NEW YORK, September 4, 2026: Carlos Alcaraz arrived at the US Open carrying a question nobody normally associates with a defending Grand Slam champion.

Could his body hold up?

Four months away from singles tennis because of a wrist injury had removed the normal preparation, rhythm and hard-court buildup that would usually precede a title defense. By the time Alcaraz returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium, Jannik Sinner was already out of the tournament through injury and Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title had lasted only one match.

Five days later, the question around Alcaraz has changed.

The defending champion defeated Yibing Wu 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 on Friday to reach the fourth round of the 2026 US Open, extending his winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments to 17 matches and setting up one of the most attractive matches of the next round against American Tommy Paul.

Paul earned his place the hard way.

The No. 20 seed came through a five-set fight with Alexander Bublik, defeating the No. 15 seed 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-3. Daniil Medvedev, meanwhile, provided far less drama as the 2021 champion dismissed Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Those results added another layer to a men’s championship that has already lost Djokovic, Alex de Minaur, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Andrey Rublev, Lorenzo Musetti and several other seeded players before the second weekend.

Alcaraz has survived all of it.

More importantly, he increasingly looks like a player recovering his tennis while the draw around him keeps losing established contenders.

The Sports Encounter identified that possibility before the tournament in our analysis of the changing US Open men’s title race. Sinner’s withdrawal, Alcaraz’s uncertain fitness and Djokovic’s physical questions had created an unusually unstable field.

That instability is no longer theoretical.

US Open 2026 Men’s Tournament: Where Things Stand

Note: This report reflects completed results available through Friday evening in New York. Several third-round matches were still in progress or scheduled later when this article was prepared.

Carlos Alcaraz Is Starting to Look Like Carlos Alcaraz Again

That may be the most consequential development of the men’s tournament so far.

Alcaraz did not enter New York after Toronto, Cincinnati and weeks of hard-court competition.

His comeback began here.

The 23-year-old had not played a singles match since April because of the wrist injury that forced him out of Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the North American Masters events. The Sports Encounter examined the scale of that challenge in our analysis of Alcaraz’s return after four months away.

His first-round performance against Roman Safiullin therefore mattered beyond the result.

Alcaraz won 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

There were understandable signs of rust, yet his movement remained sharp enough, his forehand carried its familiar acceleration and the wrist survived a complete best-of-five match.

The comeback also became one of the cultural stories of the opening round when Alcaraz debuted his Travis Scott and Nike look on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Sports Encounter covered the intersection of tennis, fashion and his return in our report from his opening victory.

Round 2 was less comfortable.

Jaime Faria took the opening set 6-4 before Alcaraz responded with 6-0, 6-3 and 6-2 sets.

That recovery may have been more useful than another routine straight-sets victory.

It forced Alcaraz to deal with scoreboard pressure, adjust tactically and spend more time competing under Grand Slam conditions.

Against Wu on Friday, the improvement continued.

Alcaraz Beats Wu 6-3, 6-4, 6-1

Wu arrived with his own piece of history within reach.

The world No. 113 was attempting to become the first Chinese man in the professional era to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

For stretches of the opening set, his flat ball striking gave Alcaraz something to solve.

Wu recovered one break and showed why his power from the baseline can make him dangerous on a fast hard court.

Alcaraz responded immediately.

Once the defending champion regained control of the first set, the competitive distance between the players gradually widened.

The second set went 6-4.

The third went 6-1.

What began as a potentially uncomfortable afternoon eventually became Alcaraz’s most convincing performance of the tournament.

The 17-Match Grand Slam Winning Streak Changes the Conversation

Alcaraz’s current Grand Slam winning streak now stands at 17 matches.

He won the 2025 US Open, captured the Australian Open earlier this year and has now won his first three matches in New York.

The interruption came through injury rather than defeat.

That distinction gives his current run an unusual character.

For months, Alcaraz was absent while other players accumulated matches, rankings points and hard-court repetitions.

Once he returned to a Grand Slam court, the winning sequence resumed.

The Sports Encounter’s original US Open 2026 tournament preview positioned Alcaraz among the central men’s favorites but identified match fitness as the obvious uncertainty.

Three rounds have not completely removed that question.

They have significantly weakened it.

Tommy Paul Earns the Match American Fans Wanted

Alcaraz’s reward is one of the strongest fourth-round matches currently confirmed.

Tommy Paul had to spend considerably more physical capital to get there.

Alexander Bublik entered their third-round match as one of the more dangerous players remaining in the bottom half and had looked exceptionally sharp in Round 2, losing only five games against Adrian Mannarino.

Paul took the opening set 6-4.

Bublik answered 6-3 and then captured the third-set tiebreak to move within one set of the fourth round.

At that stage, the American needed to change the match quickly.

He did.

Paul dominated the fourth set 6-1 and carried the momentum into the decider, breaking Bublik’s resistance to take it 6-3.

The final score, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-3, tells the story of a match that changed direction more than once.

Alcaraz vs Tommy Paul Is Now One of the Matches of the Tournament

This is where Alcaraz’s comeback receives a different type of examination.

Paul offers athleticism, court coverage and enough pace from both wings to prevent Alcaraz from dictating every rally on his preferred terms.

The American will also have the crowd.

Alcaraz acknowledged after beating Wu that the New York support could give Paul another source of energy.

The physical context is equally interesting.

Alcaraz completed his third-round match in straight sets.

Paul spent five sets dealing with Bublik.

That does not decide the next match, but recovery becomes part of the calculation when players enter the second week of a major.

