Heather Watson has advanced through the first round of US Open qualifying, marking a significant step toward a main draw appearance in New York for the first time in five years. She was among several British players to achieve early success in the tournament.
In the mixed doubles, Henry Patten and Lloyd Glasspool also secured victories in their qualifying matches on Monday. Patten, partnered with Czech player Katerina Siniakova, defeated Americans Peyton Stearns and Christian Harrison. Siniakova and Patten are the current world number ones in women's and men's doubles, respectively.
Patten and Siniakova are slated to face Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka in the first round of the main draw. Glasspool, alongside his partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand, earned a win against Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Kristina Mladenovic of France. They are scheduled to compete against Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz in their upcoming match.
The US Open mixed doubles format was adjusted last year to incorporate top singles players, aiming to increase the event's appeal. Under the revised structure, the top six pairs based on combined singles rankings received direct entry, with eight additional pairs receiving wildcards. The tournament now spans three days prior to the main draw, featuring a condensed scoring system with shorter sets and no 'advantage' scoring before the final, and utilizing 10-point match tie-breaks throughout.