The 2025 US Open is underway in New York and is already living up to its high standards. Day 1 of the year’s last Grand Slam had everything for all the fans. From Alex Eala’s history-making debut in the Big Apple tournament to Daniil Medvedev’s chaotic meltdown after the match umpire’s controversial call, there was something to satiate every need of the tennis connoisseurs. And now, the second day of the event is also a wrap, and here’s everything you need to know.

For over two decades, no American men’s tennis star has been able to triumph as the victory at Flushing Meadows. Naturally, like every US Open in the last twenty years, home fans can’t wait to see if the long drought finally ends this time around. But Day 2 instead had more heartbreak waiting for the Americans.

Big defeats early in Day 2 of the US Open, along with one surprise announcement

Probably the biggest highlight of the second day of the US Open came early in the day. Two-time Wimbledon winner, Petra Kvitova of Czechia, took a 6-1, 6-0 defeat to France’s Diane Parry in the women’s singles Round 1. Following the loss, the 35-year-old star dropped an announcement that took everyone by surprise. “I’m totally ready [to retire]. I’m not regretting anything,” Kvitova noted her decision to hang up her shoes for good, while noting that she wants to spend more time with her son and family.

That’s one way of starting things off! On the other side, at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, things were also getting pretty intense and heartbreaking for the American fans. The 2025 Australian Open champ, Madison Keys, suffered an upset 7-6 (12-10), 6-7 (3-7), 5-7 loss at the hands of Mexico’s Renata Zarazua. Thankfully, though, Frances Tiafoe managed to hold his ground in his first match of the US Open by defeating Yashihito Nishioka of Japan in 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, and advanced to the next round.

Venus Williams falls, despite all her good intentions

All eyes were definitely on Venus Williams. When the 45-year-old 7x Grand Slam winner came out of her retirement earlier this year and revealed her intentions to play at the US Open, fans were justifiably livid. Williams’ sister, Serena, also pledged to support her older sister all the way, further fueling the hype. But alas, all that came to a bitter end.

Venus succumbed to Czechia’s Karolina Muchova 3-6, 6-2, 1-6, and exited the US Open from Round 1. Quite possibly the biggest contributor to the fans’ dismay at this year’s New York tennis tournament. What added to the US fans’ blues was probably Williams’ statement before her US Open comeback, which underscored just how much she wanted to give it one more go at her old stomping grounds.

“Yeah, my team and I, we worked as hard and as fast as we could. Like, we literally took no days off. I haven’t gone to dinner. I haven’t seen friends. I haven’t done anything except train for three months as hard as I could,” Venus had told reporters before her match against Muchova. While Williams’ followers struggled with the star’s defeat, US fans were dealt another blow as Reilly Opelka fell to Carlos Alcaraz in 4-6, 5-7, 4-6.

More Americans fall at the US Open

At the Louis Armstrong Stadium, Alycia Parks was subdued by Mirra Andreeva 0-6, 1-6. Sebastian Korda and Julieta Pareja lost to Britain’s Cameron Norrie and Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, respectively. Karen Khachanov dominated Nishesh Basavareddy 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 in Stadium 17, while in Court 5, Alyssa Ahn was trampled over by Elise Mertens of Belgium.

Argentine Francisco Fomenesco won 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 over American Alex Michelsen in Court 7. Clevie Ngounoue gave way to Anna Kalinskaya in Court 12, while in the same court for the men’s singles, Jan-Lennard Struff trounced Mackenzie McDonald. Aleksander Kovacevic and Claire Liu also lost their respective first rounds in Court 13, along with Katie Volynets.

Now, we wait for the action to resume tomorrow. For updates and more, keep an eye out for EssentiallySports’ US Open live blog!