US Open 2026: Rain Reshapes New York as Djokovic Falls and New Contenders Emerge

Updated September 3, 2026

Coverage cutoff: All completed main-draw singles action through the end of Wednesday, September 2, before Day 5 begins in New York.

The 2026 US Open has already lost Novak Djokovic, Arthur Fils, Belinda Bencic, Andrey Rublev, Brandon Nakashima and several other major names, while repeated rain delays have divided the tournament into very different scheduling experiences. Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Jessica Pegula, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev and Frances Tiafoe have reached Round 3 from the first half of the draw, while Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva and others still have second-round business ahead of them.

NEW YORK: Four days into the US Open main draw, the most revealing statistic may have little to do with aces, winners or break points.

It is the clock.

Some players have moved through the first week with the orderly rhythm expected at a Grand Slam: play, recover, practice, prepare, play again. Others have left the court because of rain, returned hours later or the next morning, restarted matches from awkward scoreboard positions and then watched the tournament schedule move ahead without them.

The consequences became impossible to ignore by Wednesday.

The official US Open schedule designated September 2 for second-round singles. Yet delayed first-round matches were still being completed around the grounds. The opening round eventually finished after three and a half days, even while players such as Jessica Pegula, Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe were already securing places in Round 3.

That scheduling overlap has given the first week an unusual shape.

Rain interrupted the final stages of qualifying before the main draw even began. It returned on opening Sunday, suspended multiple outer-court matches overnight, caused scattered delays Monday and then overwhelmed Tuesday’s schedule. Outer-court play on September 1 began roughly four hours later than planned before more rain arrived.

Emma Navarro may be the clearest individual example of the disruption. Her opening match against Lois Boisson was suspended overnight with Navarro six points from a straight-sets victory. Boisson returned the next day, won the second set and forced Navarro through a third. In Round 2 against Caty McNally, Navarro was again leading when rain stopped play.

She survived both disruptions.

Other players have been able to remain under retractable roofs, finish matches on schedule and protect their recovery windows.

The weather therefore belongs at the center of any serious assessment of this US Open, alongside the results themselves.

The tennis has produced enough disruption of its own.

Novak Djokovic’s chase for Grand Slam title No. 25 lasted one match. Mariano Navone defeated him in five sets on opening night, handing Djokovic his first first-round defeat in 20 US Open appearances and his earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades.

Cincinnati champion Arthur Fils arrived as one of the hottest young players on the ATP Tour and disappeared in Round 1 against an unseeded Stefanos Tsitsipas. Olympic champion Belinda Bencic was beaten by Yulia Putintseva. Barbora Krejcikova fell to Kamilla Rakhimova. Andrey Rublev survived a five-set opening-round escape only to lose to Daniel Merida in Round 2. Brandon Nakashima’s excellent North American summer ended against fellow American Alex Michelsen.

At the same time, several championship favorites have looked increasingly comfortable.

Sabalenka followed her opening victory with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Polina Iatcenko. Pegula spent only 56 minutes removing Sofia Kenin. Medvedev dispatched Sebastian Gorzny in straight sets. Shelton survived Hubert Hurkacz. Alcaraz responded to losing the first set against Jaime Faria by taking 18 of the next 26 games.

The US Open is still completing its second round. It has already changed shape several times.

US Open 2026 Through September 2: Tournament Snapshot

Category	Status through September 2
Main-draw singles began	Sunday, August 30
Opening round completed	Wednesday, September 2, after three and a half days
Current stage	Round 2, with one half completed
Men’s top seed	Alexander Zverev
Women’s top seed	Aryna Sabalenka
Defending men’s champion	Carlos Alcaraz
Defending women’s champion	Aryna Sabalenka
Major pre-tournament absence	World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, right knee injury
Biggest men’s exit	Novak Djokovic, Round 1
Other major men’s exits	Arthur Fils, Andrey Rublev, Brandon Nakashima, Rafael Jodar
Major women’s exits	Belinda Bencic, Barbora Krejcikova, Sofia Kenin, Sloane Stephens
Weather story	Repeated rain interruptions from qualifying through the first four main-draw days
Round 3 already qualified	Sabalenka, Pegula, Medvedev, Shelton, Alcaraz, Tiafoe, Townsend, Navarro, Muchova and others
Day 5 stage	Remaining men’s and women’s Round 2 matches

Readers who want the complete live score ledger for every court can follow the official US Open completed-matches center. The official tournament schedule confirms that Round 2 continues Thursday before Round 3 begins Friday.

