It was a straightforward affair on the outdoor hard courts of Court 12 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows: Hugo Gaston, seeded third in the qualifying draw, defeated wildcard entrant Andre Ilagan 6-1, 6-3 in the second qualifying round of the 2026 US Open. The Frenchman's dominant display was entirely in keeping with his status as one of the top favourites in qualifying, and he now stands one win away from the main draw of the season's final Grand Slam — with 16 players set to earn a spot after the third and final qualifying round.
Gaston dominates on serve and return
The left-hander from Toulouse controlled the match from the very first point. On his own serve, Gaston held in 88 percent of his service games, winning a commanding 84 percent of first-serve points and a solid 68 percent on his second serve. His precision was equally impressive: he produced just one double fault throughout the entire match and made only nine unforced errors. On return, Gaston was no less effective — he won 63 percent of return games, establishing early control of exchanges from the baseline.
Ilagan, who grew up in Honolulu as the son of Filipino immigrants and became the first men's tennis player from the University of Hawaiʻi ever to compete at a Grand Slam at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, battled hard but found no answer to Gaston's fluent game. He committed 31 unforced errors and five double faults, won just 38 percent of total points, and far too often allowed Gaston to threaten on return.
First set goes comfortably to Gaston
The opening set was almost entirely one-sided. Gaston converted his break points efficiently, while Ilagan was rarely able to manufacture any of his own. The 6-1 scoreline reflected the Frenchman's superiority during this phase of the match. Ilagan — who had climbed to world No. 210 on the back of back-to-back Challenger finals in Lexington and Brownsburg, and entered qualifying on a wildcard — found no rhythm against the varied game of the left-handed Frenchman.
Ilagan fights back, Gaston stays composed
In the second set, Ilagan showed more resistance and maintained a higher level for stretches. He took three games, but was never able to apply genuine pressure on Gaston's serve. The Frenchman saved break points at a 50 percent rate and never relinquished control. A 6-3 win in the second set sealed Gaston's passage into the third qualifying round — a milestone that both players had been chasing, but which now belongs to the Frenchman alone. For Ilagan, a historic appearance comes to an end: as the first man from the University of Hawaiʻi ever to compete on this stage, he leaves a lasting mark despite the defeat.
