New York, Court 12: Hugo Gaston produced a remarkable turnaround in the decisive third round of qualifying for the 2026 US Open. After a sobering opening set, the Frenchman fought back to defeat American Colton Smith 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. For Smith, who had been chasing his first Grand Slam main-draw appearance, it was a painful defeat at the final hurdle.
Strong start from Smith, then the turnaround
The opening exchanges belonged firmly to Colton Smith. The 23-year-old American played aggressively from the baseline, pinned Gaston on the defensive and took the first set 6-1. It seemed as though the young American's physical freshness might prove decisive — Smith had been pushed to three sets in both of his previous qualifying matches, accumulating six sets in his legs. Gaston, by contrast, had come through his path to the final in straight sets each time and arrived in the decisive encounter the fresher of the two.
Yet Smith's dominance in the opening set masked the true balance of power. Gaston, whose Grand Slam pedigree includes a run to the second round of the 2023 US Open, rediscovered his usual game from the second set onwards. The left-hander, who reached a career-high ranking of world No. 58 in 2022, made better use of his varied left-handed serve and increasingly forced Smith into errors.
Gaston dominates sets two and three
In the second set, Gaston held serve on 75 per cent of his service games and kept Smith under pressure on return. He converted 44 per cent of his break points and closed out the set 6-4. Smith visibly faded during this phase: his 36 unforced errors across the match, compared to just 20 from Gaston, proved a telling factor in deciding the outcome.
The third set became a statement of authority from the Frenchman. Gaston commanded with his serve, winning 66 per cent of points behind it, and gave Smith virtually no break points to work with. Smith, who had won 67 per cent of first-serve points on his own delivery, found no answer to a Gaston now operating with full confidence. The 6-2 scoreline in the third set was the logical conclusion of an increasingly one-sided match.
Gaston into the main draw — Smith misses historic moment
With a final score of 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, Hugo Gaston secured his place in the 2026 US Open main draw. For Colton Smith — coached by Rhyne Williams and a former college tennis player at the University of Arizona — it was a painful defeat: a first Grand Slam main-draw appearance remains a goal for the future. Gaston, meanwhile, will compete at the year's final Major in New York as a fully fledged main-draw participant. His comeback from a set down proved complete and convincing.
