GB's Samuel earns first win at Grand Slam - but 'nervous' Norrie beaten
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- British qualifier Toby Samuel defeated Tomas Machac 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 on his US Open main-draw debut to earn his first Grand Slam match win.
- The 23-year-old, who missed much of 2024 with a right-arm injury, has risen into the live ATP top 100 and earned a career-best $140,000 in prize money.
- Samuel will face Czech 18th seed Jiri Lehecka in the second round, while fellow Briton Katie Boulter also advanced.
Toby Samuel marked his US Open main-draw debut with a dominant 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over former world number 20 Tomas Machac in just over 90 minutes.
It means everything to me. It's what I dreamt of as a kid watching these big tournaments. Being able to win my first Grand Slam match is unbelievable.
The 23-year-old Briton had come through qualifying in New York, recovering from a set down in each of his three matches. Against Machac, he controlled the opening two sets and dropped only five points across nine service games. After falling 2-0 behind at the start of the third, he won the next six games, saving two break points along the way.
“It means everything to me. It's what I dreamt of as a kid watching these big tournaments,” Samuel told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Being able to win my first Grand Slam match is unbelievable.”
I'm still a little bit but I'm definitely more comfortable being around those top guys because I could be playing them the next day.
The victory continues a rapid rise for Samuel, who fell close to 2,000th in the rankings after bone bruising in his right arm sidelined him for much of 2024. He is now inside the live ATP top 100 and has earned $140,000, the biggest payday of his career. A new ranking would secure automatic qualification for next January’s Australian Open.
I have to start thinking of them not as stars but people I can play against.
Samuel, from Winchester, will meet Czech 18th seed Jiri Lehecka in the second round. Fellow British player Katie Boulter also advanced after beating American wildcard Carol Young Suh Lee 6-4, 3-6, 6-0. Samuel said he is becoming more comfortable around top players after initially feeling starstruck, and credited former University of South Carolina teammates in the crowd for bringing “fighting energy” to his first-round match.
fighting energy
About this summary
Originally published by BBC News. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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