Rybakina Beats Frodin at US Open

Elena Rybakina beat Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the 2026 US Open on Tuesday on Grandstand. The No. 2 seed needed 1 hour and 14 minutes, her first match since a left ankle injury forced her to retire against Iga Swiatek in the Cincinnati quarterfinals two weeks ago.

A four-hour rain delay sat in front of it. The World No. 1 race sat behind it. None of that showed up in the score. Rybakina broke three times, saved the only two break points she faced, and served it out with an ace.

The ankle, then the match

She had not played since that Cincinnati retirement. Before New York she said she "should be very fine" by the time she had to play. On court there was no limp to write home about, though the WTA recap noted the rallies never really stretched her movement.

Frodin, 17 and ranked No. 585, was in her first tour-level main draw after winning the USTA Girls' 18s National Championships. She hit the bigger serve, 122 mph to Rybakina's 120, and she hit more aces, 11 to 6. Five of those aces came in the last service game, including three on match point. It still was not enough.

How Rybakina closed it

Frodin piled up 21 unforced errors. Three double faults in the second set handed Rybakina a double break. Rybakina faced both of her break points at 4-1 in that set and erased them with unreturned serves. From 0-30 down when she served for the match, she won four straight points and took her fourth match point with an ace.

She held all nine service games. Tennis.com had her winning 76 percent of first-serve points and 82 percent of second-serve points. "She played really well today and she has great shots," Rybakina said of Frodin. Later she added, "I'm glad I played the match, won the match. We'll see how I feel tomorrow."

What the No. 1 race looks like

The Australian Open champion can lock No. 1 by reaching the semifinals. If Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, and Coco Gauff all fall short of the title, she gets there anyway. She said before the tournament that she was not sitting there counting points. Tuesday was the first box checked.

Darja Vidmanova or Jessica Bouzas Maneiro is next. Sabalenka already opened her title defense on Ashe. Rybakina's afternoon was quieter, later, and still straight sets. That is how you start a fortnight on one good ankle.