British qualifier Toby Samuel marked his US Open main-draw debut with a commanding performance, defeating former world number 20 Tomas Machac to secure his first-ever Grand Slam victory. The 23-year-old dominated the match, finishing with 24 winners and 13 unforced errors, compared to 22 winners and 25 unforced errors from his opponent. He wrapped up the contest 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in just over 90 minutes.
Reflecting on the milestone, Samuel said Radio 5 Live that the achievement meant everything to him, describing it as a childhood dream come true. The win follows a grueling week in New York where he had to come from a set down in each of his three qualifying matches to earn his spot in the tournament. This victory guarantees him a significant career payday of $140,000 (£103,000) and moves him into the top 100 of the live ATP rankings.
Samuel’s rise is particularly notable given his struggles just two years ago, when bone bruising in his right arm caused his world ranking to plummet toward 2,000th. After a successful 2025 season on the ATP Challenger Tour, he has reached new heights in 2026, including his Grand Slam debut at the French Open and a semi-final run at Eastbourne. He credits his development to the American collegiate system at the University of South Carolina, where he won an All-American doubles title and learned to handle high-pressure environments.
Adjusting to life on the main tour, Samuel admitted he is becoming more comfortable around top-tier players he once idolized. While he was initially starstruck at Roland Garros, he is now focused on viewing his opponents as competitors rather than stars. He will face Czech 18th seed Jiri Lehecka in the second round, with his father expected to travel to New York to support him.
In contrast, British number two Cameron Norrie endured a difficult start to his campaign, falling to Frenchman Luca Van Assche in four sets. Despite winning the opening set in a tie-break, the 29th seed struggled to maintain momentum and was ultimately undone by 49 unforced errors—more than double his opponent’s tally of 21. Norrie, who has now suffered three consecutive first-round exits at Grand Slams, expressed his frustration after the match, stating he felt like he lost to himself.
Elsewhere in the tournament, British number four Jacob Fearnley faces a delay in his opening match. Play was suspended at approximately 9 p.m. local time due to rain, leaving Fearnley—a lucky loser who entered the draw after falling in qualifying—trailing Spain’s Martin Landaluce by a break at 4-3 in the first set. The match is scheduled to resume on Monday.
Meanwhile, Katie Boulter provided a boost for the British contingent by battling past American wildcard Carol Young Suh Lee in three sets, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 to advance to the second round alongside Samuel. The report also notes that it’s what I dreamt of as a kid watching these big tournaments,” Samuel said Radio 5 Live. The report also notes that just two years ago, Samuel fell to almost 2,000th in the world rankings as bone bruising in his right arm ruled him out of much of the 2024 season. The report also notes that along with earning $140,000 (£103,000) in prize money in the biggest payday of his career so far, he now sits inside the top 100 in the live ATP rankings. The report also notes that but has reached new heights in 2026, samuel won 36 of 39 matches on the ATP Challenger Tour to return to the top 300 last year. The report also notes that a Wimbledon wildcard, and a third Challenger crown of the year on Winnipeg’s hard courts, he continued that momentum with a run to the semi-finals at Eastbourne. The report also notes that completing the set of major appearances a year after making his top-250 debut, samuel’s new ranking would secure automatic qualification for next January’s Australian Open. The report also notes that admitting to being starstruck in the locker room at Roland Garros by the likes of Alexander Zverev, Samuel is slowly adjusting to his new surroundings. The report also notes that i’m still a little bit but I’m definitely more comfortable being around those top guys because I could be playing them the next day,” he said.
