Coco Gauff gave the home crowd a reason to celebrate at the US Open, moving into the fourth round on a day that saw fellow Americans Taylor Fritz, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys suffer unexpected defeats. The 2023 US Open champion, now 22, was pitted against world No.

40 Cristina Bucsa. Although she was not playing at her absolute peak, Gauff managed to outlast her opponent, securing a 6-3, 6-4 victory and a place among the last 16 competitors. Her next challenge will be a quarter‑final showdown with fellow American Iva Jovic. Reflecting on the match, Gauff noted the stark contrast between daytime and nighttime conditions, explaining, "When I fell behind early in the set, I reminded myself to speed up my shots." She added, "Bucsa is a crafty player who can vary the pace, which made it difficult for me to find a rhythm, but I’m pleased with how I fought through even when I wasn’t at my best." While Gauff’s win provided a bright spot, the broader American contingent stumbled.

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 prior, had not dropped a set all week and seemed poised to join compatriots Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Alex Michelsen in the round of 16.

However, Cerundolo, who surprised many with a Queen’s Club title earlier in the summer, rallied from the brink, turning the match into a five‑set thriller and ultimately prevailing 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The United States is still hunting for its first men’s singles champion since Andy Roddick’s 2003 victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero.

In another marquee encounter, 20th seed Tommy Paul will face world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, a bout that promises to be a genuine test of the defending champion’s form 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 tests now. We haven’t seen much of Carlos lately, but he’s looking strong coming back into competition." Top seed Alexander Zverev continued his smooth run, dispatching Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets 6-2, 7-6, 6-2 to reach the fourth round.

The world No. 2 now awaits 25th seed Luciano Darderi, who earned his spot by beating Australian wildcard Dane Sweeny 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 – his first appearance in the fourth round of a hard‑court major. 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.

His victory set up a clash with Karen Khachanov and marked a historic moment: at 20 years old, Tien became the youngest American to reach the US Open fourth round, matching Andy Roddick’s 2002 record. The match concluded in the early hours of Sunday morning, around 1:30 a.m. New York time. In another surprise, Belgian 28th seed Alexander Blockx upset Italian fifth seed Flavio Cobolli with a 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 win, earning a place in the fourth round where he will meet Argentina’s 24th‑seeded Cerundolo.

Madison Keys, the 2017 runner‑up, left the court dejected after surrendering a solid lead to lose 1-6, 7-6(7-3), 7-5 to China’s Qinwen Zheng. The 31‑year‑old confessed, "I started strong, but then I got scared and couldn’t swing.

Tennis feels really hard right now, and that fear took over." Amanda Anisimova, last year’s finalist, was overwhelmed by 46 unforced errors in a 6-2, 7-5 defeat to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova. Meanwhile, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva (Russia) defeated Czech Nikola Bartunkova 6-2, 7-6(5) to advance to her first US Open fourth round, where she will face Potapova again.

Six‑time Grand Slam winner Iga Świątek dug deep to overcome Czech 25th seed Marie Bouzkova 7-6(3), 7-6(3), securing her place in the fourth round. The eighth‑seeded Pole will next meet Zheng. Świątek commented, "It was very physical with many long rallies.

It wasn’t easy." Off the court, the Williams sisters avoided a fine after declining media interviews following a doubles loss on Friday night. Serena and Venus were defeated in three tight sets by Maya Joint and Chan Hao‑ching in their first match at Flushing Meadows in four years. While players are typically penalised for skipping press duties, officials indicated the sisters would not be punished this time.

The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30. Viewers can stream matches without a contract via NOW and the Sky Sports app, and the Laver Cup will also be shown live from The O2 in London between September 25‑27 on Sky Sports.