Liutova, 16, Storms Into US Open Main Draw

Three Wins, One Ticket

Kristina Liutova completed her qualifying run at the 2026 US Open on Thursday, beating Serbia's Lola Radivojevic 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in the final qualifying round to earn a spot in the women's singles main draw. The 16-year-old from Redmond, Washington becomes one of 16 qualifiers who will step into the bracket when main draw play begins on August 30 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

The win capped a qualifying week in which Liutova dropped sets in every match but never lost one. She opened on Tuesday with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory over fellow qualifier Tatiana Prozorova, then advanced again through the second round before Thursday's decisive three-setter against Radivojevic. Across all three qualifying matches she was pushed to a third set twice, a measure of the depth of the qualifying draw and of her own ability to regroup under pressure.

The Context: From Memphis to Flushing Meadows

Liutova arrived at the qualifying draw as the No. 16 qualifying seed, a ranking she earned through one of the more improbable stories in women's tennis this year. Earlier in 2026 she won the Memphis Classic after fighting through tournament qualifying, becoming the first player born in the 2010s to claim a WTA Tour singles title and, at 16, the youngest active champion on tour. That result propelled her inside the top 150 and gave her direct qualifying entries at the remaining Grand Slams of the season.

Her path through Flushing Meadows qualifying is the logical next step in a trajectory that has moved faster than almost any junior-to-professional transition in recent memory. She has not yet played a main draw match at a Grand Slam — Thursday's result ensures that changes on Sunday at the earliest, when the draw is set to begin.

The Draw Awaits

The full US Open women's singles draw was revealed on Thursday evening following the completion of qualifying. Aryna Sabalenka, bidding for a third consecutive US Open title, is the top seed. Coco Gauff, the 2023 champion, and Jessica Pegula are also among the top seeds. Liutova, as a qualifier, will be placed in the lower half of the unseeded section and drawn against a seeded player or a main draw direct entry in the opening round.

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The odds of a deep run remain long, but Liutova has already shown a capacity to win matches under pressure against professionals this year. Her first-round opponent will be known once the full draw positions are confirmed. For now, the 16-year-old has earned her place in a field of 128 that includes nearly every top player in women's tennis — and she did it the hard way, through three consecutive victories in the qualifying rounds.

Other Qualifiers of Note

Liutova was not the only notable name to come through qualifying this week. Zheng Qinwen, the 2024 Olympic gold medallist, also earned her main draw place after a dominant 6-1, 7-5 win in her qualifying final. Former top-20 player Tamara Zidansek advanced, as did American qualifier N. Basavareddy. Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands claimed her qualifying spot by defeating compatriot Suzan Lamens in an all-Dutch final qualifying round. The full qualifying results will feed into a main draw that takes shape as players arrived Thursday at the National Tennis Center.

Liutova's first Grand Slam main draw match is expected on August 30 or 31, depending on the scheduling order.