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Rain Forces Roof Play as Zverev, Sabalenka and Alcaraz Move Through US Open

Heavy showers pushed early matches into Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong, creating a backlog that has become a test of form and fitness for top players.

Overview

  • Persistent rain during the opening days closed outer courts and moved much of the schedule under the two retractable roofs, creating a multi-day backlog that organizers have mostly worked through so tournament play could continue.
  • Top seed Alexander Zverev survived a near five-hour, five-set match to beat Lorenzo Sonego on Wednesday, finishing 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4 and advancing to face Quentin Halys.
  • World number one Aryna Sabalenka crushed Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in 53 minutes and rebuked questions about her off-court appearances affecting preparation, underlining her bid for a third straight US Open title.
  • Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from a first-set loss to win in four sets over Jaime Faria, saying the match was a useful physical test of his recently repaired wrist after a four-month layoff.
  • Rising players and storylines have amplified crowd interest — Alex Eala won 6-1, 6-2 on Armstrong and veterans like Gael Monfils drew big reactions — while Jannik Sinner’s pre-tournament knee withdrawal reshuffled seedings and opened new pathways in the men’s draw.