The US Open’s official men’s singles draw now places Alcaraz and Paul together in a fourth-round matchup carrying championship implications well beyond one section of the bracket.

Daniil Medvedev Is Doing Something Useful: Staying Out of the Chaos

Some players dominate the first week of a Slam through spectacular tennis.

Medvedev has so far taken the quieter route.

The 2021 champion beat Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in Round 1.

He followed that with a 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 victory over American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny.

On Friday, Medvedev defeated Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Three matches.

Three straight-sets wins.

No unnecessary five-set escape.

No major physical alarm.

No early exit.

That matters in a tournament where several leading men have already disappeared.

Medvedev’s New York History Suddenly Looks More Relevant

Medvedev’s relationship with the US Open is different from his relationship with the other majors.

New York has given him his only Grand Slam title.

Its hard courts reward his return position, defensive coverage and ability to turn apparently neutral rallies into uncomfortable exchanges.

When the draw was released, Medvedev did not dominate the title conversation.

Alcaraz’s return, Zverev’s rise, Djokovic’s pursuit of history, Shelton’s summer and Sinner’s withdrawal provided more immediate narratives.

The first week has altered that hierarchy.

Medvedev has quietly become one of the cleanest survivors.

Novak Djokovic’s Exit Changed the Tournament Before Most Players Had Settled In

The most important men’s result of the first week may still be the one that happened in Round 1.

Novak Djokovic lost to Mariano Navone 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Djokovic had entered the tournament pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.

His draw placed him in the same bottom half as Alcaraz, immediately creating the possibility of another major showdown later in the tournament.

That possibility lasted one night.

Navone’s victory removed the most accomplished Grand Slam player in the field and opened an enormous section of the bottom half.

The result also validated some of the physical concerns examined before the tournament in The Sports Encounter’s men’s title-race analysis.

Djokovic could still produce elite tennis.

The question was whether his body could repeatedly sustain the demands of best-of-five competition in New York.

Against Navone, that question arrived immediately.

Jannik Sinner’s Absence Had Already Removed the World No. 1

Djokovic’s exit came after the tournament had already lost another defining figure.

Jannik Sinner withdrew before the event because of a knee injury.

His absence changed the seeding, elevated Alexander Zverev to the No. 1 position in the draw and removed the player who would otherwise have been among the clearest championship favorites.

The Sports Encounter tracked those consequences from the draw stage in our analysis of the 2026 US Open brackets.

Before a ball was struck, the men’s championship had lost Sinner.

Before Round 2 began, it had lost Djokovic.

That is a remarkable amount of structural change in less than a week.

Alex de Minaur Becomes Another Major Casualty

Botic van de Zandschulp produced one of the strongest second-round upsets by eliminating No. 6 seed Alex de Minaur 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.

This was not a five-set escape decided by a late tiebreak.

Van de Zandschulp controlled the match in straight sets.

De Minaur had entered the tournament as an established second-week threat because of his speed, hard-court experience and ability to extend matches against more aggressive opponents.

His departure removed another seed from Zverev’s half of the draw.

Felix Auger-Aliassime Falls From the No. 3 Line

Perhaps the biggest seeding casualty after Djokovic was Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The No. 3 seed won the opening set against Karen Khachanov in a tiebreak before the match turned sharply.

Khachanov won the next three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Auger-Aliassime’s elimination created another opening in the top half and strengthened Khachanov’s position as one of the experienced players capable of moving deep into the second week.

Andrey Rublev’s Exit Introduced Daniel Merida to the Wider Tennis World

Daniel Merida entered Round 2 without the profile of Rublev.

He left it with one of the tournament’s biggest wins.

Rublev took the first set in a tiebreak before Merida responded 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

For a tournament already producing new names, unexpected routes and unusually open sections of the bracket, Merida’s result fitted the wider pattern.

Dane Sweeny Turned a Wild Card Into Something Much Bigger

One of The Sports Encounter’s favorite stories from the first week has come from Australian wildcard Dane Sweeny.

Sweeny lost the first set of his second-round match against Lorenzo Musetti.

Then he transformed the match completely.

The Australian defeated the No. 13 seed 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, winning three consecutive sets with the kind of authority rarely associated with a player ranked outside the established elite.

Our full report on Sweeny’s breakthrough victory over Musetti explains why it belongs among the tournament’s strongest early-round stories.

Sweeny entered the US Open main draw as a wildcard.

He is now part of the third-round conversation.

Taylor Fritz Has Been Ruthless

If American supporters are looking beyond Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz has provided perhaps the most emphatic performance by a home contender so far.

After defeating Darwin Blanch 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in Round 1, Fritz dismantled Mattia Bellucci 6-0, 6-1, 6-1.

The scoreline is difficult to improve upon.

Fritz surrendered only two games.

His third-round match against Francisco Cerundolo will determine whether that momentum can survive a considerably stronger opponent.

The wider American question was one of the central themes in the US Open’s official men’s draw analysis.

Paul, Fritz, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe have ensured the discussion remains relevant.

Ben Shelton Still Carries a Serious American Case

Shelton arrived in New York after another strong North American summer and with a growing sense that his ceiling at Grand Slam level remains considerably higher than his current résumé.

He survived a difficult opening against Tallon Griekspoor, recovering from a 6-1 first-set defeat to win 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2.

Round 2 brought another demanding opponent in Hubert Hurkacz.

Shelton came through 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5.

Two matches have required significantly more work than Fritz’s early rounds, but Shelton remains alive and dangerous.

Alexander Zverev Is Surviving, Even if He Is Not Cruising

Zverev carries the No. 1 seed after Sinner’s withdrawal.

