Luca Van Assche led the French contingent in the first round of US Open qualifying on Monday, defeating veteran Pablo Cuevas with a score of 6-2, 6-1. The 20-year-old showcased his skills by converting five of ten break points against the 38-year-old Uruguayan player, as he seeks to improve on his debut at Flushing Meadows last year, where he was eliminated in the first round.
Currently ranked No. 111 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Van Assche has dropped from his previous position of No. 65. He is striving to return to the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF for the second consecutive year, currently occupying the fifth spot in the PIF ATP Race to Jeddah.
Alongside Van Assche, Richard Gasquet, Lucas Pouille, and Harold Mayot also advanced on the opening day of qualifying. Gasquet aims for his 20th main draw appearance at the US Open this year, with his best performance being a semi-final finish in 2013.
Pouille looks to replicate his recent qualifying success from Wimbledon, where he won all his matches to reach the main draw. He is set to face Mayot, who hopes to advance through qualifying for the first time this year after unsuccessful attempts at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Additionally, former US Open quarter-finalist Diego Schwartzman moved into the second round with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Andrea Pellegrino. Schwartzman, who announced his retirement plans for 2025, will compete against fellow Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante in his next match.