By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 30, 2026
Photo credit: Pete Staples/USTA
NEW YORK—Sliding into the corner, Tommy Paul spun around as he stabbed a shot back to extend the point.
Regaining his balance, a streaking Paul slid a flat pass down the line leaving qualifier Coleman Wong lunging at air.
Timely turnarounds helped Paul stage a second-set revival sparking a 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 US Open opening-round win on Armstrong Stadium Court.
The 20th-seeded Paul powered into the second round for the fifth consecutive year. Paul smacked 43 winners—11 more than Wong—against 29 unforced errors. More importantly, Paul showed the entire shot spectrum, roping some returns down the line, playing serve-and-volley points on occasion and pulling off some slick volleys.
“I feel like I started the match really, really well,” Paul said in his on-court interview. “Obviously had a little hiccup there at the end of the first set. I didn’t think I played too well in the breaker.
“I knew I had to up my intensity in the second set and rest of the match, really. I wanted to get the crowd involved, I think we had some good points, and it was fun to play with you guys.”
Former US Open boys’ finalist Paul, who resides in defending champion Carlos Alcaraz’s bottom quarter, will play Dino Prizmic for a third-round spot.
Earlier, the 102nd-ranked Croatian Prizmic saved two match points out-dueling Aleksandr Shevchenko 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory in three hours, 54 minutes. Shevchenko served for the second round at 5-4 in the final set and had two match points, but Prizmic reeled off three games in a row converting his first match point to reach the second round.
Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev drilled 10 aces and did not drop serve dismissing Frenchman Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court.
The 2021 US Open champion Medvedev, who lost to Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in the 2025 US Open opener, improved to 34-8 lifetime in Flushing Meadows.
“Last couple of weeks were not easy,” Medvedev told Andrea Petkovic afterward. “Yoou know how it is sometimes you lose matches and sometimes you win.
“Today I managed to produce high level tennis. I finished the match strong and started strong I’m really happy the way I played.”
A fast first step and a willingness to attack net—he was 28 of 35 in the forecourt today—helped Paul create chaos for Wong. Paul broke on a forehand error and backed up the break at love for 4-2.
The big-serving Wong, who reached the US Open third round last year, exploited the American’s sloppy stretch when Paul served for the set at 5-4. Paul pushed a volley deep then slapped a couple of forehands into net gifting the break at love.
Wong rushed out to a 4-1 tiebreaker lead then closed a one-set lead when Paul committed his third forehand error of the break.
Resetting, Paul lofted a lob that helped him break for a 2-0 second-set. Slamming a 131 mph ace, Paul extended to 3-0.
Though Wong was still bringing serious heat on serve, Paul was reading it better and intercepting the T serve. Paul pumped a pair of aces closing the second set.
Breaking again to start the third set, Paul wrapped back-to-back love holds for a 5-3 lead. When Wong double faulted deep, Paul snatched a two sets to one lead after two hours, three minutes of play.
A cluster of foreboding clouds overhead prompted officials to lose the retractable roof over Ashe as Wong took treatment for an apparent lower back issue.
Beating the man from Hong Kong to the ball, Paul slid into a crackling forehand pass to break for 2-0.
Closing the first round with a bang, Paul rocketed a 139 mph ace down the T to wrap the opening round up in two hours, 41 minutes.
New York is a special place for Paul, who married wife Paige Lorenze on Long Island about 47 days ago. Now, Paul is relishing celebrating American tennis in New York.
“There’s nothing like it,” Paul said of playing the US Open. “New York sports in general is amazing, but then the US Open is different.
“All of us Americans, we absolutely love playing in front of you guys, it makes it a hundred times more fun so thank you guys.”
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