Canadians Brace, Zhao advance to second round of women’s qualifying at U.S. Open

NEW YORK — Canadian tennis player Cadence Brace moved a step closer to her first Grand Slam main draw berth with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Japan’s Nao Hibino in U.S. Open qualifying Tuesday.

Brace was one of two Canadians to move on to the second round of women’s qualifying, along with veteran Carol Zhao, who defeated 15th seed Maria Lourdes Carlé of Argentina 7-6 (8), 6-2.

The 20-year-old Brace, from Toronto, converted six of seven break-point chances to win her Grand Slam qualifying debut in a match where both players struggled to hold serve.

Hibino, 30, scored breaks on five of six chances, but lost serve three times to once for her opponent in the decisive third set.

Brace will next face 32nd-seed Veronika Erjavec of Slovenia in the second round of the women’s qualifying tournament. The winner of that match will take on either Claire Liu of the United States or Australia’s Maddison Inglis for a spot in the main draw.

The 30-year-old Zhao from Richmond Hill, Ont., scored her sixth break in the final game of the match to upset Carlé as she continues to push for her second Grand Slam berth after qualifying for Wimbledon in 2023.

Zhao will next face the winner of a match between Italy’s Lucrezia Stefanini and Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia.

Earlier, Belgium’s Hanne Vandewinkel defeated Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., 6-3, 6-2, while in men’s action, France’s Kyrian Jacquet beat seventh seed Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ont., 7-5, 6-2.

Stakusic, 20, was looking to make her second Grand Slam main draw appearance and first since Wimbledon last year. Draxl, 23, has not yet appeared in a tennis major.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2025.