Linda Nosková looked like a different player in each set of her 2026 US Open opener in Monday's first-round slate.
The reigning Wimbledon champion and No. 6 seed dropped behind 5-2 in the first set against US pro Katie Volynets before flipping the match on its head inside Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Then the Czech star found another gear entirely.
Linda Nosková Turns Things Around in 2026 US Open 1st Round
Nosková rattled off five straight games to steal the first set 7-5, saving five break points along the way at 5-5. By the second set, the 21-year-old was ruthless, conceding just one game in a 6-1 rout. She also won 11 of the final 12 games overall.
"The first set was horrible for me," Nosková said after the match. "It's never easy to stay positive, but somehow I turned it around."
Rain forced the roof closed at Armstrong, yet the conditions only seemed to sharpen Nosková's focus after that rocky start. Volynets, ranked No. 78, pushed early but couldn't sustain the pressure once the momentum shifted.
For Nosková, the result evens her career US Open record at 4-4. After a third-round exit last year, a deeper run at Flushing Meadows would put a stamp on a breakout 2026 season that already includes a Grand Slam title.
