Toby Samuel wins first Grand Slam at US Open

British qualifier Toby Samuel has won his first Grand Slam match on his US Open main-draw debut. The 23-year-old earned $140,000, the biggest payday of his career, with a straight-sets victory over Tomas Machac.

Samuel dominated the Czech opponent, winning 6-2, -3, 6-2 in just over 90 minutes. He told reporters 5 Live the victory was the realization of a childhood dream. "Being able to win my first Grand Slam match is unbelievable," he said.

His journey to this point has been rapid. Just two years ago, bone bruising in his right arm saw his ranking fall to near 2,000th in the world. A run of 36 wins in 39 matches on the ATP Challenger Tour last year helped his recovery. He is now inside the top 100 in the live ATP rankings.

A Breakthrough Season

2026 has been a year of firsts for the Winchester native. He came through qualifying to make his Grand Slam debut at the French Open, having never previously played an ATP Tour match. He followed that with a semi-final run at Eastbourne, a Wimbledon wildcard, and a third Challenger title on hard courts in Winnipeg.

His new ranking would secure automatic entry for the Australian Open in January. That would complete his set of appearances at all four majors, just a year after breaking into the top 250. Samuel admitted to feeling starstruck by top players like Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros but is adjusting. "I have to start thinking of them not as stars but people I can play against," he said.

He was clinical against Machac, dropping just five points across his first nine service games. After falling 2-0 behind in the third set, he won six consecutive games to seal the match. He next faces Czech 18th seed Jiri Lehecka.

British Results in New York

Samuel is joined in the second round by compatriot Katie Boulter. She battled past American wildcard Carol Young Suh Lee in three sets. The British contingent did not have universal success, however.

Cameron Norrie, the 29th seed, suffered a first-round exit. The British number two lost in four sets to France's Luca Van Assche. Norrie won the first set in a tie-break but only claimed seven games across the next three.

Norrie was critical of his own performance. He made 49 unforced errors, more than double his opponent's 21. "I felt like I lost to myself today," Norrie said. He described feeling nervous and unable to maintain energy. It marks his third consecutive first-round loss at a Grand Slam.

Rain halted play on the outdoor courts late in the day. That suspended the first-round match of British lucky loser Jacob Fearnley. He is a break down at 4-3 in the first set against Spain's Martin Landaluce.

College Roots and Family Support

Samuel attributes part of his development to the American collegiate system. He was a junior world number 57 but was encouraged by his parents to study at the University of South Carolina. There, he won an All American doubles title and adapted to lively crowds.

Several of his former college teammates were in the crowd for his US Open win. He credited their "fighting energy" for helping him secure the victory. His parents watched him through qualifying but were also supporting his brother, who has just started university in America. Samuel expects his father to fly back for his second-round match.