His first two rounds have looked nothing like Alcaraz’s more controlled progression.

The German needed five sets to defeat Lorenzo Sonego in his opener, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4.

Round 2 brought another long match against Quentin Halys.

Zverev eventually prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 6-3.

That means the top seed has already played ten sets across two matches.

The important fact is that he remains in the draw.

The less comfortable fact is the amount of work already accumulated before the second week.

The Men’s Draw Has Become a Contest Between Survival and Efficiency

Grand Slam tournaments are rarely won in the first week.

They can be lost there.

That difference is becoming important in New York.

Alcaraz has played ten sets through three rounds and lost one.

Medvedev has played nine and lost none.

Zverev has already played ten through only two matches.

Paul needed five against Bublik.

Shelton has already experienced two demanding matches.

Physical expenditure becomes increasingly relevant as the temperature, tension and opponent quality rise.

The US Open’s own Round 2 statistics showed how unusually demanding the early men’s tournament had become, including multiple recoveries from two sets down across the opening rounds.

Major Men’s Seeds Already Eliminated

Who Has Benefited Most From Djokovic’s Exit?

Alcaraz is the obvious answer.

The draw originally placed Djokovic in the defending champion’s half.

Any path toward the final potentially included a player with 24 Grand Slam titles and unmatched experience in late-round major tennis.

That obstacle disappeared on opening night.

It does not make Alcaraz’s route easy.

Paul is next.

Medvedev remains alive elsewhere in the bottom half.

Shelton and Tiafoe are still attempting to advance.

Other dangerous players are emerging.

Yet there is no reasonable way to evaluate the bracket without acknowledging that the removal of Djokovic significantly changes Alcaraz’s championship pathway.

Who Has the Best Men’s US Open Case Right Now?

The Alcaraz Question Has Flipped in Less Than a Week

Before the US Open, everybody knew what Alcaraz could do when healthy.

That was never the debate.

The uncertainty concerned how quickly a player could return from four months without singles competition and immediately negotiate seven best-of-five matches.

His opening week has supplied the first part of the answer.

Safiullin could not take a set.

Faria took one and then lost the next three.

Wu could not prevent the match from accelerating away from him.

Alcaraz has therefore gone from rehabilitation story to active championship favorite without needing a warm-up tournament to bridge the gap.

His earlier mixed doubles appearance alongside Serena Williams may have helped reacclimatize him to Arthur Ashe Stadium before the singles event began. The Sports Encounter covered that unusual preparation in our report on Williams and Alcaraz’s mixed doubles run.

What Happens Next at the US Open?

The men’s third round continues with several important matches still capable of changing the picture.

Zverev, Fritz, Shelton, Tiafoe, Learner Tien, Karen Khachanov and other contenders still need to secure their places in the last 16.

The tournament then moves into the phase where major contenders begin meeting each other rather than merely surviving the draw.

Alcaraz vs Paul is already confirmed.

That alone gives the fourth round its first genuine marquee men’s matchup.

The next wave of results will determine whether the top half remains anchored by Zverev or becomes even more fragmented.

The Sports Encounter Verdict

Five days into the men’s US Open, the tournament looks considerably different from the one that appeared on paper when the draw was released.

Sinner never made it to the starting line.

Djokovic lasted one round.

Auger-Aliassime, de Minaur, Musetti, Rublev and Bublik have followed him out.

Zverev remains alive but has already needed two prolonged matches.

Medvedev has moved through the first week with very little noise.

The Americans still have several meaningful contenders.

And Alcaraz, the player who arrived with perhaps the biggest physical uncertainty among the favorites, is beginning to look increasingly comfortable.

His fourth-round match against Tommy Paul should tell us much more.

Paul will bring home support, athleticism and confidence from a five-set comeback against Bublik.

Alcaraz will bring fresher legs, a 17-match Grand Slam winning streak and the knowledge that many of the players expected to complicate his title defense are already gone.

The defending champion has not won the US Open again yet.

He has, however, survived the stage of the tournament where almost everything around him has changed.

For continuing match reports, analysis, player stories and Grand Slam coverage, visit The Sports Encounter Tennis Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who did Carlos Alcaraz beat in the third round of the 2026 US Open?

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Yibing Wu 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to reach the fourth round.

Who will Carlos Alcaraz play next at the US Open?

Alcaraz will face American No. 20 seed Tommy Paul in the Round of 16.

How did Tommy Paul beat Alexander Bublik?

Paul recovered from being two sets to one down to defeat Bublik 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-3.

Is Novak Djokovic still in the 2026 US Open?

No. Djokovic was eliminated in the first round by Mariano Navone in five sets.

Why is Jannik Sinner not playing the 2026 US Open?

Sinner withdrew before the tournament because of a knee injury.

Is Daniil Medvedev still in the US Open?

Yes. Medvedev reached the fourth round after defeating Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 and has not dropped a set through his first three matches.

How many sets has Carlos Alcaraz lost at the US Open so far?

Alcaraz has lost one set through his first three matches. Jaime Faria won the opening set of their second-round meeting.

Who is the No. 1 seed in the men’s US Open draw?

Alexander Zverev is the top seed after Jannik Sinner withdrew before the tournament.

Which major men’s seeds have already been eliminated?

Among the notable seeded players eliminated are Novak Djokovic, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti, Andrey Rublev, Brandon Nakashima and Alexander Bublik.

Can an American win the 2026 US Open men’s title?

Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe are among the leading American players still attempting to make deep runs. Paul has already secured a Round of 16 meeting with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

NEW YORK, September 4, 2026: Aryna Sabalenka has spent the opening week of the US Open dealing comfortably with opponents, expectations and the pressure of chasing a third consecutive title.

On Friday, something far less conventional briefly interrupted her rhythm.

The world No. 1 complained to the chair umpire about a strong smell of marijuana during her third-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova at Louis Armstrong Stadium, saying the odor was difficult to handle while trying to compete at full concentration.

Sabalenka still won 6-3, 6-4 and moved into the Round of 16, where she will face American Taylor Townsend. The incident did not change the result, but it produced one of the more unusual discussions of the tournament because the US Open operates a smoke-free venue while sitting inside a part of New York where activity outside the grounds cannot always be controlled.

No spectator was identified as smoking inside the tennis center, and nobody was removed over the incident.

The USTA said it remained vigilant in enforcing the smoke-free environment at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center but acknowledged that it cannot control everything taking place beyond the tournament grounds.

Sabalenka’s complaint therefore leaves the US Open with an awkward problem. The tournament can police behavior inside the gates. Wind, surrounding parkland and activity outside those gates are considerably harder to regulate.

For Sabalenka, the matter was frustrating rather than decisive. She recovered, defeated Rakhimova and continued a title defense that began with a straight-sets victory over Camila Osorio and then accelerated with a dominant second-round performance.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Kamilla Rakhimova: Match at a Glance

What Happened During Sabalenka’s Match?

The moment came early.

Sabalenka was serving in the third game when she prepared to begin a point, tossed the ball and then allowed it to drop instead of completing the serve.

She reset and tried again.

The same thing happened.

Something was clearly interfering with her preparation, and Sabalenka eventually walked toward the chair umpire to explain the problem.

She later said the marijuana smell was unusually strong and that she could not determine whether it was coming directly from the crowd or being carried into the stadium by the wind.

Her concern was practical rather than moral.

Sabalenka made clear afterward that what people choose to do away from the court is their own business. Her objection was having the smell reach a professional tennis court while she was trying to serve and compete.

That distinction matters.

This was not a player entering a wider debate about marijuana laws. It was a player asking for the competition environment around her match to remain as controlled as possible.

The US Open Is Officially Smoke-Free

The tournament’s own regulations support Sabalenka’s expectation.

The official US Open Code of Conduct prohibits spectators from smoking, vaping or using electronic smoking devices within the facility.

The tournament’s prohibited-items policy also bars illegal substances from being brought onto the grounds.

The practical difficulty on Friday was enforcement.

Tournament officials did not find a spectator smoking inside the venue. That meant there was nobody to warn or remove.

The USTA’s position was that the tennis center remains smoke-free and that security and guest-services staff will intervene when they become aware of prohibited smoking.

What they cannot guarantee is that air entering the grounds will remain unaffected by activity elsewhere around Flushing Meadows.

The Source of the Smell Was Never Confirmed

That is the most important detail to preserve.

There is no verified evidence that somebody sitting inside Louis Armstrong Stadium was smoking marijuana.

Sabalenka herself did not claim to know the source.

She suggested it could have come from the crowd or from outside because of the wind.

The distinction protects the story from becoming something it is not.

This is a confirmed complaint about an odor.

It is not a confirmed case of a spectator openly smoking courtside.

Why a Smell Can Matter More Than It Sounds

Elite tennis depends heavily on routine.

Players bounce the ball a certain number of times. They regulate breathing. They reset their grip. They control the timing between points and build familiar sequences around serves, returns and changeovers.

Serving is particularly sensitive because the player initiates everything.

Visual movement, crowd noise, unexpected sounds and other sensory distractions can interrupt the sequence before the ball is struck.

Sabalenka’s reaction showed that the odor was strong enough to break that routine twice.

She recovered quickly, but the larger point remains relevant for tournament organizers.

A controlled sporting environment is about more than keeping spectators quiet during serves.

Lighting, sound, movement, temperature, air flow and unexpected distractions all shape how players experience a match.

Sabalenka Still Had to Solve a Much Tougher Tennis Problem

The marijuana episode became the unusual headline, but Rakhimova provided the more persistent challenge.

Sabalenka won the first set 6-3 before being pushed considerably harder in the second.

The second set lasted 54 minutes, which was one minute longer than Sabalenka’s entire second-round match.

That is a useful measure of how much more demanding Friday became.

Sabalenka praised Rakhimova afterward for forcing her to raise her level.

Rakhimova had entered the match after eliminating No. 27 seed Barbora Krejcikova earlier in the tournament and had already shown she was capable of disrupting more established opponents.

Sabalenka handled the challenge without dropping a set.

Her US Open Has Become Progressively More Demanding

Sabalenka arrived in Round 3 after one of the cleanest starts among the leading women.

She defeated Camila Osorio in straight sets to begin her title defense, a performance covered in The Sports Encounter’s opening report on Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz.

She then dismantled Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in Round 2.

The Sports Encounter’s full first-week US Open analysis noted that Sabalenka had dropped only seven games through her first two matches and appeared to be moving through New York with considerably less physical stress than several other contenders.

Rakhimova changed that pattern slightly.

The third round demanded more problem-solving, more time on court and an unusual interruption.

Sabalenka still left without surrendering a set.

The Complaint Fits an Already Unusual US Open

This tournament has rarely settled into a conventional rhythm.

Rain repeatedly disrupted qualifying and the opening rounds.

First-round matches were still being completed while other players were already reaching Round 3.

Novak Djokovic suffered a major opening-round defeat.

