New York City, UNITED STATES – As the season shifts from summer to fall, the air in New York City may be cooling, but Team Yonex kept things hot at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center with their electrifying performances over the final Grand Slam of the tennis season.

 

What stood out the most in the 2024 edition of the US Open was the impressive progression of its home players, the American stars. Let's take a look back at Team Yonex's exciting and memorable showing in Queens, where a record-breaking 1 million fans visited the US Open over the course of three weeks.

 

Pegula snaps quarter streak, makes maiden major final

For Jessica Pegula (USA), the Grand Slam quarterfinals had always been her stumbling block.

 

She reached that stage six times prior, but each time, her progress was halted. This time, however, she broke through by defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, finally opening the door to the next stage – with her Yonex racquet in hand.

 

She didn’t stop in the semis. Down a set to Karolina Muchova, Pegula turned the tide, booking her place in a first-ever Grand Slam final. She comported herself well there, surging back against Aryna Sabalenka in the second set and nearly forcing a third.

 

Yet, despite her runner-up finish, Pegula doesn’t seem fully satisfied. The "late bloomer" made her mark on the biggest stage of her career at age 30, but she seems to believe that her best moments are still ahead.

 

She joined three legends – Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams – as the only American women to advance to the finals at the US Open after having turned 30.

 

Tiafoe’s big run highlights U.S. hard court swing

For Frances Tiafoe (USA), America’s hard courts have always been a place where dreams can come true.

 

The first half of this season was challenging for him, winning just half his matches before new coach David Witt following Wimbledon. That’s when things began to turn around. Together, they focused on improving Tiafoe’s return game, which paid off in his third-round Yonex showdown against Ben Shelton (USA). Tiafoe, who was also runner-up at the Cincinnati Open, continued his strong form and reached the semi-finals at the US Open for the second time in three years.

 

And while he lost there in a tight battle with countryman Taylor Fritz, he says – like Pegula – the best is still yet to come.

 

Surging Navarro makes her final four debut

Emma Navarro (USA) also reached new heights at this US Open, a year after being knocked out in the first round.

 

In the fourth round, she pulled off a thrilling, three-set upset over reigning champion Coco Gauff, stunning the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.

 

Navarro showed her all-court player’s ability with outstanding athleticism, handling every shot with precision and power.

 

After winning the NCAA title and deciding to turn pro, she and her coach discussed a two-year contract to see how things would go. Now, just over two years later, the 23-year-old has broken into the top 10, and her future looks incredibly bright.

 

She fell to eventual champion Sabalenka in a tight two-set semi.

 

Townsend wrote a happy ending for her partner

In mixed doubles, Taylor Townsend (USA) teamed up with Donald Young to make a surprising run to the final – as wild cards.

 

Having been ranked as high as world No. 38, Young had announced that this was the last tournament of his career, and it was a sentimental occasion for the pair. Townsend, the talented lefty who was coached by Young’s parents growing up, has long admired Donald like a big brother.

 

Their deep connection added an emotional touch to Young's final chapter, which ended with a runner-up performance to Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.

 

Future Stars on the Rise

Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR), at just 15 years old, claimed victory in the Girls' Junior Singles category. This marks the first time a British female player has won a Grand Slam junior singles title since Heather Watson at the 2009 US Open. The young Briton, daughter of a Serbian father and Polish mother, is already ranked 641st in the WTA rankings. With an ITF title already under her belt, this latest achievement adds to the growing collection of the rising star.

 

Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (NOR), who became the first Norwegian to win a Grand Slam singles title just two months ago at Wimbledon, added another milestone to his country’s tennis history by finishing as the US Open runner-up in boys’ singles.

 

Meanwhile, Rei Sakamoto (JPN), this year’s Australian Open junior singles champion and former world No. 1 in the Junior rankings, teamed up with Maxim Mrva for the first time in doubles at the US Open.

 

Sakamoto admitted, “I didn’t have high expectations in doubles, but maybe that was the key to our success.” He and Mrva’s unique “Samurai performance,” where they raise their racquets like Japanese swords after each win, became a crowd favorite. They performed this celebratory ritual five times in this tournament, capping their run with the doubles championship title.

 

Sakamoto also made the semifinals in singles.

 

Frances Tiafoe (USA) | PERCEPT 97 [LINK] / POLYTOUR PRO 125 [LINK]

Jessica Pegula (USA) | EZONE 98 [LINK]

Ben Shelton (USA) | EZONE 98 [LINK] / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125 [LINK]

Emma Navarro (USA) | VCORE 98 [LINK] / POLYTOUR REV 125 [LINK]

Taylor Townsend (USA) | VCORE 98 [LINK] / POLYTOUR REV 120 [LINK]

Mika Stojsavljevic (GBR) | EZONE 100 [LINK] / POLYTOUR PRO 125 [LINK]

Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (NOR) | EZONE 98 [LINK] / POLYTOUR PRO 125 [LINK] / ECLIPSION [LINK] / NEW YORK COLLECTION [LINK]

Rei Sakamoto (JPN) | EZONE 98 [LINK]  / POLYTOUR PRO 125 [LINK] / ECLIPSION [LINK] / NEW YORK COLLECTION [LINK]