Kim Birrell has finally broken through at the US Open, defeating Croatia's Petra Marcinko in a hard-fought three-set battle to record her first-ever win in New York and advance to the second round of the grand slam. The Queenslander, who had suffered first-round exits at Flushing Meadows in each of her previous four appearances, triumphed 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 in a match that stretched across two days due to a rain interruption.
The result lifts Birrell to a live ranking of No. 55 in the world — a potential new career high — and sets up a second-round encounter with 18th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Birrell's fighting spirit shines through adversity
The match was halted overnight with Birrell a set down and locked at three-all in the second-set tiebreak, giving the 28-year-old plenty of time to contemplate what felt like another early exit. When play resumed, she immediately dropped the first point — but that only appeared to sharpen her resolve.
Birrell then reeled off four consecutive points to claim the tiebreak and level the match, before navigating a tense final set full of critical moments. Marcinko, a physically powerful opponent, broke back point on three separate occasions in the third set, yet Birrell had an answer every time — twice delivering rare aces to hold serve under pressure.
The Croatian's tendency to wilt under sustained pressure ultimately proved decisive. Marcinko double-faulted to hand Birrell a match point, then sent a final forehand into the net to end the contest, sparking scenes of celebration in the Australian's corner.
Birrell's journey to this moment has been far from straightforward. She survived two career-threatening elbow surgeries before establishing herself as a top-100 contender, and has now won at least one match at each of the four grand slams — a mark of her persistence and determination. Her best major result remains a run to the third round at the 2019 Australian Open.
Vukic falls in a five-set thriller against Japanese rising star
While Birrell delivered cause for celebration, compatriot Aleks Vukic could not match her resilience, going down in five sets — 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 — to 20-year-old Japanese prospect Rei Sakamoto in a match that also required completion on Tuesday (AEST) after rain forced a suspension.
Sakamoto, a former junior world No. 1 who made headlines by ending Kei Nishikori's grand slam career in qualifying, appeared physically spent entering the decider. But he re-energised himself with a succession of bold, aggressive shots to break Vukic in the opening game of the fifth set and never looked back. He did not concede a single break point to the Australian in the entire deciding set.
The young Japanese player looks well-placed to become a significant force on the tour in the coming years.
Australia's day two in full swing, more matches to come
Birrell became the second Australian to win at this year's US Open, following Taylah Preston's straight-sets victory over American Alycia Parks on day one — a result that made the most of Preston's wildcard entry into the draw.
The Australian contingent remains busy, with Rinky Hijikata, Alexei Popyrin and Maya Joint all scheduled to play. James Duckworth is also in the mix, holding a two-sets-to-one lead over 30th-seeded Italian Matteo Arnaldi as he chases his first US Open win in four years. Alex de Minaur is set to begin his campaign on Wednesday.
Sabalenka, Alcaraz and Tsitsipas among day's big storylines
Elsewhere in the draw, top seed Aryna Sabalenka moved through comfortably with a 6-2, 6-4 dismissal of Camila Osorio, while seven-time grand slam champion Carlos Alcaraz appears on track for victory in his first match since April following a wrist injury layoff.
The day's most significant upset was produced by Stefanos Tsitsipas, who eliminated Cincinnati Masters champion and tournament favourite Arthur Fils in four sets — a result that reshapes the outlook in the men's draw considerably.