Jannik Sinner withdrew before the tournament because of injury.

Several seeded players departed early.

The full picture was documented in our analysis of the rain, exits and changing title race.

Even when the weather finally became less dominant, New York found another way to remind players that Grand Slam tennis here is rarely sterile.

New York Has Always Been Part of the US Open Experience

The US Open is different from many major tennis events because the tournament has never been isolated from its city.

Aircraft pass overhead.

Trains move nearby.

Crowds are louder than at many other Grand Slams.

Music, food, movement and city noise form part of the atmosphere.

Players who thrive in New York often speak about feeding off that energy rather than trying to remove themselves from it.

That energy has limits.

A player can enjoy a loud stadium and still expect the competition area to respect basic venue rules.

Sabalenka’s complaint sits exactly at that intersection.

This Is Not the First Time a Player Has Raised the Issue

The situation is not entirely new.

Nick Kyrgios and Maria Sakkari have both complained about marijuana odors during previous US Open matches.

Those earlier incidents are relevant because they show that Friday was not a completely isolated occurrence.

The recurring nature of the issue makes the source question harder rather than easier.

If tournament security repeatedly finds no one smoking within the facility, officials have limited options when the odor originates elsewhere.

The USTA can enforce conduct rules within its controlled footprint.

It cannot place a roof over Flushing Meadows.

Sabalenka Eventually Found the Funny Side

Her frustration did not last into the post-match press conference.

Sabalenka later joked about whether spectators might have been trying to slow things down because her matches had been moving too quickly.

The humor was consistent with how she has increasingly handled unexpected moments during the later phase of her career.

Earlier versions of Sabalenka could become visibly frustrated when matches moved outside the expected rhythm.

The current version is far better at separating annoyance from performance.

Friday was another example.

She complained.

The issue was not immediately solved.

She kept playing.

She won.

That Emotional Control Is Part of Why She Is Chasing History

Sabalenka entered New York trying to win a third consecutive US Open women’s singles title.

No woman has achieved that since Serena Williams won three straight championships from 2012 through 2014.

The historical target was one of the central themes in The Sports Encounter’s complete US Open 2026 curtain-raiser.

Her path was also examined after the draw in our analysis of Sabalenka’s route through the women’s bracket.

A third title requires more than superior ball striking.

Grand Slam champions eventually face bad weather, awkward opponents, long matches, hostile crowds, scheduling disruption or moments nobody anticipated.

Friday’s problem happened to involve the air around Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Taylor Townsend Is a Much Bigger Concern Now

Sabalenka can leave the marijuana complaint behind because the tennis challenge immediately becomes more serious.

Taylor Townsend awaits in the Round of 16.

The American defeated No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-3 to reach the fourth round for the second consecutive year.

Townsend entered the tournament playing some of the best serving tennis of her career.

In Round 2, she defeated Taylah Preston 6-1, 6-1 while winning every one of her 23 first-serve points.

The official US Open profile of Townsend’s serving form showed how dangerous she has become in short points.

Sabalenka will therefore move from an unusual environmental distraction into a matchup against a confident left-hander with a strong serve and a home crowd behind her.

Townsend Has Reasons to Believe She Can Make This Difficult

Townsend has already reached the US Open Round of 16 multiple times and has become increasingly comfortable on major New York courts.

She has also developed into one of the world’s best doubles players, giving her superior instincts around the net and more willingness than many modern singles players to shorten points by moving forward.

That creates an interesting stylistic contrast.

Sabalenka will want to control exchanges through first-strike power.

Townsend can change height, direction and court positioning more frequently.

Sabalenka remains the clear favorite.

The matchup is far more complicated than the ranking gap alone suggests.

Sabalenka Has Already Experienced One Unexpected US Open Exit

Her singles campaign has been highly controlled so far, but her New York tournament did include one earlier surprise.

Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic entered the redesigned mixed doubles event as the top seeds and were eliminated by Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten.

The Sports Encounter’s analysis of that mixed doubles upset showed how specialist movement and partnership instincts overcame superstar singles credentials.

It was another reminder that nothing at this US Open has been entirely straightforward.

Her Cincinnati Exit Also Makes This Run More Interesting

Sabalenka did not arrive in New York carrying perfect form.

Sara Bejlek stunned her 7-6(7), 6-4 in the Cincinnati round of 16, one of the biggest results of the pre-US Open swing.

That defeat is covered in The Sports Encounter’s Cincinnati knockout-round report.

The response in New York has been considerably sharper.

Sabalenka has avoided dropping a set through three rounds and has managed each type of test differently.

Why This Story Matters Beyond the Joke

The marijuana angle naturally attracts attention because it is unusual.

The serious question underneath it concerns competition standards.

Professional tournaments invest heavily in creating consistent playing conditions.

Courts are measured.

Balls are standardized.

Officials enforce time rules.

Security manages crowd behavior.

Players expect distractions that can reasonably be controlled to be controlled.

The difficulty in New York is that an outdoor venue remains connected to its surrounding environment.

The US Open can prohibit smoking.

It can remove people who violate the rule.

It cannot guarantee that every smell reaching an outdoor stadium began inside its security perimeter.

Sabalenka’s complaint exposes that limitation unusually clearly.

The Sports Encounter Verdict

Aryna Sabalenka had a legitimate reason to raise the issue.

The US Open also appears to have enforced the part of the problem it could reasonably control.

No spectator was caught smoking inside the venue, no one was removed, and the tournament maintains an explicit smoke-free policy.

That leaves the hardest part unresolved.

