Bu Yunchaokete, a 24-year-old Chinese player from Xinjiang, scored his first Grand Slam main-draw victory by defeating 12th-seeded Rafael Jodar 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the 2026 US Open on September 2 in New York [1, 2, 3]. Bu entered the main draw as a lucky loser following the withdrawal of Thanasi Kokkinakis on September 1 [1, 2, 3].
The match featured an hour-long rain delay that tested both players' focus. Bu said, "It was a little bit hard with the rain delay. We just had to do our job and stay focused. I'm really happy for that. It may have looked very easy, but in my mind and my heart there were lots of emotions. I was very nervous." [1]. Despite the disruption, Bu dominated the contest in straight sets.
Jodar, 19, was making his US Open debut after a rapid rise in the rankings from 362nd to 13th over the past year [1, 2, 3]. However, he struggled with unforced errors and even had his rackets restrung during the match without recovering momentum [1, 2]. Jodar admitted, "He played better than me, and that’s the reason why he won today." [3]
Bu has spent much of 2026 competing in Challenger tournaments, capturing two titles on grass and recently sharpening his aggressive game [3]. Despite six previous Grand Slam main-draw attempts without a win, Bu remained positive about his lucky loser status, stating it is "nothing you can lose with" and expressed excitement at playing one of the year's best players [1, 3].
Bu will meet either Fabian Marozsan or Michael Zheng in the second round [1, 2, 3].
