Ekaterine Gorgodze came within one victory of the US Open singles main draw. The Georgian player won her first two qualifying matches in New York before Gabriela Knutson stopped her in the final round. Knutson won 6-4, 6-4 and earned a place in a Grand Slam main draw for the first time.
Gorgodze did not reach the main tournament, but her week included two difficult victories. She recovered after losing the opening set of her first match. She then won two tie-breaks in the second round. Those results took her to the last stage of qualifying and gave Georgian tennis a strong presence before the start of the main draw.
A three-set comeback opened the campaign
Gorgodze started against No. 20 qualifying seed Katarzyna Kawa of Poland. Kawa won the first set 6-3, so Gorgodze had to change the direction of the match. The second set reached a tie-break. Gorgodze played the final points with greater control and won the tie-break 7-2.
The deciding set followed a clearer pattern. Gorgodze won it 6-2 and completed a 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 victory. The result was important because Kawa entered the match as the seeded player. It also required Gorgodze to stay on court for three sets at the beginning of a demanding qualifying week.
Francisca Jorge of Portugal was the next opponent. This match did not need a deciding set, but both sets were close. Each set reached a tie-break. Gorgodze won the first tie-break 7-3 and the second 7-2. The final score was 7-6(3), 7-6(2).
The two victories were different. Gorgodze had to recover from a set behind against Kawa. Against Jorge, she had to remain calm at the end of two close sets. Winning four straight tie-break points is not the same as controlling an entire match, but it showed that she made the better decisions when both sets were decided.
Knutson won both sets by the same score
The final qualifying match was more direct. Knutson took the first set 6-4 and repeated that score in the second. Gorgodze stayed close, but she could not extend either set into another tie-break. Knutson completed the match in two sets and secured her first appearance in the US Open main draw.
The result ended Gorgodze’s attempt to make her first US Open singles main draw. She had previously reached the main draw at Roland Garros in 2021 and at Wimbledon in 2022. New York remained the missing Grand Slam event in her singles record.
Final-round qualifying matches create a clear form of pressure. Both players know that one result decides who enters the main tournament. Gorgodze had already spent more time on court because her first match lasted three sets. Knutson had also won two matches and entered the final round with confidence.
The score does not suggest a collapse. Gorgodze won four games in each set and remained within one service break of her opponent. However, Knutson did enough in the important games and did not allow the Georgian player to produce another late recovery.
The qualifying run still added value to her season
Gorgodze is an experienced left-handed player who has spent much of her career on the ITF Circuit and at WTA 125 tournaments. Her preferred surface is clay, but the two victories in New York came on hard courts. The result showed that she could adjust her game and compete through several rounds on a faster surface.
Her singles career has included a place inside the world’s top 110. She has also achieved important results in doubles. Gorgodze won the tour-level doubles title in Cluj-Napoca with Irina Bara in 2021. She won another tour-level title in Budapest with Oksana Kalashnikova in 2022.
That doubles experience can help in close singles matches. Quick reactions, accurate returns and calm play near the net are useful when points become shorter. Gorgodze needed those skills during the two tie-breaks against Jorge. She kept both sets from moving into a more dangerous third set.
The US Open run also produced useful ranking points and prize money. Qualifying does not receive the same attention as the main draw, but every round matters to players who build their schedule across several levels of professional tennis. Two wins at a Grand Slam qualifying event can support the next part of a season.
For Georgian tennis, the run had a clear local meaning. Gorgodze has represented her country for many years and remains one of its most experienced active players. Reaching the final qualifying round placed a Georgian name close to the main draw at one of the sport’s largest tournaments.
The final defeat should be described accurately. Gorgodze did not qualify, and Knutson deserved the main-draw place after winning in straight sets. At the same time, the Georgian player left New York with two victories, including one against a seeded opponent. Her campaign ended one round short, but it was still a competitive week with several positive results.
