US Open 2026: Osaka and Keys Survive New York Drama as Khachanov Sends Auger-Aliassime Out

The US Open spent Wednesday fighting the weather. By Thursday, the players were fighting each other, themselves and the possibility that one bad stretch could end two weeks of expectation almost before the tournament had properly settled.

Naomi Osaka recovered from losing control of her second-round match to defeat Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1. Madison Keys went considerably closer to elimination, saving five match points before escaping Anna Bondar 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5). Karen Khachanov then delivered the most significant men’s result of the day by knocking out third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Those results came less than 24 hours after rain disrupted the New York schedule and forced tournament organizers to compress play around the stadium courts. Daniil Medvedev and Jessica Pegula were among the players who navigated that uncertainty successfully, advancing in straight sets before Thursday shifted the tournament’s tone from weather management to survival.

The contrast between the two days has already revealed something important about this year’s draw. Some contenders are moving through New York with minimal disruption. Others are being forced to prove their title credentials much earlier than expected.

The Sports Encounter’s complete US Open 2026 preview identified Osaka, Pegula and Medvedev among the players capable of challenging deep into the tournament. After the opening rounds, each remains alive, but they are reaching the next stage through very different routes.

US Open 2026: Key Results From September 2 and 3

Player	Opponent	Result	What it means
Naomi Osaka	Katerina Siniakova	6-2, 5-7, 6-1	Two-time US Open champion survives a mid-match loss of control
Madison Keys	Anna Bondar	5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5)	Keys saves five match points to reach Round 3
Karen Khachanov	Felix Auger-Aliassime	6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2	No. 3 seed eliminated in one of the first major men’s upsets
Iga Swiatek	Nadia Podoroska	6-3, 6-2	Former champion progresses with little drama
Jessica Pegula	Sofia Kenin	6-3, 6-1	No. 3 seed reaches Round 3 in under an hour
Daniil Medvedev	Sebastian Gorzny	6-1, 6-3, 7-5	2021 champion advances to Round 3
Ben Shelton	Hubert Hurkacz	6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5	American contender survives first major examination

The official US Open completed-results page confirms Pegula’s 6-3, 6-1 victory over Kenin and Medvedev’s 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 win over Gorzny as the tournament worked through Wednesday’s rain-affected schedule.

How Did Naomi Osaka Recover After Siniakova Forced a Third Set?

Osaka’s response was more convincing than the scoreline’s middle set might suggest.

She dominated the opening set 6-2 and appeared to be moving toward another efficient victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Siniakova, however, refused to disappear. The Czech doubles world No. 1 disrupted Osaka’s rhythm in the second set, extended rallies and eventually took it 7-5.

The match had changed.

Osaka had to decide whether the dropped set represented the beginning of a spiral or simply one difficult phase.

Her third-set answer was decisive.

She won 6-1 and reasserted the aggressive baseline tennis that has made New York such an important tournament in her career.

The official US Open match preview noted that Osaka entered the second round with a 6-2 summer hard-court record, having reached the Washington semifinals and Toronto quarterfinals. She also arrived with a much stronger recent Grand Slam profile after reaching last year’s US Open semifinals and this season’s Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Why Does Osaka’s Third Set Matter More Than the Second-Set Slip?

Because title contenders are rarely judged by whether they play two flawless weeks.

They are judged by what happens when the match stops following the expected script.

Osaka’s New York history already tells us she is comfortable in high-pressure stadium environments. What needed testing in 2026 was whether she could absorb a momentum swing without retreating into passive tennis.

Against Siniakova, she did.

The third set suggests Osaka is increasingly capable of resetting rather than simply trying to hit her way out of frustration.

That matters because the later rounds will not give her the luxury of dominating every opening set.

Why Was Madison Keys’ Escape Even More Dramatic?

Keys reached the edge of elimination and stayed there long enough for the match to become one of the early tournament’s defining survival stories.

Anna Bondar won the first set 7-5 and remained close enough throughout the second and third sets to keep Keys under continuous pressure.

The American eventually forced a deciding-set tiebreak after saving five match points.

She then won the breaker 7-5.

That sequence changes the meaning of the result.

Keys did not simply recover from one bad set. She repeatedly had to confront the possibility that the tournament was one point from ending.

The Sports Encounter’s Cincinnati women’s analysis noted that Keys arrived in New York after a difficult end to the North American hard-court swing, including a quarterfinal loss to Sara Bejlek. Her first-round victory at the US Open had already required composure after the disappointment of her 2025 opening-round exit.

Thursday demanded even more.

What Did Keys’ Forehand Reveal Under Pressure?

Keys reportedly struck 34 forehand winners across the match, an unusually high number even for one of the tour’s most explosive ball-strikers.

The statistic matters because the forehand did not disappear when the match became dangerous.

Many players facing multiple match points become cautious, shortening swings and waiting for the opponent to miss.

Keys largely continued trusting the shot that had brought her into trouble and could also take her out of it.

