PREVIEW US Open Day Two ATP and WTA - Carlos Alcaraz, Venus Williams, Jack Draper and Mirra Andreeva set for New York openers

Day Two of the 2025 US Open is upon us after a fractious night which saw Daniil Medvedev's tempers flare as well as wins for Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic and Jessica Pegula. Carlos Alcaraz, Venus Williams, Jack Draper and Mirra Andreeva are all in action on Day Two in New York.

The day session sees two of America's top stars who just so happened to team together at the US Open mixed doubles and are good friends taking Centre Stage

“Love Foe [Frances Tiafoe],” she said pre the mixed doubles. "We have known each other for many, many years. I mean, I always love watching him play tennis. It’s always super fun. We play obviously very differently.

“But he’s one of the best guys. He always has amazing energy. He’s one of the happiest people you’ll ever be around.”

Now they get the honour of going back-to-back at the US Open on Arthur Ashe. Tiafoe as ever is very much the go-to at Flushing Meadows. The site of some of his greatest runs, he has reached semi-finals in 2022 and 2024 in the event and is very much the Big Apple personified. An entertaining showman worth the ticket price. While Keys returns and opens up as a Grand Slam champion.

Winning the Australian Open in one of the most dazzling weeks all season, she was backed to either kick on or not afterwards and it has been the latter albeit part of that also came from the fact that Keys didn't play for the majority of the aftermath heading back to the US into Indian Wells and the like and while she has been steady, it has not been the conquering lightning in a bottle week that she had in Melbourne. She opens against Renata Zarazua. While Tiafoe faces Yoshihito Nishioka.

We will head back to Arthur Ashe for the headline acts but on Louis Armstrong is also a strong slate as Victoria Mboko opens up in a tie that perhaps she will garner attention from given it was one of the best first rounds. But in reality, it couldn't be tougher for a player who only got a seeding by virtue of her incredible Canadian Open run.

Not to take anything away from her win but it is not sustained so being likely favoured to beat Barbora Krejcikova who is a two-time Grand Slam champion is very much a different kettle of fish entirely. But it will be interesting to see what she does still in the spotlight but not on the glare of Ashe or even the Night Session. She opens up and is joined then by Jack Draper who has also had a glittering year.

Winning Indian Wells, he goes into the US Open though as a question mark. He faces Federico Agustin Gomez, an Argentine qualifier and Draper has not played mixed doubles aside since Wimbledon so it'll be interesting to see what version turns up. Given his perchance for American hard courts earlier this year, it should be a match that he can get his teeth stuck into and remove the rust. But he has been honest about his issues with his arm injury and whether that still bothers him will be dictated by the scoreline.

It is a bit of a resurgent light special on Armstrong with Casper Ruud and Mirra Andreeva concluding proceedings. Ruud missed Wimbledon with injury. Won a few games in Canada but then was bundled out by Arthur Rinderknech in Cincinnati so what state his game is remains a mystery. He faces Sebastian Ofner third up. Before Andreeva who would be seen as one of the favourites ordinarily but suffered a freak ankle injury in Canada. She twisted her left ankle which led to uncertainty about whether she would even play in New York no mind Cincinnati the week after. She is here and faces Alycia Parks who lost to Diana Shnaider in the latter stages of Monterrey last week. So in terms of recent form it could be one on shock watch especially if there is any semblance of that injury still being there from Canada.

Back onto Arthur Ashe and the Night Session festivities. The two-time champion and 45 years young, Venus Williams will return home. Every time we quip it might be for the last time with Williams never setting a bonafide retirement date and never massively hinting at it either.

A lot hit out at the USTA for continuing to give Williams opportunities but the proof will be in the pudding when she takes to the court no doubt to massive acclaim and a huge crowd. Even in a day and age when her sister has long been retired and she is in her twilight, Venus Williams is still a ticket seller and people want to see her.

She faces Karolina Muchova. Hard to gauge. Last year she was one of the best stories of the event reaching the semi-finals and had it not been for stomach flu, she would've perhaps beaten Pegula. She continued that into the latter half of the season but like many such as Zheng Qinwen, Katie Boulter and even Diana Shnaider, it has not been a good 2025 after a good end to last year. She mooted that she may need wrist surgery at Wimbledon and will again defend a huge haul of points this week.

Many prayed that one of the top talents at her peak on the WTA Tour would finally be able to piece it together long term but it seems to not be there right now. She lost narrowly to Keys in Canada in the Last 16 but then was defeated by Varvara Gracheva in Cincinnati. She has thrived on this court before though so if anyone is to put on a show it's Muchova, it would be a huge shock really to see Williams win but also it similarly wouldn't surprise a lot in reality. A very interesting one. Muchova also won their last meeting at the US Open in 2020 in the same round. An omen?

Then onto the Spanish king Carlos Alcaraz. Reilly Opelka unironically hit the news this past day for his role in the Daniil Medvedev Greg Allensworth umpire fracas meltdown and he returns to action likely none the wiser. He will aim to send the serves down to thwart Alcaraz and give him a tricky opener. Many are expecting Sinalcaraz and Alcaraz perhaps out the two given that he won Cincinnati is the most on form but the most vulnerable.

Sinner looked better last week but fell apart in the final due to sheer exhaustion. While Alcaraz looked a bit tetchy at times. But it's as the old adage goes, get them early if you get them at all and that is the case. Interesting they've never played either.

There are stories throughout Flushing Meadows on Monday with Petra Kvitova potentially being retire by Diane Parry. It is the two-time Wimbledon champion's last ever match potentially in what could be an emotional farewell.

Joao Fonseca too returns on likely a packed Grandstand to face Miomir Kecmanovic, while Holger Rune and Elina Svitolina are also involved. Elena Rybakina faces American wildcard Julieta Pareja out on Stadium 17 alongside a top tie with Norrie facing Korda.

But also Caroline Garcia will play her last US Open and potentially her final main singles tournament. She is set to retire this year and Fly with Caro could set off for one last flight.