The U.S. Open is always a stage for drama, comebacks, and farewells, but Day 2 of the 2025 Grand Slam finale in Flushing delivered a poignant mix of endings and fresh beginnings. Tennis fans witnessed the emotional retirement of two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, mourned the passing of British legend Angela Mortimer-Barrett, and watched a new generation of British hopefuls, led by Katie Boulter, brace for their moment in the New York spotlight.
On Monday morning, under a cloudless sky and before a surprisingly sparse crowd—thanks in part to traffic chaos outside the grounds—Petra Kvitova took her final bow. The 35-year-old Czech, who turned professional in 2006 and reached world No. 2 in October 2011, fell 6-1, 6-0 to France’s Dianne Parry in the first round. The match, which began at 11 a.m., marked the end of a storied career that saw Kvitova lift the Wimbledon trophy twice, in 2011 and 2014.
It was a bittersweet moment for those lucky enough to be inside the Grandstand. Kvitova, her voice trembling and eyes brimming with tears, addressed the crowd after the match. “Thank you guys for coming. I hoped I’d put on a better show today but it was really tough to know that maybe it’s my last one,” she said. “Emotionally it was really tough. So I’m not sure how you’re gonna talk right now after the video and everything but thank you.” She continued, “Thank you New York for an amazing Grand Slam. I’m very happy to be here as my last dance. Thank you to my husband and coach, in one person. Thank you for my family back home, my parents, they sacrificed a lot for me at the beginning. And my ex-coaches as well. It’s been a long and amazing journey. Thank you very much.”
Kvitova’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. She overcame a horrific knife attack in December 2016, when a man entered her apartment under the pretense of inspecting her boiler. The attack left her with severe hand injuries, but she battled back to the top of the game, becoming an inspiration to fans and fellow players alike. More recently, she paused her career to welcome her son, Petr, in July 2024, a joyous milestone that added a new chapter to her life off the court.
Despite her storied past, Kvitova’s recent years have been challenging. She entered the 2025 U.S. Open main draw using a protected ranking and, as of August, had slipped to 543rd in the world. Since her last deep Grand Slam run—reaching the quarterfinals at the 2020 Australian Open and the semifinals at Wimbledon that same year—she had not advanced past the early rounds. In 2025, Kvitova managed just one win in ten matches, a stark contrast to her days as a fixture at the top of the sport.
While Kvitova’s farewell tugged at heartstrings, news broke of another loss in the tennis world. Angela Mortimer-Barrett, the oldest surviving Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles Champion, died at the age of 93. Mortimer-Barrett’s legacy is etched in history: she claimed the Wimbledon singles title in 1961, defeating fellow Brit Christine Truman, and also won the French Championship in 1955 and the Australian Championship in 1958. Her doubles triumph at Wimbledon in 1955, alongside Anne Shilcock, capped a career marked by resilience—she overcame hearing loss and frequent illness to reach the sport’s pinnacle.
Her contributions extended beyond the court. Appointed MBE in 1967, the same year she married renowned commentator John Barrett, Mortimer-Barrett remained a beloved figure in British tennis. Deborah Jevans, chair of the All England Club, paid tribute, saying, “Angela will be remembered for her determination and extraordinary dedication which saw her overcome significant challenges to rise to the top of tennis, winning three Grand Slam singles titles and one Grand Slam doubles title. On behalf of everyone at the All England Club, I offer my sincere condolences to Angela’s husband, John; their children, Michael and Sarah Jane; grandchildren, family and friends.”
With history and farewells in the air, the focus now shifts to the new wave of British talent hoping to make their mark at Flushing Meadows. Katie Boulter, 29, arrives in New York after a rollercoaster summer that saw her endure four consecutive losses—the first such streak in four-and-a-half years—before snapping it with a much-needed win in Cleveland. Boulter’s campaign has been a tale of grit and self-discovery. She stunned Paula Badosa in the first round of Wimbledon, only to exit in round two at the hands of Solana Sierra, and then suffered early defeats in Washington, Montreal, and Cincinnati.
The reason? Overwork and a relentless schedule. “The times that I should have had periods of break, I don’t really feel like I chose myself,” Boulter admitted. “I kind of chose other things bigger than myself. And I think that’s why I ended up at this point a few weeks ago where I was struggling a bit. It’s been a long couple of years. There’s a lot of changes on tour. I probably was desperate for a break after Wimbledon. And the next day I was straight back in the gym and didn’t allow myself to take that break.”
After taking some time off post-Montreal, Boulter feels rejuvenated and ready for the challenge ahead. “I really feel like I regrouped and started building again. And I feel like I’m in a much better place even than I was on the grass now. I kind of found myself again, which is really important. So it’s exciting because I feel like I’m me again.” Her first-round opponent is the 27th seed, Marta Kostyuk—a tough draw, but Boulter’s spirits are high.
Scheduling conflicts meant Boulter had to forgo the chance to play mixed doubles with her fiancé, Alex De Minaur, at Flushing Meadows. “Obviously playing the mixed would have been one of the most fun things I could have possibly done,” she said. “I hope we get another opportunity to play it.”
Boulter is one of five British players set for first-round action on Tuesday, alongside Sonay Kartal, Fran Jones, Jacob Fearnley, and Billy Harris. Kartal, back on the Grand Slam stage for the first time since her memorable Wimbledon run, carries a lightning bolt tattoo on her right arm—a permanent reminder of her Centre Court debut during a thunderstorm. “You ask any British kid that wants to be a tennis player, that’s their dream to walk out onto Centre Court, so for me to have that moment happen and to achieve that goal, and then to have the thunder moment, I can look down on that and it takes me to that moment a little bit,” Kartal shared. She faces 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in her opener.
The other British debutants face challenging assignments: Fearnley meets Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut, Jones takes on German Eva Lys, and Harris—who entered as a lucky loser after falling in qualifying—draws 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
As the U.S. Open unfolds, the tennis world pauses to honor past champions while keeping a hopeful eye on the future. Whether it’s a tearful goodbye, a heartfelt tribute, or the nervous anticipation of a main draw debut, Flushing Meadows continues to be a place where the sport’s rich tapestry is woven, one story at a time.
