Fearnley leads British contingent nearing US Open main draw
Four British players — Fearnley, Samuel, Wendelken and Dart — are one win from the US Open main draw after second-round qualifying victories, while several other seeds including Andreescu and Zheng also advanced.
Four Britons made progress in US Open qualifying in New York, each standing one win away from a place in the main draw after second-round victories.
Jacob Fearnley, the 25-year-old ranked 100th in the world, fought back from a break down to beat France's Luka Pavlovic 6-4 6-7 6-4 in three sets. He now faces Austria's Jurij Rodionov for a main-draw spot.
Toby Samuel, 23, seeking his first US Open qualification, came from behind to defeat fellow Briton Billy Harris 4-6 6-4 6-1. He will next play Chile's former top-20 player Cristian Garin.
Harry Wendelken, 24 and ranked 196th, saved a match point during a three-hour battle to beat Switzerland's Remy Bertola 5-7 7-6 6-4, having trailed by a set and 5-2 at one stage. He advances to face Lithuania's Vilius Gaubas.
Harriet Dart, ranked 77th, rallied from a set down to beat American teenager Kristina Penickova 5-7 6-0 6-3, dominating the final two sets. She could next meet fellow Briton Heather Watson or Spain's Angela Fita Boluda.
Other Britons, Fran Jones and Katie Swan, play their second-round matches on Wednesday, while Jack Pinnington Jones was eliminated, losing 2-6 7-6 6-3 to Finland's Otto Virtanen after winning the opening set.
Elsewhere, former semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov beat Kazakhstan's Timofey Skatov to continue his bid for a 15th US Open appearance, setting up a clash with Virtanen. China's Zheng Qinwen, playing Grand Slam qualifying for the first time since 2022, defeated France's Clara Burel and will face Russia's Elena Pridankina. Former champion Bianca Andreescu also advanced, beating Ukraine's Veronika Podre 6-0 6-3, and next faces Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek.
