PREVIEW US Open 2025 Day One - Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic take Centre Stage in New York

Day One of the 2025 US Open is upon us on Sunday 24 August with two of the top names on either side of the draw in action in Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka lighting up proceedings in New York.

Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton also give American fans something to shout about on Arthur Ashe with Emma Raducanu and Taylor Fritz also in action elsewhere on Louis Armstrong.

It is perhaps an interesting complexion on opening day as the defending champion in Aryna Sabalenka won't be on the night session, in fact her final opponent Jessica Pegula will be instead but that is perhaps how it goes when it is their main home hope apart from Coco Gauff in the women's draw.

Sabalenka faces Rebeka Masarova and perhaps it is done by the organisers in mind with Sabalenka very much used to knocking the doors down and easing through her opening rounds and having Ben Shelton on that opening round ticket is one that perhaps is a better proposition to fit the American box.

Shelton kicks proceedings off against Ignacio Buse. A previous semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows, he has ascended to new heights just recently winning the Canadian Open really arriving as a top tennis star. The American has been touted alongside his compatriots in Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe as being on the verge of a breakthrough.

He lost to Alexander Zverev in the latter stages of Cincinnati too so it wasn't just a one week form boost for Shelton as he managed to keep it going and he now faces Buse in perhaps the best place he has been so far in what has been a professional career that his risen and risen. He is now World No.6, the highest he has ever ascended to with room to grow and will begin proceedings taking Centre Stage.

Onto Sabalenka who won the US Open last year after the year before crying after letting it slip against Coco Gauff. She has not had a great time in majors this year but still remains the undisputed queen of women's tennis. She plays second in the day session against Rebeka Masarova aiming to repeat her title triumph from last year and make New York her house.

The player she beat in the final last year is Jessica Pegula but she sits more at a crossroads. The American was incredible in the spring but the summer has seen her flounder and lose to players that she wouldn't have done before under her Queen of Consistency mould. But of course she managed to reach a Grand Slam final after enacting change shows that it can just be a flick of a switch and she would trade those poor losses as of late for another shot at glory especially on home turf. She plays Mayar Sherif.

Novak Djokovic could be on upset watch though it has to be said against Learner Tien. He dumped out Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open at the turn of the year and has had superb wins in Canada and DC as of late. Tien speaking on the eve of the tournament dictated why his game lends itself to upsets.

“I try to approach all my matches thinking about what I can control and trying to focus on my side of the court,” he said as per the Olympics website.

“That helps, when I’m playing someone ranked [world number] five or if I’m playing someone ranked 200. It helps me be focused and not think of who I’m playing as much as what I need to do. Sometimes your head can go a lot of different places in those matches.

“It helps me a lot, just focusing on what I can control. I think it’s an amazing opportunity. It’s kind of like a childhood dream that’s finally come true.

“It will be surreal to get on court with him. I’ve said a few times that I would love to play him before he retires. It’s really cool to be able to play him on a stage like this, and not at an ATP 250 or something."

Djokovic semi hinted that the end was close at Wimbledon and that he might not have anymore. He hasn't played since then so which version turns up remains to be seen. He will as ever though take Night Session billing alongside Pegula. Two upsets on the cards?

Then onto last year's men's finalist Taylor Fritz will headline the day session on Louis Armstrong as he aims to revive his golden run to the final last year where he lost out to Jannik Sinner. He faces Emilio Nava.

He lost to Ben Shelton in Canada and Terence Atmane in Cincinnati so ultimately the two stories of their respective events so comes in on some kind of a form line as of late. He opens up in an all American clash.

Before that is the queen of New York four years ago in Emma Raducanu who faces Ena Shibahara in her opener. Raducanu is perhaps best placed as she ever has been since that triumph with a new partnership with Francisco Roig. Her previous partnership with Mark Petchey saw her fix errors, be out on court a lot more and finally shut up doubters who have been on her case since she won the title as a fresh faced qualifier at 18.

It is less expectation nowadays but still big billing as she faces Shibahara and she will hope that the narrowly less scheduling on the day session on Louis Armstrong will help her be a floater in the draw and show what she has been working on with the Spaniard.

Night session wise it is Jasmine Paolini facing Destanee Aiava. Then Daniil Medvedev aims to avoid another loss to Benjamin Bonzi. Left flabbergasted last time they played, Medvedev will get a chance to solve that puzzle again on the Night Session.

Emma Navarro dumped out Coco Gauff last year reaching the semi-finals but she returns this year just trying to win. She played Monterrey this week in a bid for form and lost early. She has barely been able to string wins together as of late.

She faces Wang Yafan on Grandstand on Sunday aiming to build. A year on from a best Grand Slam, it is new pressure for her and it is sink or swim time. Other intriguing ties include Alexandra Eala v Clara Tauson while Jakub Mensik faces Nicolas Jarry.

Leylah Fernandez also elsewhere faces Rebecca Marino in an all Canadian clash. Fernandez similar to Navarro has been up and down but gone from the up of DC and her title success there to losing early in most other events including Monterrey so a few on upset watch also on the outside courts.