That is a risky way to survive.

It was also the only version of Keys likely to win the match.

Why Is Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Exit the Biggest Men’s Result So Far?

Because the No. 3 seed entered New York with both ranking protection and genuine major experience.

Auger-Aliassime reached the US Open semifinals in 2025 and had been positioned as one of the leading alternatives to the biggest names in the men’s draw.

The Sports Encounter’s men’s title-race analysis specifically identified Auger-Aliassime as one of the players capable of benefiting from a more open 2026 field.

Khachanov removed that possibility in four sets.

Auger-Aliassime won the opening-set tiebreak 7-5, but the match moved rapidly away from him afterward. Khachanov took the next three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Khachanov vs Auger-Aliassime	Key figure
Final score	6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Khachanov breaks of serve	7
Break points saved by Khachanov	7 of 9
Auger-Aliassime seed	No. 3
Khachanov ranking entering event	World No. 50

How Did Khachanov Turn the Match After Losing the First Set?

Khachanov stopped allowing Auger-Aliassime’s serve to dictate the rhythm.

The Russian broke seven times across the match and increasingly pushed the Canadian into uncomfortable second-shot positions.

Auger-Aliassime’s errors rose as the contest progressed, while Khachanov’s serving became more reliable in the important games.

That is why the final three sets became progressively less competitive.

The upset also carries broader draw implications.

A seeded contender capable of reaching the second week is gone before Round 3. Every player positioned in that section of the draw now inherits a slightly clearer path.

Why Is Iga Swiatek’s Quiet Progress Potentially More Dangerous?

Swiatek’s 6-3, 6-2 victory over Nadia Podoroska did not produce the drama surrounding Osaka or Keys.

That may be exactly why it matters.

Grand Slam tournaments are physically cumulative. Every hour saved in the first week can become relevant later.

Swiatek moved through the second round in a little over an hour and avoided the emotional and physical cost of a deciding set.

The former US Open champion entered the tournament as one of the leading women in a draw already loaded with champions and hard-court specialists.

The Sports Encounter’s National Bank Open quarterfinal analysis highlighted how the women’s field continued to retain elite championship experience even after multiple seeded exits in Toronto.

New York is developing in a similar direction.

Some major names are already being tested.

Swiatek, so far, is avoiding those tests.

How Did Rain Reshape Wednesday’s US Open Schedule?

Rain became the dominant logistical story before Thursday’s tennis took over.

Outside courts were disrupted, forcing organizers to delay and reschedule matches while the roofed stadiums carried a disproportionate share of the important action.

The disruption mattered because the US Open was still working through a congested early-round program after weather had already affected qualifying.

The Sports Encounter covered that pattern before the main draw in our August 27 qualifying report, when rain interrupted the final qualifying round and pushed several decisive matches into the following day.

The disruption continued into September.

Wednesday eventually produced enough completed matches to restore much of the schedule, but the delays created uneven preparation windows for players depending on court assignment and match timing.

Why Did Stadium Court Access Become More Important?

Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadium provide greater weather protection than the outer courts.

That gave players such as Pegula and Medvedev greater schedule certainty while many others waited for conditions to improve.

Weather does not decide the tournament by itself.

It can, however, change recovery times, preparation routines and the amount of uncertainty players carry into their matches.

At a Grand Slam, those differences accumulate.

Why Is Jessica Pegula Moving Through the Draw So Efficiently?

Pegula’s 6-3, 6-1 victory over Sofia Kenin was one of the cleanest performances of Wednesday.

The No. 3 seed completed the match in under an hour and rarely allowed the former Australian Open champion to establish sustained pressure.

The official US Open match report confirmed the straight-sets score as Pegula continued an impressive start in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The performance matters because Pegula entered New York after reaching the Cincinnati final, where Coco Gauff stopped her title run.

The Sports Encounter’s Cincinnati final analysis argued that Pegula’s victories over Amanda Anisimova and Iga Swiatek were more important to her US Open prospects than the eventual loss to Gauff.

That conclusion is holding up.

Pegula has arrived in New York match-ready, physically comfortable and capable of shortening early-round contests.

Is Daniil Medvedev Quietly Becoming Dangerous Again?

Medvedev’s 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Sebastian Gorzny offered another reminder of why New York remains different for him.

The 2021 champion has not carried his best hard-court form consistently through 2026, but the geometry of the US Open still suits his game.

His deep return position frustrates servers. His flat groundstrokes keep rallies uncomfortable. His patience repeatedly forces opponents to hit one extra attacking ball.

Gorzny stayed competitive in the third set, but Medvedev closed it without allowing the contest to become unnecessarily long.

The official US Open report noted that the victory sent Medvedev into the third round in New York for the eighth time.

The Sports Encounter’s pre-tournament guide ranked Medvedev among the leading men’s contenders precisely because of that history.

What Does Ben Shelton’s Four-Set Win Tell Us About His Title Chances?