TL;DR: What Has Happened at the US Open 2026 So Far?

• Novak Djokovic suffered a historic five-set first-round defeat to Mariano Navone.
• World No. 1 Jannik Sinner never entered the tournament because of a right knee injury.
• Alexander Zverev became men’s top seed and survived Lorenzo Sonego in a five-set opening-round match lasting almost five hours.
• Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz returned after four months away with a wrist injury and has won his first two matches.
• Aryna Sabalenka has dropped only seven games across her first two matches.
• Jessica Pegula has reached Round 3 without dropping a set.
• Daniil Medvedev has won six consecutive sets to begin his campaign.
• Ben Shelton recovered from losing his opening set 6-1 in Round 1 and then defeated Hubert Hurkacz in four sets.
• Frances Tiafoe survived a five-set first round before producing a far cleaner second-round victory over Rei Sakamoto.
• Arthur Fils, the Cincinnati champion and No. 10 seed, lost in Round 1 to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
• No. 12 seed Belinda Bencic fell to Yulia Putintseva.
• Andrey Rublev survived two sets down in Round 1 before Daniel Merida eliminated him in Round 2.
• Alex Michelsen knocked out No. 16 seed Brandon Nakashima.
• Lucky loser Bu Yunchaokete removed No. 12 seed Rafael Jodar.
• Taylor Townsend has reached Round 3 after conceding only three games in her second match.
• Emma Navarro has survived rain delays in each of her first two matches.
• Karolina Muchova crushed Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-0 to set up a major Round 3 meeting with Navarro.
• Gael Monfils celebrated his 40th birthday with a four-set win and now faces 20-year-old Learner Tien.
• Naomi Osaka faces doubles world No. 1 Katerina Siniakova on Thursday.
• Elena Rybakina faces upset specialist Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
• Alexandra Eala gets a revenge opportunity against Oleksandra Oliynykova.
• Rain has affected qualifying, Round 1 and Round 2 and has created substantial differences in player recovery time.

Before the First Ball: Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Changed the Men’s Tournament

The men’s draw lost its highest-ranked player before main-draw competition began.

Jannik Sinner withdrew because of the right knee problem that had already prevented him from playing the Masters events in Montreal and Cincinnati. He entered the late summer with a 44-3 record for the year and had won Wimbledon, but his recovery did not progress far enough for New York.

His absence made Alexander Zverev the No. 1 seed and immediately changed how the men’s draw had to be read.

The significance went beyond removing one contender.

Sinner became the first men’s world No. 1 this century to miss the US Open. The previous No. 1 to withdraw was Pete Sampras in 1999.

The Sports Encounter had already examined how Sinner’s absence changed the title race for Zverev, Djokovic, Shelton and the wider men’s field.

At that point, Djokovic appeared positioned to benefit.

He was gone after one night.

Rain Began Reshaping the US Open Before the Main Draw

The weather story started during Fan Week.

Rain interrupted the final round of qualifying on August 27, leaving a portion of the men’s and women’s main-draw places unresolved. Several matches were pushed into August 28, extending the qualifying competition while the main-draw field was already taking final shape.

The Sports Encounter documented the disruption in our August 27 US Open qualifying and draw report.

The following day, the remaining qualifying places were finally filled. The extended schedule produced a 23-player qualification group that included several competitors who would later make an impact in the main draw, a development covered in our complete August 28 qualifying wrap.

Elvina Kalieva was the final player to qualify. Her last match had been pushed to Friday by the rain.

That weather did not disappear once main-draw tickets were issued.

How Inclement Weather Has Changed the 2026 US Open

Date	Tournament stage	Weather impact	Competitive consequence
August 27	Final qualifying round	Rain prevented the qualifying program from finishing	Several main-draw places remained unresolved overnight
August 28	Qualifying completion	Delayed matches resumed	Some qualifiers finished a day later than intended
August 30	Main Draw Day 1	Outer-court matches suspended overnight	Players including Emma Navarro carried unfinished Round 1 matches into Monday
August 31	Main Draw Day 2	Scattered rain delays affected outer courts	Wawrinka-Berrettini was interrupted; some matches were moved under roofs
September 1	Main Draw Day 3	Outer-court start pushed back about four hours before rain returned	Multiple first-round matches could not be completed
September 2	Main Draw Day 4	Backlog remained; Navarro-McNally was also interrupted	Round 1 and Round 2 were running simultaneously

Why the Rain Matters Beyond the Schedule

A weather delay looks harmless when viewed as an isolated block of lost court time.

