US Open: Austrians Start on Monday - Tagger Confident

Four of six Austrians will start their opening match in the singles main draw of the US Open on Monday.

These include Lilli Tagger (5:00 PM), Sinja Kraus (5:00 PM), Jurij Rodionov (approx. 6:15 PM) and Julia Grabher (approx. 9:30 PM). Anastasia Potapova and Filip Misolic are likely to be in action on Tuesday.

Tagger on opponent: "She shouldn't be able to surprise me now"

Tagger is in the main draw of the US Open for the first time, staying in a hotel near Times Square. "There's so much going on in the streets and they offer a lot of shows there too. That's pretty cool," she said in an interview with "Kleine Zeitung".

The East Tyrolean has won both encounters with her opponent Tamara Korpatsch (GER/WTA-47.). "I know how she plays and she shouldn't be able to surprise me now. But I mustn't underestimate her." Tagger also plays doubles; as at the French Open in Paris, she will compete with experienced Italian Sara Errani.

Viennese Sinja Kraus faces arguably the toughest first-round task for the Austrian singles sextet at the US Open in tennis, going up against Karolina Muchova (CZE/WTA-7.). The Czech comes as a Wimbledon finalist and has already secured a title at the current tournament on Wednesday in mixed doubles alongside her compatriot Jakub Mensik.

Kraus in the City of Her Childhood

The world No. 86 grew up near New York and had also visited the Flushing Meadows facility once before. "My older sisters played a youth tournament there. There are photos of it," the 24-year-old recounted. "It's a beautiful memory. It feels a bit like coming home because I associate so much with New York, with America."

She only started specifically focusing on Muchova after her first practice session on-site on Saturday. "She's certainly a big name," Kraus said of the world No. 7. "You want to play against players like that, to measure yourself against the best. I'm trying to enjoy it on the court."

The match will be played on the Grandstand on Monday. "As a little girl, I always dreamed of playing on the biggest courts in the world. That's where you gain the most experience, where you can learn so much. I have nothing to lose, I'm playing without pressure."

Grabher and Potapova Share an Opponent

Julia Grabher, ranked 114th, had just barely made it into the main draw and used the week before her tough opening match against the 16th-seeded Romanian Sorana Cirstea for match practice at a 125K tournament in nearby Philadelphia.

The 30-year-old was eliminated by Tereza Valentova (WTA-57.); the 19-year-old Czech therefore still had to compete in the final on Saturday before traveling on for her US Open opening duel with Anastasia Potapova.

Potapova's best US Open result is a third-round appearance in 2024, when she lost to Muchova. "I like being in New York. It's so electrifying, a different energy," explained Potapova, the No. 24 seed of the event.

"I like the conditions; it's very warm with high humidity." She likes the city, but that's not the point. "So I'm not here to enjoy the view from my hotel room." Of course, she's excited, perhaps a little nervous before the opening match. Her recent back problems should be a thing of the past.

Misolic Comeback: "Fortunately without pain"

Misolic also reported back healthy after a six-month break. "Currently, I'm fit and fortunately without pain."

He is already eagerly anticipating his first appearance – his first time in the US Open main draw – against world No. 25 Francisco Cerundolo (ARG).

"For me, it's a special city, a special Grand Slam with a very unique atmosphere."