US Open R1 - Alcaraz's new look, Raducanu's 1st win since title run, Venus lights up Ashe

New York, New York! The opening round of the 2025 US Open has had a little bit of everything — shock exits, emotional goodbyes, and first class meltdowns (ahem, Daniil Medvedev) so why not join Kim and Chris as they unpack all the drama from Flushing Meadows. Making the headlines, Australian Open champion Madison Keys’ surprise defeat to Renata Zarazua was the standout upset, as the American struggled with nerves and unforced errors in front of the home crowd. At the other end of the spectrum, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz opened their campaigns in style, with Djokovic overcoming the tricky up and comer Learner Tien whilst Alcaraz produced a near faultless win against big serving Reilly Opelka— though his new buzzcut stole plenty of headlines too. Is his brother to blame for a shocking buzz cut? Emma Raducanu also made waves, securing her first US Open win since her 2021 triumph, while Iga Swiatek maintained her blistering summer form with a commanding start. No bagels, but the New York bakery is open with a breadstick! Elsewhere, Venus Williams delighted Arthur Ashe Stadium in a three-set battle with Karolina Muchova, and the sport bid farewell to two beloved champions, Petra Kvitova and Caroline Garcia, who played their final matches. Add in Daniil Medvedev’s latest meltdown that had the team wondering whether he went too far this time and plenty of bold-prediction drama in the Tennis Weekly camp, Round 1 has certainly set the tone for a thrilling fortnight ahead. SOCIALS Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , TikTok and YouTube , plus email the show tennisweeklypod@gmail.com . MERCH Purchase Tennis Weekly Merch through our Etsy store including limited edition designs by Krippa Design where all proceeds go towards the podcast so we can keep doing what we do! REVIEWS ***Please take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It really means a lot to us at HQ and helps make it easier for new listeners to discover us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.