Across a two-week Grand Slam, its effects accumulate.

A player who finishes on schedule can begin recovery immediately, eat at a predictable time, receive treatment, sleep normally and structure the next day’s practice around a known workload.

A player caught in a suspension has different problems.

The body cools down.

The match plan must be restarted.

Nutrition becomes awkward.

Players may have to warm up repeatedly.

A nearly completed match can return the next day with entirely different momentum.

Navarro experienced exactly that against Boisson.

She led 7-6(6), 4-2 on Sunday and needed only six more points to finish in straight sets. Rain ended play for the night. When the match resumed Monday, Boisson won the second-set tiebreak 7-1.

Navarro eventually recovered to win the third set 6-3.

Her explanation afterward captured the competitive problem. Although she had done most of the work before the delay, the overnight break made the restart feel far closer to a clean slate.

Then It Happened to Navarro Again

Against Caty McNally in Round 2, Navarro lost the opening set 6-3 but established a 5-2 lead in the second.

The rain arrived again.

When the players returned, Navarro finished the second set 6-2 and then won the decider 6-3.

Two rounds, two interruptions.

That matters when Navarro’s next opponent is Karolina Muchova, who needed only 54 minutes to destroy Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-0.

Both players reached the same round.

The physical and psychological route was entirely different.

The Roof Advantage Is Real

Arthur Ashe Stadium’s roof kept several headline matches moving while outer courts waited.

Madison Keys and Taylor Fritz completed their September 1 matches under the Ashe roof as players elsewhere waited roughly four hours for competition to start.

Alexander Zverev and Lorenzo Sonego then played their 4-hour, 52-minute epic in controlled conditions despite the wet evening outside.

Ben Shelton’s first-round win over Tallon Griekspoor had also been played under a closed roof.

Linda Noskova benefited from a scheduling move into Louis Armstrong Stadium on Monday when rain was affecting the outside courts.

There is nothing improper about those decisions. Grand Slam scheduling requires the biggest courts to remain productive whenever possible.

The competitive result is still uneven.

A tournament with roofs cannot completely neutralize the weather because most matches still take place outside those protected stadiums.

Day 1: Djokovic’s Historic Exit Changes the Men’s Draw Immediately

The first Sunday began conventionally.

Jessica Pegula defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2 in the first singles match inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Daniil Medvedev followed with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Hugo Gaston. For the 2021 champion, the performance mattered because his North American summer had produced very little momentum.

Tommy Paul dropped his first set against qualifier Coleman Wong before responding with a 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 victory.

Jasmine Paolini was made to work considerably harder. She defeated Veronika Erjavec 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Elina Svitolina and Alexander Bublik also advanced.

Then Mariano Navone changed the tournament.

Mariano Navone Defeats Novak Djokovic in Five Sets

Djokovic came to New York attempting to win the 25th Grand Slam singles title of his career.

Navone entered as a 25-year-old Argentine better known for his clay-court tennis.

Four hours and 36 minutes later, the difference in reputation meant very little.

Navone won 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

The result became Djokovic’s first opening-round defeat in 20 US Open appearances and his first first-round loss at any major since the 2006 Australian Open.

He actually recovered from losing the first set to take a two-sets-to-one lead.

That would once have been the point at which an opponent feared the match was disappearing.

This time Djokovic’s physical condition deteriorated.

He struggled with nausea, cramping and pain as the match progressed, and Navone continued extending rallies rather than allowing the veteran to shorten the contest.

The fourth and fifth sets were increasingly one-sided.

The Sports Encounter’s deeper examination of Djokovic’s physical collapse and what it means for his pursuit of Grand Slam No. 25 argued that the central question is becoming recovery rather than talent.

New York reinforced that concern.

Why Djokovic’s Exit Matters to Everyone Else

Sinner had already withdrawn.

Djokovic was now gone.

Alcaraz was coming back from four months away.

Zverev had yet to play.

The men’s tournament moved from open to unstable within its first evening.

That matters especially to players such as Medvedev, Shelton, Tiafoe, Fritz and the younger group underneath them. A four-time US Open champion disappeared from the bracket before most of those contenders had played their first match.

Kamilla Rakhimova Adds Another Day 1 Upset

Rakhimova defeated No. 27 seed Barbora Krejcikova 7-6(4), 6-2.

It would become more significant four days later when Sabalenka advanced to face Rakhimova in Round 3.

Rakhimova’s route means the defending champion will face an unseeded player who has already removed a former Grand Slam champion.

