Tumultuous First Week of U.S. Open with Emotional Outbursts and Vocal Disputes

Week One of the U.S. Open Brings Tears and Outbursts

In the final Grand Slam tournament of the year 2025, the U.S. Open, emotions ran high and players were tested to their limits.

Ben Shelton, a strong contender to reach the last eight of the tournament, saw his dreams shattered when he faced a shoulder injury during a match, leading to his defeat and visible distress. The tennis player who fell to Shelton was Adrian Mannarino, who had to retire due to the injury.

Meanwhile, the upcoming second week of the tournament is expected to continue testing the emotions of the players. Jessica Pegula noted that New York City tends to bring out a lot of drama in tennis matches, and the city did not disappoint in its first week.

One of the most talked-about incidents was the outburst of Jelena Ostapenko during a match. Aryna Sabalenka believed that Ostapenko's behaviour was related to personal issues. Sabalenka predicted that Ostapenko would apologise for her behaviour, and eventually, she did, though not directly to her rival Taylor Townsend, who was the target of Ostapenko's jibes about class and education during their match.

Another player who experienced a setback was Daniil Medvedev, who suffered a defeat in the first round of a slam tournament for the third time this year. However, Medvedev displayed a comeback against Benjamin Bonzi, taking the match into five sets, despite ultimately ending in a defeat.

Coco Gauff's performance in the tournament also highlighted the vulnerability of athletes in the sports world. Gauff experienced a service breakdown during the tournament and had 16 double faults in a previous tournament. The Osaka versus Gauff match promises to stir emotions, given the past performances of both players.

In a more positive note, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori won the Mixed Doubles tournament, overcoming glamorous singles invaders. Andre Agassi, in a recent statement, noted that tennis uses the language of life, with elements like advantage, service, fault, break, and love mirroring everyday existence. Vivian Gornick, a Bronx-born feminist writer, also stated that people need daily evidence of human expressiveness in New York.

In the men's singles, Alexander Zverev lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime, having no feel or expression in his shots. Meanwhile, Ben Shelton's defeat opened up opportunities for other players to advance in the tournament.

The U.S. Open delivered on this front in its first week, with unexpected upsets and dramatic moments that kept fans on the edge of their seats. As the tournament enters its second week, the question remains: who will rise to the challenge and emerge victorious in the final Grand Slam tournament of the year?