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2026 U.S. Open News: Sabalenka Surges, Pegula Rallies and Major Upsets Reshape Flushing Meadows

Aryna Sabalenka extended her New York winning streak, Jessica Pegula completed a stirring comeback and Alexander Zverev survived another marathon as the 2026 U.S. Open moved into its third round.

NEW YORK — The opening week of the 2026 U.S. Open has delivered nearly everything that makes Flushing Meadows distinctive: late-night drama, five-set escapes, major upsets, emotional farewells and a growing group of American contenders.

Defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz entered the tournament as leading attractions, but the landscape around them has changed considerably. Novak Djokovic suffered a stunning first-round defeat, several prominent men have disappeared from the draw and injuries prevented other championship threats from competing at all.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys, Amanda Anisimova and Ben Shelton have kept American hopes alive in singles.

This U.S. Open update reflects completed results available Friday afternoon, September 4.

Aryna Sabalenka extends her U.S. Open winning streak

Sabalenka remained on course for a third consecutive U.S. Open women’s singles championship by defeating Kamilla Rakhimova, 6-3, 6-4, in Friday’s third round.

The world No. 1 has now won 16 consecutive matches at Flushing Meadows. She controlled much of the opening set with her first serve and power from the baseline before Rakhimova made the second set considerably more competitive.

Even an unusual interruption could not derail Sabalenka. The defending champion briefly stopped play after noticing a strong cannabis odor around Louis Armstrong Stadium, but she quickly restored her concentration and closed the match in straight sets. 

Sabalenka’s pursuit of a three-peat carries even greater significance because she is one of four women who entered the third round with a mathematical chance to leave New York ranked No. 1. Elena Rybakina, Gauff and Pegula were also still involved in that race following the completion of the second round. 

Jessica Pegula recovers from disastrous start

Pegula appeared to be in serious trouble after losing the opening set of her third-round match against Leylah Fernandez, 6-1. The third-seeded American struggled to handle Fernandez’s left-handed patterns and aggressive ball striking before dramatically changing the direction of the match.

Pegula found her range in the second set, earned the decisive service break and eventually completed a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory. She saved early break points in the deciding set and established control by breaking Fernandez for a 3-1 advantage.

The victory sent Pegula into the fourth round, where she will face Sorana Cirstea. The 36-year-old Romanian advanced by eliminating No. 19 seed Jasmine Paolini, 6-3, 6-3. 

Pegula, the 2025 U.S. Open runner-up, continues to pursue the first Grand Slam singles championship of her career.

Coco Gauff passes an important early test

Gauff secured her place in the third round Thursday night with a 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over Paula Badosa.

The straight-sets score did not fully capture the pressure Gauff faced. Badosa challenged the American from the baseline, particularly in the second set, but Gauff handled the decisive tiebreak and avoided being dragged into a third set. 

Gauff’s serve remains one of the most closely watched parts of her game. She produced a 125-mph delivery during her opening-round victory, the fastest recorded serve by any woman through the tournament’s first two rounds. 

Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys advance

Iga Swiatek produced one of Thursday’s most efficient performances, defeating Nadia Podoroska, 6-3, 6-2. The result moved the former U.S. Open champion into the third round without requiring the extended court time that can become costly during the tournament’s second week.

Naomi Osaka encountered considerably more resistance. The two-time U.S. Open champion defeated doubles world No. 1 Katerina Siniakova, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. Osaka surrendered a 4-2 advantage in the second set but regrouped in the deciding frame.

Madison Keys staged an even more dramatic escape. The 2017 U.S. Open finalist saved five match points and recovered from a 5-2 deficit in the third set to defeat Anna Bondar, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5). Keys won the final seven points of the match tiebreak after falling behind 5-3. Amanda Anisimova also advanced with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over Lilli Tagger. 

Alexandra Eala’s breakthrough summer continues

Alexandra Eala strengthened her status as one of the season’s breakout players with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Oleksandra Oliynykova.

The 21-year-old former U.S. Open junior champion required only 63 minutes to reach the third round. Eala remained aggressive throughout the match and secured the important second-set break for a 4-3 advantage.

Her New York run follows a remarkable summer in which she defeated Swiatek at Wimbledon, reached the fourth round there and later won in Washington after victories over Osaka and Pegula. 

Alexander Zverev survives a second consecutive marathon

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev is still alive in the men’s draw, but his route to the third round has been punishing.

Zverev needed four hours and 33 minutes to defeat Quentin Halys, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 6-3, on Thursday night. That came after another lengthy five-set battle in his opening match.

The German struggled at times with his backhand and serve against Halys, committing 49 unforced errors and eight double faults. He converted only five of 20 break-point opportunities but raised his level during the most important moments of the final set. 

Zverev may have a more favorable path following several upsets in his portion of the draw, but more than nine hours on court through two rounds could become a significant concern.