Luca Van Assche Removes Cameron Norrie

Van Assche lost the opening set against Norrie in a tiebreak before taking the next three 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

Norrie’s exit removed another experienced Grand Slam performer from the men’s field.

Sofia Kenin Ends Venus Williams’ 26th US Open Appearance

Opening night finished with two American Grand Slam champions.

Kenin defeated Venus Williams 6-2, 7-6(6), but the second set became far more difficult than the final score suggests.

Williams created seven set points and threatened to force a decider before Kenin won the final six points of the match.

At 46, Williams was appearing at Flushing Meadows for the 26th time.

Her exit carried historical importance even though it was not an upset in ranking terms.

Sunday’s Rain Leaves Matches Unfinished

While the show courts reached conclusions, the field courts did not.

No American playing on the outer courts recorded a completed victory Sunday, and multiple matches were suspended because of the weather.

Navarro’s match against Boisson became the most prominent carryover.

Day 2 therefore began before Day 1 had fully ended.

Day 1 Key Results

Winner	Opponent	Score	Significance
Jessica Pegula	Elena-Gabriela Ruse	6-3, 6-2	Comfortable opening for No. 3 seed
Daniil Medvedev	Hugo Gaston	6-4, 6-2, 6-4	Former champion advances cleanly
Tommy Paul	Coleman Wong	6-7(3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3	American recovers after losing first set
Jasmine Paolini	Veronika Erjavec	6-3, 3-6, 6-4	Seed survives three-set test
Mariano Navone	Novak Djokovic	7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1	Biggest upset of tournament so far
Kamilla Rakhimova	Barbora Krejcikova	7-6(4), 6-2	No. 27 seed eliminated
Luca Van Assche	Cameron Norrie	6-7(6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3	Experienced British player exits
Sofia Kenin	Venus Williams	6-2, 7-6(6)	Kenin saves seven second-set set points

Day 2: Alcaraz Returns, Sabalenka Settles In and Arthur Fils Goes Home

Monday shifted attention toward the defending champions.

Carlos Alcaraz had not played a singles match since April because of a right wrist injury.

He returned against Roman Safiullin and won 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

The result itself was reassuring.

His physical response mattered more.

Alcaraz reported that his body felt good after the match, an important development for a player who must survive seven best-of-five matches to retain the title.

Our dedicated feature on Alcaraz’s US Open comeback against Safiullin examined both the tennis and the wider cultural attention surrounding his return.

Sabalenka Begins Her Three-Peat Chase

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-4.

The world No. 1 is attempting to become champion for a third consecutive year after winning New York in 2024 and 2025.

The Sports Encounter’s Day 2 report on Sabalenka and Alcaraz noted the contrast between a defending women’s champion seeking continuity and a defending men’s champion trying to rediscover match rhythm.

By Wednesday, Sabalenka had moved another step ahead.

Amanda Anisimova Starts Again

Anisimova defeated Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 6-3.

Last year’s finalist arrived with obvious expectations, yet her opening performance suggested she was treating the tournament as a new campaign rather than carrying the burden of defending a result.

That mindset may matter in a women’s draw where Sabalenka, Pegula, Gauff, Swiatek, Rybakina, Andreeva and Osaka all have credible reasons to believe they can reach the final weekend.

Stefanos Tsitsipas Produces One of the Tournament’s Biggest Upsets

Arthur Fils entered New York as Cincinnati champion, the No. 10 seed and one of the hottest players on the men’s tour.

He had arrived at a career-high ranking after winning his first Masters 1000 championship, a run analyzed in our Cincinnati report on Fils and the changing US Open men’s race.

Tsitsipas entered unseeded and outside the world’s Top 50.

The reputations of their recent seasons suggested one direction.

The match went somewhere else.

Fils won the opening set and led by a break in the second. Tsitsipas recovered, took the second-set tiebreak and completed a 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4 victory.

For Tsitsipas, it was the biggest US Open win of his career by ranking and circumstance.

For Fils, the result was particularly painful because Cincinnati had positioned him as one of the most credible challengers beneath the established major champions.

Andrey Rublev Escapes From Two Sets Down

Rublev’s tournament nearly ended even earlier.

Lucky loser Otto Virtanen won the first two sets 7-6(5), 7-6(0).

Rublev responded with a 6-0 third set, took the fourth 6-2 and survived the fifth-set match tiebreak 7-6(5).

The comeback demonstrated resilience.

It did not solve the problems that would reappear Wednesday.

