Selekhmeteva asks crowd for cowgirl boots recs after Austin win

The ATX Open didn't go as planned for Oksana Selekhmeteva in 2025.

She didn't feel 100 percent, and bowed out to Tatiana Prozorova in the first round of qualifying.

A year later, the 23-year-old is off to a much better start in Austin. 

Into the main draw without having to qualify, the World No. 76 beat Alycia Parks 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in her opening-round match on Monday.

In her on-court interview after the win, she leaned into the Austin vibe, asking the Center Court crowd where she can get some cowgirl boots.

"I'm honestly looking where to buy the boots," she said. "So please, people, tell me where to buy the boots. I mean, I already got the hat yesterday from the players' party, but I'm looking for boots."

She also said she enjoyed sampling the local barbecue last year, and intends to treat herself again this week.

Selekhmeteva will play Kamilla Rakhimova in the second round, after the World No. 92 upset sixth seed Anna Bondar 6-3, 7-5. Rakhimova has won two of their three career meetings, though Selekhmeteva took their most recent match, a back-and-forth 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 victory last year in Turkey.

The top seed in Austin -- one of two WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz events kicking off the season's Sunshine swing -- is Jessica Pegula, fresh off her 10th career title in Dubai. She'll play her opening-round match against Rebecca Sramkova on Tuesday.

Australian Open quarterfinalist Iva Jovic, Wang Xinyu and former NCAA champion -- at the University of Texas, no less -- Peyton Stearns round out the top four seeds.

Also in the draw is Venus Williams, set to play Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round. (Tomljanovic, of course, was the last player to beat Venus' sister, Serena, at the 2022 US Open.)

Pegula is the defending champion in Austin.