by John Lumley
The 2024 US Open saw a record turnout for the Ladies’ division, with 24 entrants—the highest in recent years—highlighting the growing strength and depth of the women’s game. Claire Fahey and Jo See Tan faced the Philadelphia duo of Victoria Scott and Alexis Dorr. Fahey and Tan’s consistent railroads kept their opponents under pressure, forcing scooped returns down the center of the court. The top seeds were clinical in their grille hitting, capitalizing on loose balls. Tan held her position in the galleries, allowing Fahey to command the back of the court. Tan’s left-handed forehand proved effective, attacking across the court and reaching up to volley threats to the opening. Scott secured her team’s only game of the match with three consecutive nick railroads, but Fahey and Tan advanced comfortably.
In the second semifinal, Lea Van Der Zwalmen and Annie Clark took on Aiken’s Claire Voegele and Kadi Meldrum. Van Der Zwalmen controlled the back of the court while Clark, leveraging her lawn tennis experience, volleyed aggressively at the galleries. With a 5-0 lead, Van Der Zwalmen relaxed into the match, but the Aiken pair seized their opportunity, targeting Clark’s forehand with heavy topspin. Meldrum impressed with her gallery volleys, but Van Der Zwalmen’s dominance proved too much, securing the win.
The crowd gathered in the afternoon for the highly anticipated singles final between Fahey and Van Der Zwalmen. Fahey aimed to extend her 15-year unbeaten streak, while Van Der Zwalmen sought her first set against the World Champion.
The match opened with long, intense rallies, with both players displaying impressive retrieving skills. Van Der Zwalmen took the first game, but Fahey responded with back-to-back winning openings. Fahey initially struggled with her railroads, allowing Van Der Zwalmen to attack volleys into her forehand corner. A particularly tight seventh game saw multiple deuces before Fahey edged ahead with a dedans shot, gaining momentum to take the first set 6-4.
In the second set, Fahey adjusted her game, finding better weight on her shots and using the tambour more effectively. Van Der Zwalmen lost some of her early sharpness and couldn’t sustain the pressure despite a brief resurgence in the fifth game. Fahey closed out the set decisively 6-0, claiming her 11th US Open and 45th Open title overall.
After a short break, the doubles final saw Fahey and Tan face Van Der Zwalmen and Clark. The top seeds started strong, quickly going up 3-0 as Clark struggled with early nerves. However, Van Der Zwalmen and Clark fought back, targeting Tan and exploiting her deep positioning. They leveled the score at 3-all, with Van Der Zwalmen finishing a crucial rally by picking off Tan’s return to hit the grille. Fired up, the No. 2 seeds controlled the latter stages of the set, with Van Der Zwalmen sealing it with another grille shot and an emphatic fist pump.
Determined to bounce back, Fahey dominated from the service end at the start of the second set. Tan grew more confident at the net, and the top seeds reeled off four consecutive games. Though Van Der Zwalmen and Clark managed to take a few games mid-set, Fahey remained in control, winning 6-3 to force a deciding set.
The final set saw Van Der Zwalmen and Clark take an early lead, using tambour angles to push the ball tight against the back wall. Fahey and Tan responded, with Tan producing her best volley of the match under the tambour. Van Der Zwalmen and Clark capitalized, winning eight straight points to surge ahead 4-2.
A tense seventh game featured multiple deuces and changes of advantage. Ultimately, Van Der Zwalmen’s precision proved decisive as she threaded a shot past Tan into the wall, giving her team a 5-2 lead. Clark then held serve to love, with Van Der Zwalmen sealing the championship by placing the ball past Tan into the winning gallery.
It was Van Der Zwalmen’s second Open doubles title and Clark’s first in her debut appearance.
Final Scores:
Singles: Claire Fahey def. Lea Van Der Zwalmen 6-4 6-0
Doubles: Lea Van Der Zwalmen & Annie Clark def. Claire Fahey & Jo See Tan 6-4 3-6 6-2
Thank you to the Pros and Staff of the Racquet Club of Philadelphia for hosting the 2025 U.S. Ladies Open. Thanks also to the USCTA and USCTPF for their continued support of tennis.
