Keys and Fritz Advance as Rain Disrupts US Open Schedule

American hopes received an early boost at the 2026 US Open as Madison Keys and Taylor Fritz moved safely into the second round on a rain-disrupted Tuesday at Flushing Meadows. While matches on the outdoor courts were delayed for almost four hours, both Americans were able to compete under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium and avoid the worst of the weather.

The difficult conditions created an unusual atmosphere around the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, with thousands of spectators waiting for play to resume outside. For Keys and Fritz, however, the indoor setting offered a more predictable environment as they opened their campaigns at the final Grand Slam tournament of the season.

Madison Keys Overcomes Opening-Round Pressure

Madison Keys began her tournament with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Russian teenager Alina Korneeva.

The 31-year-old American, who reached the US Open final in 2017, entered the match determined to avoid another disappointing start in New York. Her 2025 campaign had ended in the opening round, making this year’s first match especially important.

Korneeva, 19, did not make life easy for the experienced American. The teenager stayed competitive throughout both sets, but Keys produced her best tennis during the important points.

Keys finished with 21 winners compared with seven from Korneeva, demonstrating the aggressive style that has defined much of her career. The American was particularly effective when using her powerful groundstrokes to shorten rallies.

After securing the victory, Keys admitted that first-round Grand Slam matches can still bring considerable nerves despite her years of experience.

She will next face either Czech player Lucie Havlickova or Hungary’s Anna Bondar.

Taylor Fritz Makes Fast Start Against Darwin Blanch

Taylor Fritz followed Keys onto Arthur Ashe Stadium and delivered an even more comfortable performance.

The No. 9 seed defeated 18-year-old American wildcard Darwin Blanch 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, completing the match without dropping a set.

Fritz controlled much of the contest with his serve and baseline consistency. He fired 14 aces and rarely allowed Blanch to establish a rhythm during the match.

For Blanch, the occasion represented a major step up. The teenager entered the main draw after earning a wildcard and found himself facing one of America’s leading men’s players inside the tournament’s biggest stadium.

Fritz, meanwhile, arrived in New York with mixed recent results. He had captured the title in Washington, D.C., but suffered an early defeat in Montreal. His straightforward opening-round win therefore provided an encouraging start to another US Open run.

The American has good memories of Flushing Meadows after reaching the 2024 final, which remains his best performance at a Grand Slam tournament.

Cobolli Escapes Five-Set Battle

Not every seeded player enjoyed such a comfortable afternoon.

Italian fifth seed Flavio Cobolli was forced into a dramatic comeback against Argentina’s Francisco Comesana at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Cobolli lost the opening two sets before recovering to win 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

The five-set victory provided one of the day’s biggest contrasts with the relatively smooth progress of Keys and Fritz. Rather than allowing the early deficit to overwhelm him, Cobolli gradually changed the momentum and completed his recovery in the deciding set.

Rain Causes Major Delays on Outside Courts

Weather became the dominant issue away from Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Persistent rain prevented outdoor matches from beginning on schedule, leaving spectators waiting around the grounds in ponchos as tournament officials monitored conditions.

Play on some courts was pushed back by nearly four hours, while the roofed stadiums allowed selected matches to continue.

Among the players affected was American teenager Thea Frodin, whose match against second seed Elena Rybakina on Grandstand began well after its planned start.

The weather disruption highlighted the advantage of the US Open’s roof-equipped show courts, where major matches can continue even when rain brings the rest of the tournament to a temporary stop.

American Stars Begin New York Campaign Positively

For the home crowd, the victories of offered an encouraging start to Tuesday’s action.

Keys successfully negotiated a potentially dangerous matchup against an ambitious young opponent, while Fritz produced the kind of controlled performance expected from a leading seed.

With several rounds still ahead, neither victory guarantees a deep tournament run. However, both Americans avoided the early difficulties that can quickly derail a Grand Slam campaign.

As the weather continued to influence the schedule around Flushing Meadows, Keys and Fritz were already safely through to the second round, giving American supporters two important reasons for optimism at the 2026 US Open.