NEW YORK (AP) — The world of sports is captivated by young stars, and tennis is no exception. As the U.S. Open kicks off on Sunday, several young talents are making headlines. Among them is 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, a Russian sensation who has already reached a Grand Slam semifinal and is seeded No. 5. Other noteworthy players include João Fonseca, a 19-year-old Brazilian who recently became the youngest male player since 2011 to reach the third round at Wimbledon, and Learner Tien, also 19, who has four victories against top-10 players and will face Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows.

Another teen to watch is Vicky Mboko, an 18-year-old Canadian who recently won the National Bank Open in Montreal, becoming the second-youngest woman to defeat four Grand Slam champions in one tournament, knocking out Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Sofia Kenin. These young stars all show promise in tennis, and they are inspired by the achievements of players like Coco Gauff, who won the 2023 U.S. Open at 19 and this year's French Open at 21, and Emma Raducanu, who triumphed at the 2021 U.S. Open at just 18.

The buzz surrounding these young players is palpable. Former top-five player James Blake remarked on Fonseca's potential, suggesting he could be contending for Grand Slam titles in the near future as long as he manages the pressure. Gauff believes that Mboko is destined for a bright future, which adds more expectations to these young athletes. When early successes are followed by less impressive results, the scrutiny can increase, as seen in Andreeva's journey. Last year, she faced criticism after failing to progress past the first round at Wimbledon after reaching the fourth round the previous year. This varying trajectory leads to questions about what went wrong.

Andreeva, who has the distinction of being the youngest woman in the top five since Maria Sharapova in 2004, embraces learning from her experiences. After her recent loss at Roland-Garros, she stated she wants to learn from her setbacks, and indeed, she went on to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Her improvement on the court is matched by her tenacity off it, with a keen interest in personal development that impresses everyone around her, including her doubles partner, Diana Shnaider.

Mboko's recent successes have catapulted her into the spotlight as well. Having moved up from No. 350 at the end of 2024 to a seeded position at the U.S. Open, she is set to take on two-time major champion Barbora Krejcikova. Her coach, Nathalie Tauziat, emphasized her self-belief, stating that her rise signals a shift from being an emerging talent to having real expectations placed upon her.

Several other teenagers will also be competing at the U.S. Open, including 19-year-old Maya Joint from Australia, who recently cracked the top 50, and Jakub Mensik from the Czech Republic, who is seeded 16th after winning the Miami Open—a match that included a victory against Novak Djokovic. Seven teen Iva Jovic from California is making strides as well, having won matches in three of her four Grand Slam appearances. Jovic expressed the inspiration and motivation she finds in the success of peers, implying that their achievements pave the way for others, asking, “Why not me?”