If the odor came from outside the grounds and was carried toward Louis Armstrong Stadium by the wind, there may have been very little tournament officials could do in that moment.

What Sabalenka could control was her response.

She stopped twice.

She spoke to the umpire.

She reset.

Then she beat Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4.

The complaint will generate headlines because of its unusual subject.

The tennis story remains more important.

Sabalenka is into the Round of 16 without dropping a set, her bid for a third consecutive US Open title remains alive, and Taylor Townsend now represents a far more meaningful obstacle than anything drifting through the New York air.

Follow the latest US Open results, player stories and Grand Slam analysis through The Sports Encounter Tennis Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Aryna Sabalenka’s complaint at the US Open?

Sabalenka complained about a strong smell of marijuana while serving during her third-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Did marijuana smoke stop Sabalenka’s match?

The match was briefly interrupted while Sabalenka spoke to the chair umpire, but play continued and she completed the match.

Was anyone caught smoking marijuana at the US Open?

No spectator was identified as smoking and nobody was ejected in connection with Sabalenka’s complaint.

Is smoking allowed at the US Open?

No. The US Open Code of Conduct prohibits smoking, vaping and electronic smoking devices within the tournament facility.

Did Aryna Sabalenka beat Kamilla Rakhimova?

Yes. Sabalenka won 6-3, 6-4 to reach the fourth round.

Who does Aryna Sabalenka play next?

Sabalenka faces American Taylor Townsend in the Round of 16.

Has Sabalenka lost a set at the 2026 US Open?

No. Sabalenka has advanced through her first three singles matches without dropping a set.

Is Aryna Sabalenka the defending US Open champion?

Yes. Sabalenka has won the last two US Open women’s singles titles and is attempting to win a third consecutive championship.

When was the last women’s US Open three-peat?

Serena Williams won three consecutive US Open women’s singles titles from 2012 through 2014.

Have other tennis players complained about marijuana smells at the US Open?

Yes. Nick Kyrgios and Maria Sakkari are among players who have raised similar complaints during previous tournaments in New York.

IPSWICH, England, September 4, 2026: Liverpool spent their first two Premier League matches under Andoni Iraola showing enough attacking quality to score twice and enough defensive vulnerability to surrender the same number.

At Portman Road, they finally completed both sides of the job.

Alexander Isak scored twice inside the opening nine minutes, Cody Gakpo created both goals, and Liverpool beat newly promoted Ipswich Town 2-0 to collect their first league victory of the 2026-27 season.

The match was effectively decided before many supporters had settled into their seats.

Isak struck in the sixth minute and again three minutes later, punishing an Ipswich defense that failed to deal with Liverpool’s early movement and the speed of Gakpo’s decisions around the penalty area.

What followed was less spectacular but arguably just as useful for Iraola.

Liverpool controlled the lead, avoided the defensive mistakes that had cost them against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, and completed their first clean sheet of the campaign.

Ronald Araújo made his first Liverpool start, Bradley Barcola came off the bench for his debut following his move from Paris Saint-Germain, and Gakpo reinforced his importance at a time when Liverpool’s attacking hierarchy is still being reshaped after Mohamed Salah’s departure.

The Sports Encounter entered the season describing Liverpool as one of the Premier League’s biggest title-race wildcards.

Three matches later, that description still fits.

Liverpool remain a work in progress, but the first win has arrived.

Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool: Match at a Glance

The official Premier League fixture list confirms the Matchweek 3 schedule, while Liverpool’s official team announcement confirmed Araújo’s first start and Barcola’s place among the substitutes.

Alexander Isak Needed Nine Minutes to Change Liverpool’s Evening

Liverpool had drawn their opening two league matches 2-2.

That created an unusual early pressure around a club expected to compete for Champions League places and potentially push higher if Iraola could quickly impose his ideas.

The first match at Newcastle had required a stoppage-time Dominik Szoboszlai penalty to rescue a point.

The second, against Nottingham Forest at Anfield, followed a similar pattern. Liverpool twice fell behind before Isak and Victor Muñoz responded to earn another 2-2 draw.

The opening-weekend chaos was documented in The Sports Encounter’s Premier League Matchweek 1 wrap.

Portman Road produced something very different.

Isak gave Liverpool the lead after six minutes.

Three minutes later, he scored again.

Two goals from Liverpool’s £125 million striker had transformed a potentially difficult Friday-night away game into a match the visitors could manage from a position of control.

Cody Gakpo Created Both Goals

Isak supplied the finishing.

Gakpo supplied the openings.

The Dutch international assisted both early goals and became the most important attacking player in Liverpool’s decisive first spell.

His performance carries extra significance because Liverpool’s forward line is undergoing a substantial transformation.

Salah is gone.

Barcola has arrived.

Isak remains the most expensive player in Premier League history.

Florian Wirtz operates behind the attacking line.

Victor Muñoz has begun receiving first-team opportunities.

Gakpo therefore entered the season surrounded by questions about exactly where he would sit within Iraola’s preferred attack.

The answer after three league matches is becoming clearer.

He remains extremely difficult to leave out.

Why Gakpo’s Performance Matters in the Post-Salah Liverpool

Liverpool’s attack used to have an obvious gravitational center.

Salah produced goals at such a consistent rate that many attacking questions eventually returned to the same solution.

His departure for Trabzonspor, covered in The Sports Encounter’s report on the end of his Liverpool career, forced the club to distribute responsibility differently.

Isak offers elite finishing.

Wirtz brings creativity between the lines.

Barcola adds pace and one-on-one threat.

