Players are looking to leave an impression at the final Grand Slam of the season, the US Open.
Last year saw two new US Open champions, with Jannik Sinner beating Taylor Fritz to win the men’s singles title for the first time.
While in the women’s tournament, it was Aryna Sabalenka who won the US Open after beating another American in Jessica Pegula.
Both Sinner and Sabalenka come into 2025 looking to defend their titles, while a former junior Grand Slam finalist is bidding to win her first match at the US Open on her eighth attempt.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesAnna Blinkova: The former junior Grand Slam finalist who has never won a US Open match
That player is world number 77 Anna Blinkova, the former junior Grand Slam finalist who is winless in her seven main draw appearances at the US Open.
Blinkova reached the final of the Wimbledon girls’ tournament in 2015, and has found some success on the WTA Tour after winning one title and reaching a career-high singles ranking of world number 34.
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The Russian is also a history maker, having won the longest tie-break ever against Elena Rybakina at the 2024 Australian Open.
However, Blinkova’s record at the US Open is significantly less impressive, as she has lost seven of her previous matches at the New York major.
Five of these seven defeats have come in straight sets, with Blinkova suffering her heaviest defeat yet in 2024 at the hands of Emma Navarro.
YearAnna Blinkova’s US Open result2017Lost in the first round to Elena Vesnina (17), 6-1 6-32018Lost in the first round to Vera Zvonareva (Q), 6-2 6(6)-7 7-52019Lost in the first round to Naomi Osaka (1), 6-4 6(5)-7 6-22020Lost in the first round to Jennifer Brady (28), 6-3 6-22021Lost in the first round to Valentini Grammatikopoulou, 6-3 6-22023Lost in the first round to Jodie Burrage, 6-3 6-42024Lost in the first round to Emma Navarro (13), 6-1 6-1
Blinkova will be looking to end her losing streak at the US Open this year, but her recent form does not provide much encouragement about that happening.
The 26-year-old has won only one of her last six matches and as an unseeded player, she could be drawn to play anyone in the first round, including Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek.
WTA players who are looking to win their first US Open match this year
No-one who is playing at the US Open this year has lost more matches than Blinkova without winning a match, but she is certainly not alone.
The other player who has lost all seven of her matches at the US Open is two-time WTA title winner Victorija Golubic.
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Some of the other players who are seeking their first win at the US Open this year include Americans Hailey Baptiste, Alycia Parks and world number 32 McCartney Kessler, who will be seeded this year.
Kessler, who has been predicted to break the top 10, made her US Open debut last year and lost in the first round to Marta Kostyuk.
WTA player who has competed at the US Open beforeUS Open RecordAnna Blinkova0-7Victorija Golubic0-7Mayar Sherif0-4Hailey Baptiste0-2Jaqueline Cristian0-2Nuria Parrizas Diaz0-2Alycia Parks0-2Kimberley Birrell0-2McCartney Kessler0-1Solana Sierra0-1Yulia Starodubtseva0-1Lulu Sun0-1Elsa Jacquemot0-1Leolia Jeanjean0-1Clervie Ngounoue0-1
There are already confirmed to be 15 main draw debutants at the US Open this year, including Canadian Open champion Victoria Mboko.
Mboko looks to be a real threat at the US Open this year, as the 18-year-old looks to continue her breakout year.
All of these players will get the chance to win their first match at the US Open when the main draw gets underway on Sunday, August 24.