Stan Wawrinka Says Goodbye to Grand Slam Tennis

Matteo Berrettini defeated Wawrinka 7-6(4), 7-6(3), 6-0 in the Swiss champion’s final Grand Slam match.

Wawrinka’s US Open association stretches back more than two decades and includes the 2016 title.

The first two sets showed why New York remained emotionally attached to him. Both reached tiebreaks before Berrettini’s greater physical reserves took control in the third.

Rain briefly interrupted the match after two games of the second set, creating roughly an hour’s delay.

Ben Shelton Recovers From a 1-6 Opening Set

Shelton’s first six games against Tallon Griekspoor were poor.

The American lost the first set 6-1.

He answered immediately with a 6-1 set of his own, won the third-set tiebreak 7-3 and closed the match 6-2 in the fourth.

The final score, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2, reflected a sharp tactical and emotional correction.

Shelton had arrived after successfully defending his Canadian Open title, making him one of the leading American men’s contenders.

Iga Swiatek Starts With Control

Swiatek defeated Wang Xiyu 6-2, 6-3.

The No. 8 seed dominated enough of Wang’s first-serve points to prevent the match from developing into a physical baseline grind.

Her first-round Grand Slam winning streak reached 28 matches.

Naomi Osaka Wins Two Tiebreaks

Osaka defeated Anastasia Zakharova 7-6(6), 7-6(3).

The two-time US Open champion hit 11 aces and avoided the kind of extended three-set match that can complicate the opening week.

Her reward is a difficult stylistic assignment against Katerina Siniakova.

Taylor Townsend Removes the No. 20 Seed

Townsend defeated Maja Chwalinska 6-2, 6-3.

The result deserves attention because Chwalinska arrived as the No. 20 seed and reigning Roland Garros runner-up.

Townsend’s aggressive left-handed game has repeatedly worked well in New York. Her second-round performance would be even better.

Sebastian Gorzny Saves Five Match Points

World No. 731 Sebastian Gorzny became one of Monday’s best stories.

The American defeated Raphael Collignon 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(9) after saving five match points.

Four came while Gorzny served at 5-6 in the fifth set.

His tournament would end against Medvedev in Round 2, but the opening victory remains one of the first week’s strongest examples of a player changing his career on an outer court.

Sloane Stephens Finds an Opening-Round Revival

Former champion Sloane Stephens entered ranked No. 209 and defeated Clara Tauson 6-4, 6-1.

The performance briefly suggested New York might provide another late-career run.

Marta Kostyuk ended that possibility Wednesday.

Day 2 Key Results

Winner	Opponent	Score	Meaning
Carlos Alcaraz	Roman Safiullin	6-4, 6-4, 6-4	Successful return after four-month injury absence
Aryna Sabalenka	Camila Osorio	6-2, 6-4	Defending champion starts cleanly
Amanda Anisimova	Ashlyn Krueger	6-1, 6-3	2025 finalist advances
Stefanos Tsitsipas	Arthur Fils	4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4	No. 10 seed and Cincinnati champion eliminated
Matteo Berrettini	Stan Wawrinka	7-6(4), 7-6(3), 6-0	Wawrinka’s final Grand Slam match
Andrey Rublev	Otto Virtanen	6-7(5), 6-7(0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6(5)	Rublev survives two-set deficit
Ben Shelton	Tallon Griekspoor	1-6, 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2	Shelton recovers after disastrous opening set
Iga Swiatek	Wang Xiyu	6-2, 6-3	No. 8 seed advances efficiently
Naomi Osaka	Anastasia Zakharova	7-6(6), 7-6(3)	Two-time champion wins two breakers
Taylor Townsend	Maja Chwalinska	6-2, 6-3	No. 20 seed eliminated
Sebastian Gorzny	Raphael Collignon	3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(9)	Gorzny saves five match points
Sloane Stephens	Clara Tauson	6-4, 6-1	Former champion advances despite No. 209 ranking
Linda Noskova	Katie Volynets	7-5, 6-1	Wimbledon champion recovers from 2-5 first-set deficit

Day 3: Four Hours of Rain, Zverev’s Escape and a Strong Night for Gauff, Eala and Monfils

Tuesday gave the tournament its clearest demonstration of the roof divide.

Outer-court play was delayed by approximately four hours because of inclement weather.

Madison Keys and Taylor Fritz played under the Arthur Ashe roof while several Americans scheduled elsewhere waited.

When outside play finally began, the American players involved started 0-4 before the rain returned.

The official schedule was supposed to conclude the first round Tuesday.