Gakpo provides something slightly different: physical strength, finishing, combination play and enough positional flexibility to connect several versions of the attack.

Iraola had praised him before the match, describing Gakpo as an intelligent player who had trained and performed well despite uncertainty around the transfer market.

Two assists at Ipswich provided the best possible response.

Isak Now Looks Ready to Lead the New Attack

The brace also matters because Liverpool paid an extraordinary price to make Isak their long-term attacking reference.

The Sports Encounter’s analysis of the Premier League’s five most expensive signings placed Isak at the top after his £125 million move from Newcastle.

That fee brings a very specific kind of expectation.

Contribution is insufficient.

Isak is expected to decide games.

He did exactly that here.

His first goal immediately damaged Ipswich’s defensive plan.

The second forced Gary O’Neil’s newly promoted side to chase a match against one of the most talented attacking squads in England.

That is precisely what Liverpool paid for.

Isak Has Already Scored Against Both of Liverpool’s Opening Opponents

His first Liverpool goal of the new league season came against Nottingham Forest.

Now he has added two more at Ipswich.

Three goals through Liverpool’s first three league fixtures gives Iraola the reliable central scoring presence he needs while the wider attacking structure continues developing.

Ronald Araújo’s First Start Helped Liverpool Solve a More Urgent Problem

The goals will dominate discussion around Friday night.

The clean sheet may be more important to Liverpool’s coach.

Liverpool had conceded twice against Newcastle.

They conceded twice again against Forest.

Their full-back and central defensive relationships were already becoming one of the first tactical questions of Iraola’s tenure.

Araújo made his first Liverpool start at Portman Road after arriving from Barcelona, replacing Jeremie Frimpong in the only change from the Forest match.

The move itself was examined when The Sports Encounter reported on Araújo’s surprise switch to Liverpool.

His first start coincided with Liverpool’s first clean sheet.

One match does not solve the defensive debate, but it gives Iraola something concrete to work with before the level of opposition increases.

Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool Finally Get a Quiet Second Half

For two league matches, Liverpool’s defenders had been forced into repeated high-pressure situations.

The early Isak double changed that.

Van Dijk, Jérémy Jacquet, Milos Kerkez and Araújo could defend a lead rather than chase a game.

That difference matters tactically.

Iraola’s football asks defenders to operate aggressively when Liverpool push higher.

The danger appears when pressing distances become too large or the first defensive action fails.

Ipswich were never able to exploit those spaces often enough to turn the game.

Alisson therefore completed the clean sheet Liverpool had been missing.

Bradley Barcola Makes His Liverpool Debut

Another major summer signing entered during the second half.

Barcola came off the bench for his first Liverpool appearance following his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.

The circumstances were ideal for a debut.

Liverpool already led by two.

Ipswich had to move higher.

Barcola could therefore attack space without carrying the responsibility of rescuing the match.

His arrival also creates an intriguing selection question.

Gakpo had just spent the evening producing two assists.

Any expectation that the new signing would automatically displace him now looks far too simplistic.

Iraola may instead have enough quality to rotate different combinations depending on the opponent.

Liverpool’s Summer Spending Is Starting to Appear on the Pitch

English football has just completed another extraordinary transfer window.

The Sports Encounter calculated that Premier League clubs committed approximately £3.46 billion during the summer, a record explored in our analysis of the league’s unprecedented 2026 spending.

Liverpool are part of that financial escalation.

Isak arrived for a British-record £125 million the previous year.

Wirtz cost up to £116.5 million.

Barcola adds another elite attacking investment.

Araújo strengthens the defense.

The club therefore cannot frame this season as a simple transition without expectations.

The squad has been built to return Liverpool to the highest level of English and European competition.

Portman Road was the first night this league season when several pieces looked connected.

Andoni Iraola Finally Has His First Liverpool Victory

Iraola arrived at Anfield after building Bournemouth into one of the Premier League’s most aggressive pressing teams.

The Sports Encounter’s full Premier League season preview identified his appointment as one of the most fascinating managerial changes of the summer.

The tactical fit made sense.

Liverpool have historically been comfortable playing at speed, counter-pressing after turnovers and attacking before opponents reorganize.

The challenge involved control.

The first two draws reinforced exactly that concern.

Friday’s performance offered a better balance.

Liverpool were aggressive when the game demanded aggression.

Once they led 2-0, they did not continue playing as though they were losing.

Liverpool’s Opening Three Matches Show the Evolution

The difference is obvious.

Liverpool have scored two goals in every league match.

Until Friday, they had also conceded two in every league match.

The attacking output remained constant.

The defensive outcome changed.

Ipswich’s Match Was Damaged Before Their Plan Could Develop

Gary O’Neil’s side entered the match with some reason for confidence despite their promoted status.

Ipswich had beaten Sunderland 2-1 on opening weekend and followed that by beating Leicester City 3-1 in the Carabao Cup.

Manchester United then exposed them in a 5-2 defeat at Old Trafford.

The larger problem against Liverpool was the timing of the goals.

A promoted team facing a Champions League-level opponent usually needs the opening phase to remain stable.

Ipswich lost that phase almost immediately.

Once Isak scored twice inside nine minutes, the entire tactical assignment changed.

Ipswich’s £200 Million Rebuild Still Needs Time

The Tractor Boys did not approach their return to the Premier League conservatively.

They signed 14 senior players during the summer and invested heavily in an attempt to build a squad capable of surviving immediately.

The Sports Encounter’s investigation into Premier League transfer spending highlighted promoted-club expenditure as one of the defining features of the market.

Ipswich were central to that trend.

