Coco Gauff gave the home crowd a reason to celebrate at the US Open by moving into the round of 16, even as fellow Americans Taylor Fritz, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys suffered unexpected defeats. The 2023 champion, now 22, was paired against world No. 40 Cristina Bucsa. Although she was not playing at her peak, Gauff managed to grind out a 6-3, 6-4 victory, securing her place among the last sixteen competitors.
Her next opponent will be fellow U.S. player Iva Jovic, with a quarter‑final berth on the line. After the match, Gauff reflected on the shift in conditions between day and night sessions.
"Playing in daylight felt completely different from the night matches. When I fell behind early in the break, I reminded myself to speed up my shots," she explained. She added, "Bucsa is a crafty opponent who can change the tempo at will, which made it hard for me to find a rhythm. Still, I’m pleased with how I fought through even when I wasn’t at my best." While Gauff’s win was a bright spot, the American contingent experienced a series of setbacks that threatened the nation’s hopes for a deep run.
Taylor Fritz, seeded ninth, appeared to be cruising toward the fourth round after taking a two‑set lead over Argentina’s Federico Cerundolo. The 28‑year‑old, a finalist two years earlier, had not dropped a set all week and seemed poised to join compatriots Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Alex Michelsen in the last‑16 field. However, Cerundolo, who had pulled off a surprise victory at Queen’s Club earlier in the summer, clawed his way back into the match, turning it into a marathon five‑setter that he ultimately won 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. This loss added to the growing pressure on the United States, which has not produced a men’s singles champion since Andy Roddick’s triumph over Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2003.
Tommy Paul, the 20th seed, now faces world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in what many analysts expect to be the first serious test of the defending champion’s title credentials after his recent injury layoff. Paul remarked, "I think I’ve played Carlos more than anyone on tour, which is kind of crazy.
We’ve had some good matches. He and Jannik Sinner are the big tests. We haven’t seen a lot of him yet, but he’s clearly doing well coming back to competition." On the men’s side, top seed Alexander Zverev breezed into the fourth round with a straight‑sets win over Alejandro Tabilo, posting a 6-2, 7-6, 6-2 scoreline. Zverev’s next opponent will be 25th‑seeded Luciano Darderi, who earned his first appearance in a US Open fourth round by defeating Australian wild‑card Dane Sweeny 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Fourteenth‑seeded Learner Tien also advanced after a grueling five‑set battle against Jakub Mensik, winning 6-3, 1-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. The match stretched into the early hours of Sunday morning, concluding around 1:30 a.m. in New York. At 20, Tien became the youngest American to reach a US Open fourth round, matching Andy Roddick’s record from 2002.
His victory sets up a clash with Russian veteran Karen Khachanov. In other notable results, Belgian 28th seed Alexander Blockx upset Italy’s fifth seed Flavio Cobolli with a 6-7(4-7), 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 win, earning a place in the fourth round where he will meet Cerundolo again.
Meanwhile, former finalist Madison Keys, who was runner‑up in 2017, suffered a heartbreaking loss after squandering a strong lead against China’s Qinwen Zheng, falling 1-6, 7-6(7-3), 7-5. Keys admitted, "I started well but then got scared and couldn’t swing. Tennis feels really hard right now, and that took over." Anisimova, last year’s runner‑up, also exited early, committing 46 unforced errors in a 6-2, 7-5 defeat to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova.
On the women’s side, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva defeated Czech Nikola Bartunkova 6-2, 7-6(7-5) to reach her first US Open fourth round, where she will face Potapova again. Six‑time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek survived a tight contest against 25th‑seeded Marie Bouzkova, winning 7-6(7-3), 7-6(7-3). Swiatek noted, "It got pretty physical with many long rallies. It wasn’t easy." In doubles action, the iconic Williams sisters avoided a fine for not speaking to the media after a loss.
Serena and Venus were defeated in three close sets by the pair of Maya Joint and Chan Hao‑ching in their first match at Flushing Meadows in four years. While players are usually penalised for skipping media duties, officials indicated that the Williams sisters would not be fined in this instance. The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming options available on NOW and the Sky Sports app. Fans can also catch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.