US Open 2025: Will Vitalii Sachko break 8-year Ukrainian drought?

Sachko begins his campaign at US Open 2025

The US Open will be the first Grand Slam tournament of the season for the Ukrainian tennis player.

Vitalii Sachko will try to reach the main draw. It is something no Ukrainian has achieved in the past two years. The last Ukrainian player in the qualifying rounds was Oleksii Krutykh in 2023, who, however, was eliminated in the first round.

To earn a spot in the main draw, Sachko must defeat three opponents. His first opponent, determined during the draw, will be 32-year-old Japanese player Taro Daniel, ranked 155th in the world. The two players have never faced each other before.

Possible path to the main draw

The road to the main round of the US Open 2025 will not be easy for Vitalii Sachko. In the first round, he will face Taro Daniel from Japan.

If Sachko wins, his opponent in the qualifying semifinals will be one of two players: Frenchman Clément Chide or German Jan-Lennard Struff.

In the final round for a spot in the main draw, the Ukrainian may face the top-seeded qualifier, Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, or the winner of one of the other matches: Mark Lajal/Jay Clarke/Jack Setterfield.

If Sachko wins all three qualifying rounds, he will become the first Ukrainian male tennis player in eight years to compete in the main draw of this tournament. The last Ukrainian to play in the main draw was Olexandr Dolhopolov in 2017, who reached the fourth round.

Sachko already has experience at the US Open. In 2023, he also attempted to qualify but was eliminated in the first round.

The qualifying matches for the US Open 2025 are scheduled to begin on Monday, July 18. Sachko's match against Daniel will take place on Court No. 9 as the third match of the session.