Julio Enciso, Abdul Fatawu, Exequiel Palacios, Sasa Lukic, Issa Diop, Daizen Maeda and Chuba Akpom were among a long list of arrivals.

The talent level has clearly increased.

The cohesion still needs work.

Liverpool punished that gap quickly.

Portman Road Remains a Comfortable Premier League Ground for Liverpool

Liverpool’s historical record at Ipswich had already been strong before Friday.

The Reds entered unbeaten across all six previous Premier League trips to Portman Road, winning four and drawing two.

They had also won the previous four Premier League meetings between the clubs while scoring 17 goals and conceding only once.

Liverpool’s official statistical preview highlighted those numbers before kickoff.

The latest result extends the pattern.

The First Win Moves Liverpool Into a More Comfortable Table Position

Liverpool now have five points from three matches.

That return will not satisfy a club with Champions League and title ambitions over an entire season.

It looks considerably healthier than three points from three draws would have.

The bigger benefit is psychological.

Iraola no longer has to answer questions about when his first victory will arrive.

Isak has goals.

Gakpo has influence.

Araújo has a clean sheet from his first start.

Barcola has made his debut.

Those individual developments give Liverpool several positive threads to carry into the next phase.

The Champions League Now Raises the Level Immediately

Liverpool do not have long to enjoy the victory.

Atlético Madrid visit Anfield in the Champions League on September 9.

That fixture will provide a considerably more demanding examination of Iraola’s defensive structure.

Ipswich struggled to create sustained pressure after the early goals.

Atlético will present different problems through game management, physicality and transition attacks.

That makes Friday’s clean sheet useful preparation rather than proof that Liverpool’s defensive problems have disappeared.

Why the Post-Salah Liverpool Is Becoming More Collective

The most encouraging aspect of the opening three matches may be that Liverpool’s goals are already being distributed.

Gakpo scored against Newcastle.

Szoboszlai converted the stoppage-time penalty.

Isak and Muñoz scored against Forest.

Isak scored twice at Ipswich.

That pattern matters because replacing Salah was never going to be about finding one player capable of reproducing 250-plus Liverpool goals.

It required building a different attack.

The financial transformation around the club has also added expectations. The Sports Encounter has followed that wider context through the minority investment that increased Liverpool’s financial flexibility.

The club now has resources, talent and a manager with a clear football identity.

The remaining challenge is turning those ingredients into consistency.

What Comes Next for Liverpool?

The schedule now becomes heavier.

Liverpool host Atlético Madrid in Europe before returning to Premier League action against Fulham.

A Carabao Cup meeting with Tottenham follows soon after.

That means Iraola will have to use the squad rather than rely permanently on one starting XI.

Barcola’s arrival helps.

Araújo’s integration helps.

Gakpo’s form makes selection more difficult in a productive way.

Isak’s goals provide the most important reassurance of all.

What Comes Next for Ipswich?

Ipswich remain on three points from their opening three league fixtures.

That is hardly disastrous for a promoted team that has already faced Manchester United and Liverpool.

The concern is defensive.

They have now conceded seven goals across those two matches.

O’Neil’s job is to ensure the heavy summer recruitment produces greater collective organization before defeats against elite opponents begin affecting performances in more winnable fixtures.

The Sports Encounter Verdict

Liverpool did not need a spectacular 90-minute performance at Portman Road.

They needed a win that looked more controlled than the opening two matches.

Isak provided the decisive advantage almost immediately.

Gakpo created both goals.

Araújo helped stabilize the defensive structure on his first start.

Barcola took his first Liverpool minutes from the bench.

Alisson kept the clean sheet.

The final 81 minutes contained fewer dramatic moments than Liverpool’s opening two league games.

Iraola will probably consider that progress.

The first two matches showed Liverpool could recover from problems.

Ipswich showed they could avoid creating so many of them.

That distinction matters as the Champions League begins and stronger opponents arrive.

The Premier League season is still only three matches old, and Liverpool remain far from a finished project.

Friday night provided the first clear view of what Iraola wants that project to become.

Fast enough to punish mistakes.

Controlled enough to protect the damage afterward.

For continuing Premier League, Champions League and international football coverage, visit The Sports Encounter Soccer Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Ipswich Town vs Liverpool score?

Liverpool defeated Ipswich Town 2-0 at Portman Road in Premier League Matchweek 3.

Who scored Liverpool’s goals against Ipswich?

Alexander Isak scored both Liverpool goals, striking in the sixth and ninth minutes.

Who assisted Alexander Isak’s goals?

Cody Gakpo provided the assist for both of Isak’s goals.

Was this Andoni Iraola’s first Liverpool win?

Yes. Liverpool had drawn their opening two Premier League matches 2-2 against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest before beating Ipswich.

How many points do Liverpool have after three games?

Liverpool have five points from three Premier League matches following one win and two draws.

Did Ronald Araújo start against Ipswich?

Yes. Araújo made his first Liverpool start and was the only change from the side that began against Nottingham Forest.

Did Bradley Barcola make his Liverpool debut?

Yes. Barcola came off the bench during the second half for his first Liverpool appearance after joining from Paris Saint-Germain.

Was this Liverpool’s first clean sheet of the season?

Yes. Liverpool had conceded twice in each of their opening two Premier League matches before keeping Ipswich scoreless.

How many points do Ipswich have?

Ipswich remain on three points after opening with a victory over Sunderland before defeats against Manchester United and Liverpool.

Who do Liverpool play next?

Liverpool host Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on September 9 before facing Fulham in their next Premier League match.