We’re back. We’re back at the US Open. Our first grand slam as a podcast. What a time.

Thursday was my first full day on the grounds. It’s as supposed to be the last day of qualifying but the rain prevented that. But it gave me a chance to see what was new around the grounds.

I’ve been coming to this tournament for over 10 years and there’s still something new every single time. This year might be the biggest change yet, with the construction happening at Arthur Ashe Stadium completely shifting the layout. That’s exactly where you’ll find me in the first hit of Ground Pass On Site, and I’m so excited to take you along all tournament long and show you what’s different on the ground this year.

Event though the rain pushed back most of qualifying a few players did beat the rain. Grigor Dimitrov made it through, and so did Robin Montgomery, who punched her ticket to the main draw for the first time since 2023. I sat down with her post-match to talk about her recovery from injury, her comeback on tour, winning a title earlier this year, and her Nike kit, which I’m calling the Nike New York Liberty kit.

Later that night, the Open hosted Stars of the Open, one of the exhibition events of Fan Week, and what really caught my eye was the lineup: Alex Eala, Amanda Anisimova, Marta Kostyuk, Iva Jovic, Flavio Cobolli, Learner Tien, Arthur Fils, and Alex Michelsen. These events usually run on names like Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Naomi Osaka, or Coco Gauff. Seeing a new crop of faces headline instead says a lot about where the sport is going, and I love it. There are so many players in tennis. We have a top 100 for a reason, and the more these events introduce fans to a wider range of athletes, the less the sport has to survive on two or three names.

And finally, something I’ve been talking about a little on social: qualifying and Fan Week in Queens are only half of the US Open celebration. All week, parties, activations, and events are happening across the city. Last night I attended one called Opening Serve, where Mirra Andreeva, Sorana Cirstea, and Rafael Jodar hosted a party with Baileys for industry professionals and media. I got to interview all three players, and some clips are below.

Yesterday was media day and the end of end of qualifying, so stay tuned for all of our US Open coverage right here on Substack and across our social media.

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