Shelton’s 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 win over Hubert Hurkacz was more demanding than the scorelines Pegula or Medvedev faced.

It may also have been more useful.

Hurkacz’s serve forced Shelton into repeated high-pressure return games. The American could not simply rely on his own first serve and wait for easy breaks.

He eventually found enough discipline to win a third-set tiebreak and close the fourth set 7-5.

That is exactly the tactical question The Sports Encounter raised in our US Open men’s title analysis: could Shelton remain patient when opponents prevented him from ending points quickly?

Against Hurkacz, the answer was encouraging.

How Is the Women’s Draw Changing After Two Rounds?

The major contenders are beginning to separate into two categories.

Player	Early-round story	Current impression
Jessica Pegula	Efficient straight-sets wins	Fresh and controlled
Iga Swiatek	Quick second-round victory	Minimal physical cost
Naomi Osaka	Three-set recovery against Siniakova	Resilience tested successfully
Madison Keys	Saved five match points	Surviving rather than cruising
Coco Gauff	Still carrying Cincinnati-winning momentum	Major title threat

The important point is that survival does not necessarily weaken a title case.

Osaka and Keys have already experienced uncomfortable situations and found answers.

Pegula and Swiatek have conserved energy.

Both routes can produce champions.

Why Does Auger-Aliassime’s Exit Matter for the Men’s Draw?

Because the 2026 men’s tournament was already unusually open.

Jannik Sinner withdrew before the event. Novak Djokovic suffered a stunning first-round exit. Auger-Aliassime is now gone in Round 2.

The Sports Encounter’s draw analysis noted before play began that the men’s bracket contained more uncertainty than its seeding suggested.

Khachanov’s victory has amplified that.

Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Medvedev, Shelton and several dangerous second-tier contenders remain, but one more established deep-run candidate has disappeared.

The tournament is beginning to reward players who can adapt rather than simply players who entered New York with the highest ranking.

What Should We Watch Next at the US Open?

The first priority is whether the weather remains stable enough for the schedule to normalize completely.

Then the tennis itself begins moving into a more dangerous stage.

Round 3 removes much of the early-round protection provided by the draw.

Seeds increasingly begin meeting players who have already won multiple matches and developed rhythm on these courts.

For Osaka, the question becomes whether the third-set aggression against Siniakova can become the default rather than an emergency response.

Keys must recover physically and emotionally after spending so long one point from elimination.

Pegula and Swiatek need to maintain the efficiency that has protected their bodies.

Medvedev must show that beating lower-ranked opponents comfortably can translate when the quality of the opposition increases.

Khachanov now has to prove that removing the No. 3 seed was the beginning of a run rather than the peak of his tournament.

Readers can follow the evolving field through The Sports Encounter’s final qualifying wrap and our full draw analysis.

Final Verdict: New York Is Already Testing Different Versions of a Champion

The first week of a Grand Slam is often described as the part contenders simply need to survive.

The 2026 US Open is making that survival unusually revealing.

Osaka was forced to rebuild after losing the second set.

Keys had to save five match points.

Khachanov lost the opening set and then dismantled the tournament’s third seed.

Pegula and Swiatek have taken the opposite route, reducing risk and conserving energy.

Medvedev is quietly accumulating the kind of straightforward New York wins that made him a champion here five years ago.

Then there is the weather.

Rain has already interfered with qualifying and the main-draw schedule, forcing players to adapt before many of the tennis problems have even arrived.

The tournament therefore enters Round 3 with several different forms of momentum.

Some players have confidence because nothing has gone wrong.

Others have confidence because something did go wrong and they survived it.

At the US Open, both can be valuable.

The more important question is which version still works when the opponents become better, the stadiums become louder and the margin for recovery disappears.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Naomi Osaka win her second-round match at the 2026 US Open?

Yes. Osaka defeated Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 to reach the third round.

How many match points did Madison Keys save?

Keys saved five match points before defeating Anna Bondar 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5).

Who knocked Felix Auger-Aliassime out of the US Open?

Karen Khachanov defeated the No. 3 seed 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in the second round.

Did Jessica Pegula advance?

Yes. Pegula defeated Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1 in under an hour to reach Round 3.

What was Daniil Medvedev’s second-round score?

Medvedev defeated Sebastian Gorzny 6-1, 6-3, 7-5.

Did rain delay the US Open on September 2?

Yes. Rain disrupted outside-court play and forced the tournament to manage a congested schedule, although matches continued under the stadium roofs.

Who did Iga Swiatek beat in Round 2?

Swiatek defeated Nadia Podoroska 6-3, 6-2.

Is Felix Auger-Aliassime eliminated from the 2026 US Open?

Yes. His four-set defeat to Karen Khachanov ended his tournament in the second round.

How did Ben Shelton reach the third round?

Shelton defeated Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 in a difficult four-set second-round match.

Where can fans follow official US Open results?

Official scores, schedules and match results are available through the US Open website.