Coco Gauff gave the home crowd a reason to celebrate at the US Open by moving into the fourth round, even as fellow Americans Taylor Fritz, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys suffered unexpected defeats. The 2023 champion, now 22, was matched against world No. 40 Cristina Bucsa.
Although Gauff was not at her absolute peak, she managed to outlast her opponent with a 6-3, 6-4 victory, securing a place among the last 16 competitors. Her next challenge will be a quarter‑final showdown with fellow American Iva Jovic.
Speaking after the match, Gauff reflected on the differences between playing in daylight versus under the lights. "When I fell behind early in the set, I reminded myself to speed up my shots," she explained.
"Bucsa is a crafty player who can change the tempo and force you to slow down, which made it hard to find my rhythm. Still, I’m pleased with how I fought through even when I wasn’t playing my best." While Gauff’s win kept American hopes alive, the day was otherwise marked by shocking upsets for the United States men’s and women’s contingents.
Taylor Fritz, the tournament’s ninth seed, appeared to be cruising toward the fourth round after taking a two‑set lead over Argentina’s Federico Cerundolo. The 28‑year‑old, who was the runner‑up in 2022, 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, fresh off a surprise victory at Queen’s Club earlier in the summer, clawed his way back into the match, turning it into a five‑set thriller and ultimately prevailing 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The loss deepened the United States’ search for a male champion, a title that has eluded the nation since Andy Roddick’s triumph in 2003 over Juan Carlos Ferrero. In the men’s draw, 20th‑seed Tommy Paul now faces defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in what promises to be a genuine test of Alcaraz’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.
He and Jannik Sinner are the big tests. We’ve had good matches, and while we haven’t seen too much of Carlos recently, he’s clearly back in form." 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 will meet 25th‑seed Luciano Darderi, who earned his spot by defeating Australian wildcard Dane Sweeny 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 – a first‑time appearance in the fourth round of a hard‑court major for Darderi.
Fourteenth‑seed Learner Tien also advanced after a grueling five‑set battle with 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. Tien’s victory made him the youngest American to reach the US Open fourth round since Andy Roddick set the benchmark in 2002, matching that historic record.
In another notable upset, Belgium’s 28th‑seed Alexander Blockx defeated Italy’s fifth‑seed Flavio Cobolli 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-0, 6-3, earning a place in the fourth round where he will meet Argentina’s 24th‑seed Cerundolo. On the women’s side, former finalist Madison Keys, 31, saw a commanding lead evaporate as she fell 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 to China’s Qinwen Zheng. Keys admitted to feeling the pressure after the early dominance: "I started with a strong lead, then I got scared and couldn’t swing.
Tennis feels really hard right now, and that fear took over." Amanda Anisimova, last year’s runner‑up, was also eliminated, committing 46 unforced errors in a 6-2, 7-5 loss to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova. Meanwhile, Russian fifth‑seed Mirra Andreeva defeated Czech Nikola Bartunkova 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) to reach the fourth round for the first time at the US Open, where she will face Potapova again. Six‑time Grand Slam champion Iga Świątek dug deep to overcome Czech 25th‑seed Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-3), securing her own fourth‑round berth.
Świątek, 25, noted the physical nature of the match: "There were many long rallies; it wasn’t easy." In doubles, the legendary Williams sisters escaped a potential fine for not speaking to the media after their loss. Serena and Venus were defeated in three tight 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 neglecting media duties, officials indicated that the Williams sisters would not be punished in this instance.
The US Open continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports from August 30, with streaming available on NOW and the Sky Sports app without a contract. Fans can also attend the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, where the event will be shown live on Sky Sports.