Maria Sakkari to face American qualifier Robin Montgomery in US Open first round

Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari has learned the identity of her first-round opponent at the US Open: American qualifier Robin Montgomery. The match is set to take place on either Monday, August 31, or Tuesday, September 1.

This encounter marks the first time Sakkari, currently ranked 32nd in the tournament's draw, and Montgomery, ranked 187th globally, will compete against each other on the professional tour. Montgomery, a 21-year-old American, earned her place in the main draw through a series of strong performances in the qualifying rounds.

Montgomery's path to the main draw included victories over Kayla Cross and Jule Niemeier. In the final qualifying round, she defeated Carson Branstine in a hard-fought three-set match, winning 2-6, 6-2, 6-2. Her determination and skill in the qualifiers signal that she could pose a challenge to Sakkari.

Should Sakkari advance past Montgomery, she would face the winner of the match between Varvara Gracheva and Anna Karolína Schmiedlová in the second round. Speculation suggests a potential third-round clash with Elena Rybakina, adding another layer of anticipation to Sakkari's US Open campaign.