Coco Gauff gave the home crowd a reason to celebrate at the US Open, moving into the round of 16 on a day that saw fellow Americans Taylor Fritz, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys suffer surprising defeats. The 2023 champion, now 22, was matched against world No. 40 Cristina Bucsa. Though she was not at her sharpest, Gauff managed to grind out a 6-3, 6-4 victory, securing her place among the last sixteen players.
Her next challenge will be a quarter‑final showdown with compatriot Iva Jovic. Reflecting on the match, Gauff noted the stark contrast between playing in daylight versus under the lights. "When I fell behind early in the set, I reminded myself I needed to speed up my shots," she explained. "She’s a crafty opponent who can change the pace and disrupt rhythm, so it was difficult to find my flow, 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 for the United States, the day was otherwise bleak for American men’s and women’s singles.
Taylor Fritz, the 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, a finalist two years earlier, had not dropped a set all week and seemed poised to join Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Alex Michelsen in the last sixteen. However, Cerundolo, fresh off an unexpected triumph at Queen’s Club earlier in the summer, clawed his way back in a match riddled with errors, eventually prevailing 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
The host nation continues its quest for a men’s singles champion, a title not claimed since Andy Roddick’s victory in 2003. Tommy Paul, seeded 20th, now faces world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in what promises to be a genuine test of the defending champion’s credentials after his recent injury layoff.
"I think I’ve played Carlos more than anyone on tour, which is kind of crazy," Paul said. "He and Jannik Sinner are the real tests. We’ve had some good matches, and while we haven’t seen too much of Carlos lately, he’s clearly coming back strong." On the men’s side, top seed Alexander Zverev breezed into the fourth round with a straight‑sets win over Alejandro Tabilo, 6-2, 7-6, 6-2. His next opponent will be 25th‑seeded Luciano Darderi, who earned his spot by defeating Australian wildcard Dane Sweeny 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 – marking Darderi’s first appearance in a fourth round at a hard‑court major.
Fourteenth‑seeded Learner Tien also advanced after a grueling five‑set battle against Jakub Mensik, prevailing 6-3, 1-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. The match stretched into the early hours of Sunday morning, with Tien sealing the win around 1:30 a.m. in New York.
At 20, Tien became the youngest American to reach the US Open fourth round since Andy Roddick’s 2002 run, matching the record. His victory sets up a clash with Russian veteran Karen Khachanov. In another upset, Belgian 28th seed Alexander Blockx defeated Italy’s fifth seed Flavio Cobolli 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-0, 6-3, earning a place in the fourth round where he will meet Argentina’s 24th‑seeded Cerundolo. On the women’s side, former finalist Madison Keys, 31, was left dejected after surrendering a solid lead to fall 1-6, 7-6(7-3), 7-5 against China’s Qinwen Zheng.
"I started strong but then got scared and couldn’t swing,” Keys admitted. “Tennis feels really hard right now, and that fear took over." Amanda Anisimova, who was runner‑up last year, also exited early, committing 46 unforced errors in a 6-2, 7-5 loss to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova. Meanwhile, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva (seeded fifth) defeated Czech Nikola Bartunkova 6-2, 7-6(5) to reach her first US Open fourth round, where she will face Potapova again.
Six‑time Grand Slam winner Iga Świątek dug deep to overcome 25th‑seeded Marie Bouzkova 7-6(3), 7-6(3), advancing to the fourth round. The 23‑year‑old said, "It was very physical with many long rallies. It wasn’t easy." In doubles, the Williams sisters avoided a fine for skipping post‑match media obligations after a three‑set loss to Maya Joint and Chan Hao‑ching in their first appearance at Flushing Meadows in four years.
Normally, such a breach would result in a penalty, but officials have indicated the sisters will not be punished. 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 attend the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, which will be shown live on Sky Sports.