Australian qualifier Li Tu didn’t put down his tools in protest but instead paused his meal in celebration upon learning he’d be facing tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open first round. The 27-year-old, who made it into the main draw of a Grand Slam for only the second time in his career, is savoring every moment of his journey in New York.
Tu’s path to this point has been anything but conventional. A decade ago, he stepped away from tennis for six years to earn a commerce degree in Adelaide and then transitioned to coaching. However, his passion for the game drew him back to the court, and now, he’s set to face the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz, in the electric atmosphere of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Recalling the moment he found out about the match, Tu said, “It was so crazy. We were out at dinner with my coach, best mate, and my wife Kimberly, just celebrating making it through qualifying. While we were eating, there were still some qualifying matches going on, so we weren’t paying much attention to the draw. Then I got a text message on Instagram from a fan saying, ‘Li, you’re playing Carlos Alcaraz.’ At first, I couldn’t believe it. I showed the message to everyone at the table, and we all put our knives and forks down to check our phones. When we saw the draw, it was Carlos versus Li, and I was like, ‘OK, this is happening.'”
For Tu, this moment is the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. “It’s incredible,” he said. “You put your blood, sweat, and tears into this sport for moments like this. I’m just incredibly grateful to have this opportunity. In the last round of qualifying, I was two match points down. I was joking with my team that I was just one second serve away from packing my bags and going home. But instead, I’m here preparing to play one of the best players in our sport. It’s pretty crazy.”
Tu is one of 13 Australians competing on the second day of the US Open, alongside top players like men’s 10th seed Alex de Minaur, who faces American Marcus Giron in his first competitive match since withdrawing from a Wimbledon quarter-final due to a hip injury. In an all-Sydney matchup, Aleksandar Vukic and Max Purcell will battle for a spot in the second round, ensuring at least one Australian will advance.
Aussies in Action on Day Two of the US Open:
Men’s Singles, First Round
- 10-Alex de Minaur vs. Marcos Giron (USA)
- Chris O’Connell vs. 26-Nicolas Jarry (CHI)
- Aleksandar Vukic vs. Max Purcell
- Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. 11-Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
- Tristan Schoolkate vs. Taro Daniel (JPN)
- James Duckworth vs. 31-Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
- Li Tu vs. 3-Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
- Jordan Thompson vs. Constant Lestienne (FRA)
Women’s Singles, First Round
- Daria Saville vs. Ena Shibahara (JPN)
- Taylah Preston vs. 25-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
- Destanee Aiava vs. 4-Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
- Arina Rodionova vs. Xinyu Wang (CHN)
With the excitement of the draw behind him, Tu now looks forward to stepping onto one of tennis’s biggest stages to take on Alcaraz, embracing the challenge and cherishing the moment.