Who won the first official match played in Arthur Ashe Stadium?

Tamarine Tanasugarn won the first official match played in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Thai player defeated American Chanda Rubin 6–4, 6–0 at the 1997 US Open. The match took place on August 25, 1997, when the new stadium made its tournament debut. Tanasugarn won in approximately 53 minutes, becoming the first competitor to record a victory on the court.

Arthur Ashe Stadium replaced Louis Armstrong Stadium as the US Open’s primary venue. Its opening ceremony included Whitney Houston and a tribute to Arthur Ashe, but the ceremonial spotlight can sometimes obscure the match that actually established the stadium’s competitive history.

Another frequent mix-up involves Venus Williams. She also played on the new court that day, defeating Larisa Neiland in her US Open debut, but that was not the first official match there. Tanasugarn’s straight-sets win over Rubin came earlier and holds that distinction.