Krejcikova Stunned by Rakhimova in US Open First Round

Rakhimova Topples a Grand Slam Champion

Barbora Krejcikova's US Open 2026 campaign ended in the first round on Sunday. The Czech, seeded 27th and a two-time Grand Slam singles winner, was eliminated by Kamilla Rakhimova, ranked 92nd in the world, 7-6(4), 6-2 in one hour and 53 minutes. It was the first significant seeded casualty of the women's draw and one of the more striking results on an eventful opening weekend at Flushing Meadows.

Krejcikova fought off six match points before Rakhimova converted her seventh to seal the opening set tiebreak, then pulled away convincingly in the second set, winning the final five games without reply. Rakhimova's first-serve percentage was lower than Krejcikova's across the match, yet she won 72 per cent of points on her first serve compared to the Czech's 61 per cent — a difference that proved decisive in a match that swung dramatically through the tiebreak before settling in the Russian's favour.

Rakhimova's Growing Confidence at Majors

The result extended Rakhimova's record at Grand Slam first rounds. The 26-year-old had already reached the second round at Roland Garros and Wimbledon earlier in 2026, and her win over Krejcikova now gives her three consecutive Grand Slam second-round appearances. It was also her first victory over the two-time major champion in two career WTA Tour meetings. Rakhimova had a career-high ranking of 60 and will look to climb back toward that level with another solid run at Flushing Meadows.

For Krejcikova, the exit ends her involvement at the US Open at the earliest possible stage. The 30-year-old entered the tournament below her best form and without the seeding that might have brought a gentler opening draw. A strong autumn swing will be needed to shore up her position ahead of the 2027 season.

Pegula, Paolini and Kostyuk Move Through

Among the top seeds, Sunday's first round produced mostly clean results. Third seed Jessica Pegula defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2 without complications, while 11th seed Marta Kostyuk was equally emphatic in dismissing Storm Hunter 6-4, 6-1. Jasmine Paolini advanced past Veronika Erjavec in straight sets, while 31st seed Leylah Fernandez made short work of Shuai Zhang, winning 6-3, 6-2.

In the men's draw, seventh seed Daniil Medvedev was comfortable against Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, while 18th seed Jiri Lehecka dispatched Pablo Carreno Busta 6-1, 7-6, 4-6, 6-2. The dominant headline from the opening men's session, of course, was Mariano Navone's five-set defeat of Novak Djokovic on Sunday — a result that instantly reshaped the top half of the men's draw.

The Picture After the Opening Weekend

The Krejcikova exit is the clearest sign so far that the women's draw will not respect reputations at this edition of the US Open. With top seed Aryna Sabalenka chasing a third consecutive title at Flushing Meadows and second seed Elena Rybakina among the main contenders, the bottom half of the bracket has opened slightly with Krejcikova's early exit. The second round begins on Wednesday, when the field begins to thin further.