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Russia’s Blinkova opens 2025 US Open with straight-sets win over Starodubtseva

Anna Blinkova now has a date with World No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States in the next round

NEW YORK, August 25. /TASS/. Russian tennis player Anna Blinkova breezed past Ukrainian opponent Yulia Starodubtseva in the opening round of the 2025 US Open in New York.

The Russian, who is playing under neutral status at the tournament, had little trouble with her unseeded opponent, winning 6-3; 6-1. Blinkova now has a date with World No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States in the next round.

The 26-year-old Russian player is currently ranked 80th in the WTA (Women Tennis Association) Rankings, and has one career WTA tournament title under her belt. She has played in numerous Grand Slam tournaments, but has never made it past the 3rd round.

The 2025 US Open is being held on outdoor hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York between August 24 and September 7. The tournament will hand out $90 million in prize money. Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus are the reigning champions in men’s and women’s singles respectively.

Russian players’ neutral status at tennis tournaments

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC's recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations moved to exclude athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) ruled on March 1, 2022, to suspend the membership of the Russian and Belarusian national tennis federations while also canceling all previously scheduled tennis tournaments in the two countries.

On March 14, 2022, the ITF also confirmed its prohibition on the Russian and Belarusian national tennis teams from participating in the 2022 Davis Cup and the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup.

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