Gabriel Diallo, a standout member of the Kentucky men’s tennis team from 2019-2022, has qualified for the main draw of the U.S. Open for the first time in his professional career. Diallo secured his spot by winning three consecutive qualifying matches over four days at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York.
The Montreal, Quebec native earned his place in the main draw by defeating France’s Valentin Royer in straight sets, 7-6(3), 6-4, on Thursday. Diallo clinched the opening set in a tiebreaker and then claimed the final three games of the second set to win the match, secure his main draw berth, and earn $100,000 in prize money.
Diallo’s journey through the qualifiers included two remarkable comeback victories, with one particularly dramatic second-round win where he saved two match points. He began his run on Monday by defeating Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. In Wednesday’s second round, Diallo recovered from a set and 3-5 down, saving two match points to defeat Titouan Droguet 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, advancing to the final round of the qualifying draw.
Currently ranked 144th in the ATP Rankings, 2024 has been a breakthrough year for Diallo. He achieved a career-high ranking of 129 in February, made two Grand Slam appearances, reached two Challenger Tour semifinals, and won the 2024 Chicago Challenger. Diallo is also a member of Canada’s Davis Cup team, where he contributed to Canada’s victory over South Korea in January with two singles wins. He is set to compete with the Canadian team at the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage in September.
In his only previous main draw appearance at a major, Diallo pushed former U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori to five sets but ultimately fell short. After losing the first two sets, Diallo rallied to win the next two but was defeated in the deciding set, 5-7, 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-1, 5-7.
During his collegiate career at Kentucky, Diallo was ranked as high as fourth in the ITA singles rankings and earned three All-American honors and two All-SEC recognitions. He played a pivotal role in Kentucky’s 2022 team that finished as runners-up in both the NCAA and SEC tournaments, including delivering the clinching point in a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the national quarterfinals against No. 1 seed TCU.
Earlier this year, by qualifying for Roland Garros, Diallo became the first Kentucky men’s tennis player to appear in the main singles draw at a major championship since Jesse Witten in 2010.
Diallo’s first-round opponent at the U.S. Open, along with the match’s date, time, and court placement, will be announced this weekend. The first round is scheduled for Monday, August 26, and Tuesday, August 27, with coverage on the ESPN family of networks.
