Peruvian tennis player Ignacio Buse opened his campaign at the US Open 2026 with a dramatic five-set victory against Marcos Giron at Flushing Meadows, drawing a passionate contingent of supporters to the grounds, including renowned Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio. The hard-fought opening match showcased Buse’s resilience on the major tournament stage, where family history added an extra layer of significance to his Flushing Meadows appearance.
A Five-Set Battle at Flushing Meadows
Ignacio Buse secured a hard-earned 3-2 victory over Marcos Giron in the opening round of the US Open 2026, navigating a grueling scoreline of 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(8), and 6-1. The encounter tested both competitors physically and mentally on the hard courts in New York.
According to match coverage, Buse showed remarkable composure after dropping a tight fourth-set tiebreak, regrouping decisively to dominate the fifth set and seal the match. Analysts following the tournament pointed to his psychological recovery following the fourth-set setback as the defining turning point of the opening fixture.
Family Ties in the Stands
Among the dozens of travelling fans cheering for Buse from the stands, television and social media cameras captured prominent Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio living through every point alongside the player’s mother, Betty, and his cousin, sports journalist Michael Succar. Acurio, who is the brother of Buse’s mother, María Beatriz Acurio, regularly accompanies the young athlete in tournaments.
The chef’s presence in New York followed a public message he shared celebrating Buse’s recent consagración in the ATP 250 de Winston-Salem. In that message, Acurio reflected on the player’s development: “And the child grew up. The player grew up too, but there is something that doesn’t seem to have changed too much. That good way of being with others, gratitude, closeness, affection for his family and pride for Peru.”
Carrying the Buse Legacy in New York
The victory carried historical resonance for Peruvian tennis. Sixty-eight years prior to the 2026 tournament, Eduardo Buse—Ignacio’s grandfather—competed at the US Open during the 1950s. Following the younger Buse’s opening-round win, tournament organizers highlighted the return of the Buse surname to the Flushing Meadows draws after nearly seven decades.
While the opening victory provided a historic milestone, Buse’s campaign at Flushing Meadows came to a halt in the second round. Facing Corentin Bonzi, a visibly fatigued Buse struggled physically and bowed out of the tournament, concluding his singles run at the major after two hard-fought rounds.
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