10 Must-See Round 1 Matches At The 2025 U.S. Open

Britain’s Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrate a point during their first round mixed doubles match against Jessica Pegula of the US and Jack Draper of Britain at the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on August 19, 2025. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

The 2025 U.S. Open kicks off Sunday at the at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

The 15-day tournament runs through Sept. 7 and will air on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. The full broadcast schedule is here.

Here’s a look at 10 first-round popcorn matches – five on the women’s side and five on the men’s – as the action gets underway.

WOMEN

Venus Williams vs. No. 11 Karolína Muchová (Monday, 7 p.m., ESPN)

Muchová was born just one year before Williams reached her first Grand Slam final at the 1997 U.S. Open as a 17-year-old. Now 45, Williams will be the oldest singles entrant at the tournament since Renee Richards (47) in 1981. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion last month become the oldest player to win a WTA singles match in more than two decades when she defeated former NCAA singles champ Peyton Stearns at the Mubadala Citi DC Open.

Muchová, a former French Open finalist and two-time U.S. Open semifinalist, will be a major favorite but the crowd (probably a night one) will be rooting hard for Venus.

No. 3 Coco Gauff vs. Ajla Tomljanović

The 2023 U.S. Open champion, Gauff is just 4-4 since winning Roland Garros earlier this summer and recently made a coaching change, bringing biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan onto her team to work on her troubled serve.

World No. 84 Tomljanović has reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals, including the 2022 U.S. Open. She was Serena Williams’ last opponent after beating the legend in three sets in the third round that year.

No. 14 Clara Tauson vs. Alex Eala

Eala, the Filipina star, will be making her long-awaited main draw debut against Denmark’s Tauson. the 22-year-old who began playing tennis at the age of 6 and has now risen to world No. 15. Tauson is 33-17 in 2025 and reached the third round of the U.S. Open in 2021, ‘23, and ’24.

Eala, meanwhile, sits at world No. 70 with a 26-18 record this season.

No. 22 Victoria Mboko vs. Barbora Krejčíková

Mboko, the 19-year-old Canadian, burst onto the scene earlier this summer when, as a wildcard, she beat Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka – all major champions – en route to the Canadian Open title. The historic win propelled the world No. 85 to a career-high ranking of No. 24.

Krejčíková is just 8-6 this year while dealing with a back injury, but won Wimbledon just a year ago.

No. 5 Mirra Andreeva vs. Alycia Parks

Andreeva is just 18 but is already No. 5 in the world and is the fifth favorite to win the title after earning titles in Dubai and Indian Wells this year.

Parks, a 24-year-old born in Atlanta, took out last year’s U.S. Open semifinalist, Emma Navarro, en route to the Monterrey semifinals and is ranked No. 71 in the world.

MEN

No. 7 Novak Djokovic vs. Learnier Tien (Sunday, 7 p.m., ESPN2)

The 38-year-old Djokovic appears to be winding down his career as the GOAT of men’s tennis, but the Serbian legend is still bidding for a record 25th major title and says, “My focus is mainly on the Slams.” In Tien, he is facing an American half his age who upset No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in five sets in the second round of the Australian Open. Plop down on the coach and heat up some popcorn for this one.

No. 10 Lorenzo Musetti vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

Musetti, 23, has reached two major semifinals Wimbledon last year and Roland Garros this year. He reached as high as No. 6 in the world in June. The Italian is 2-0 against the Frenchman, but Perricard and his gigantic serve always have a puncher’s chance at the upset. He delivered the biggest serve in Wimbledon history at 153 mph this summer and banged out 51 aces in his first-round win over Sebastian Korda at Wimbledon last year.

No. 23 Alexander Bublik vs. Marin Čilić

Čilić, a former U.S. Open champion once ranked No. 3 in the world, has made a bit of a resurgence following two major knee surgeries. He reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, stunning No. 4 seed Jack Draper in four sets in the second round. The enigmatic Bublik is capable of beating anyone on any day. He won the Halle Open on grass this summer, stunning world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Top-10 players Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev along the way. Then he lost in the first round of Wimbledon.

No. 26 Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Alexandre Muller

Tsitsipas is a two-time Grand Slam finalist whose career is trending in the wrong direction. Ranked 28 in the world, he is just 20-15 this season and took heavy criticism from coach Goran Ivanisevic before parting ways and reuniting with his controversial father, Apostolos. Muller is ranked just 10 spots below Tsitsipas and figures to be a tricky opponent.

No. 11 Holger Rune vs. Botic van de Zandschulp

Rune has won five ATP Tour singles titles, including a Masters 1000 title at the 2022 Paris Masters, and has reached three major quarterfinals. van de Zandschlup famously upset Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in the second round a year ago.