Overview
- Two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka and defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz both advanced to the US Open last 16, with Sabalenka beating Kamilla Rakhimova and Alcaraz sweeping Wu Yibing on Friday.
- Top seed Alexander Zverev survived back-to-back five-set battles that stretched into the early hours and left him with almost ten hours on court across two matches.
- A wave of upsets opened the men’s draw, including defeats for Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti, with Botic van de Zandschulp eliminating de Minaur in straight sets.
- Serena and Venus Williams reunited for a doubles match at Arthur Ashe Stadium but fell in a three-hour, three-set loss to Maya Joint and Chan Hao-ching, drawing strong public interest to the event.
- Players have publicly raised scheduling and health concerns, with Alcaraz saying he plans longer breaks in future seasons and Sabalenka calling for fewer mandatory events to protect players from injury and fatigue.