 6-4, a straight-sets win that doubled as a fitness test and a reminder.
"It's been a really tough five months for me," Alcaraz said. "Being able to step on the Arthur Ashe, being able to compete again, I couldn't decide to come back in a better tournament. It's a really special place for me."
On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka opened her bid for a rare US Open three-peat with a controlled, ruthless performance. She brushed aside Camila Osorio 6-2 6-4, her power and aggression too much despite a spirited effort from the Colombian.
"She brought the fight," Sabalenka said. "She battled really well and I just tried to stay as aggressive as possible.
"I think I played great. She's a tough opponent, makes you work really hard to get every point, so I'm happy that I was able to close the match in straight sets."
The champions look sharp. The draw still leans their way.
But on a day owned by Australians punching above their weight and cashing in on belief, the question now is simple: how far can this unexpected New York wave really run?