Taylor Fritz delivers a statement victory

Fritz played one of the most dominant matches of the tournament Thursday, overwhelming Mattia Bellucci, 6-0, 6-1, 6-1.

The American conceded only two games and advanced with minimal physical strain. That efficiency could prove valuable as the competition becomes more demanding during the middle weekend.

Fritz is among a deep group of American men still attempting to end the country’s long wait for a U.S. Open men’s singles champion. 

Ben Shelton joined that group after surviving a major second-round test against Hubert Hurkacz. Shelton won 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 and registered a 148-mph serve—the fastest delivery recorded during the tournament’s first two rounds. 

Novak Djokovic’s shocking departure changes the men’s draw

The tournament’s biggest upset remains Mariano Navone’s first-round victory over Djokovic.

Navone recovered after falling behind two sets to one and defeated the four-time U.S. Open champion, 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, in a match lasting more than four-and-a-half hours. Djokovic struggled physically in the oppressive humidity as his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title ended on opening night. 

The loss removed one of the most accomplished hard-court players in history and opened a significant section of the men’s draw.

Other seeded casualties have followed. Karen Khachanov eliminated third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, after the Canadian reported dizziness and problems with his vision. Botic van de Zandschulp knocked out No. 6 seed Alex de Minaur, while Australian wild card Dane Sweeny defeated No. 13 Lorenzo Musetti. 

At No. 123 in the rankings, Sweeny was the lowest-ranked player remaining in either singles tournament after the second round. 

Gaël Monfils receives an emotional farewell

Gaël Monfils played the final Grand Slam match of his career Thursday, losing to 20-year-old American Learner Tien, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

The 40-year-old Frenchman received a tribute inside Arthur Ashe Stadium after the match. Monfils ended his U.S. Open career with a 34-18 record, including a semifinal appearance in 2016. No Frenchman has earned more men’s singles victories at the U.S. Open or across all four Grand Slam tournaments. 

His departure marked an emotional generational handoff: Tien, one of the most promising young Americans, defeated a player he grew up admiring on one of tennis’ largest stages.

Serena and Venus Williams reunite in doubles

Serena and Venus Williams were scheduled to return to Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday night for their opening women’s doubles match against 14th-seeded Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint.

It is the sisters’ first Grand Slam doubles appearance together since 2022. They have won 14 major doubles championships as a team and received a wild card into this year’s field. 

Serena previously returned to Flushing Meadows in mixed doubles alongside Alcaraz. The high-profile team reached the quarterfinals before losing to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. 

Venus competed in singles but lost to Sofia Kenin, 6-2, 7-6(6), in a match that began at 12:13 a.m.—the latest start in U.S. Open history. The unusually late scheduling drew criticism from Venus and renewed debate about the tournament’s lengthy night sessions. 

Injuries thin the men’s field

The men’s draw was weakened before and during the opening round by several notable withdrawals.

Former champion Marin Cilic and 2022 finalist Casper Ruud pulled out after the tournament began. Ruud cited a lingering back injury sustained in Cincinnati, while officials did not disclose the nature of Cilic’s injury.

Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper, Joao Fonseca and Holger Rune were already among the prominent players missing from the tournament. 

Those absences, combined with Djokovic’s defeat and the exits of Auger-Aliassime, de Minaur and Musetti, have created unexpected opportunities throughout the men’s bracket.

Influencer access sparks tennis-etiquette debate

Not all the important U.S. Open news has occurred between the lines.

Players have expressed concern about influencers and content creators disrupting play by talking, recording videos and using bright lights during points. The number of credentialed content creators reportedly doubled from last year, prompting chair umpires to intervene during multiple matches.

Osaka said bringing new audiences into tennis can be positive but argued that access needs to be managed more carefully. Gauff suggested that brands inviting first-time visitors should explain proper tennis etiquette, while Pegula said content creation becomes disrespectful when it interrupts athletes performing their jobs.

Tournament video boards have begun reminding spectators to avoid flash photography and other lighting during play. 

The controversy reflects the balancing act facing the modern U.S. Open. The tournament wants the energy, celebrity appeal and social-media reach that distinguish it from other Grand Slams, but players still expect spectators to respect the concentration required during points.

U.S. Open enters a pivotal weekend

With the third round underway, the championship races are beginning to take shape.

Sabalenka remains the standard in the women’s tournament, but Gauff, Pegula, Swiatek, Osaka, Keys and Anisimova give the draw considerable depth. On the men’s side, Alcaraz and Zverev remain leading contenders, while Fritz, Shelton, Daniil Medvedev and Frances Tiafoe headline the players attempting to capitalize on a draw transformed by injuries and early upsets.

The first week has already shown that reputation offers little protection in New York. As the U.S. Open approaches its second week, survival, recovery and the ability to manage the tournament’s relentless atmosphere may matter as much as pure shot-making.

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