Tamara Zidanšek Joins Veronika Erjavec at US Open After Tough Qualifying Battle

Slovenia will be represented by two players in the main draw of the US Open in New York this year. Veronika Erjavec secured a direct entry, and she will be joined by Tamara Zidanšek, who battled through a demanding qualifying tournament.

Zidanšek, currently ranked 146th, faced a significant challenge in the final qualifying round against Canada's Bianca Andreescu, a former US Open champion. The match lasted two hours and 43 minutes, with Zidanšek ultimately prevailing after a dramatic comeback. Andreescu had taken an early lead in the first set, and again in the second, but Zidanšek fought back to win the second set and then dominated the third.

This hard-fought victory secures Zidanšek's place in the main draw, her first Grand Slam appearance since the 2025 Australian Open. It is also her first time competing in the main draw at the US Open since 2022 and her fifth appearance overall. Her best performance at the US Open was reaching the second round in 2021.

On her path to the main draw, Zidanšek defeated Laura Samson of the Czech Republic and Guiomar Maristany of Spain before her notable win over Andreescu. Another Slovenian player, Polona Hercog, also competed in the qualifying rounds but was eliminated in her first match.