It could not.

Madison Keys Avoids Another Opening-Round Disaster

Keys defeated Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4.

The result carried additional emotional weight because Keys had lost in the first round at the 2025 US Open.

Korneeva, 19, pushed her through competitive sets, but Keys handled the decisive moments more calmly.

Taylor Fritz Opens With a Straight-Sets Win

Fritz defeated fellow American Darwin Blanch 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

The No. 9 seed struck 14 aces and never allowed the teenager to turn his Arthur Ashe debut into a sustained upset attempt.

Fritz had entered New York with another strong North American summer behind him, including his Washington championship. The Sports Encounter’s report on Fritz’s Mubadala DC Open title documented how he had rebuilt hard-court momentum earlier in the swing.

Flavio Cobolli Wins From Two Sets Down

Francisco Comesana led Cobolli 6-3, 6-2.

Cobolli then rebuilt the match gradually rather than chasing an immediate escape.

He took the third set 6-3, the fourth 6-4 and the fifth 6-4.

For a player who has spent much of 2026 proving he can survive long Grand Slam matches, the comeback provided another example of his growing resilience.

Elena Rybakina Takes Care of Thea Frodin

Rybakina defeated 17-year-old American wild card Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2.

The No. 2 seed had entered New York with fitness questions after suffering an ankle problem in Cincinnati.

Her opening match offered little evidence that the issue was restricting her tennis.

Mirra Andreeva Wins 17 Consecutive Points

French Open champion Mirra Andreeva defeated Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2.

The match included a 17-point winning streak, a remarkable sequence at Grand Slam level.

Andreeva’s ability to change rally geometry through pace variation and angles separated her from an opponent she had also beaten in Cincinnati.

Belinda Bencic Becomes the Day’s Biggest Seeded Casualty

Yulia Putintseva defeated No. 12 seed Bencic 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Bencic had the opening set and opportunities to control the second, but Putintseva dragged the contest into the longer, more emotionally uncomfortable exchanges she prefers.

The Olympic champion became one of the most prominent women’s exits of the first round.

Coco Gauff Makes a Controlled Start

Gauff defeated Zeynep Sonmez 6-3, 6-4 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The score was less dominant than some of her recent Cincinnati performances, but Gauff avoided a prolonged match during a difficult weather day.

She arrived in New York as the Cincinnati champion after beating Pegula in the final. Our analysis of Gauff’s Cincinnati title and the women’s US Open race identified her improved aggression as one of the most important tactical developments entering the major.

Alexandra Eala Brings Her Crowd With Her

No. 17 seed Alexandra Eala defeated American Mary Stoiana 6-1, 6-2.

The Filipino’s support inside Louis Armstrong Stadium again demonstrated how quickly she has developed into an international crowd attraction.

More importantly, her tennis held up under the attention.

Eala saved all six break points she faced and won the final five games.

Her next match has a built-in storyline.

Oleksandra Oliynykova defeated Eala earlier this year in Strasbourg, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

They meet again Thursday.

Gael Monfils Turns 40 and Keeps His Grand Slam Career Alive

Monfils’ 40th birthday could have become his farewell.

Adolfo Daniel Vallejo won the first set 6-2.

Monfils then won 18 of the next 22 games.

The Frenchman completed a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 victory and recorded his 34th US Open match win, the most by a Frenchman in tournament history.

His next opponent is 20-year-old Learner Tien.

The age difference makes that second-round meeting one of Thursday’s most compelling matches.

Zverev Comes Within Two Points of Disaster

Alexander Zverev’s first match as US Open top seed lasted 4 hours and 52 minutes.

Lorenzo Sonego pushed him through five sets and came within two points of victory.

Zverev eventually escaped 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4.

The match was completed under the Arthur Ashe roof while wet conditions continued to disrupt the tournament around them.

Zverev’s survival confirmed two things at once.

His championship credentials remain intact.

His first week may already carry a physical bill.

A nearly five-hour first round is a significant workload in a tournament that demands seven matches across two weeks.

Day 3 Key Results

Winner	Opponent	Score	Key point
Madison Keys	Alina Korneeva	7-5, 6-4	Keys avoids repeat of 2025 first-round exit
Taylor Fritz	Darwin Blanch	6-3, 6-2, 6-4	Fourteen aces and clean progress
Flavio Cobolli	Francisco Comesana	3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4	Two-set comeback
Elena Rybakina	Thea Frodin	6-3, 6-2	No. 2 seed advances
Mirra Andreeva	Janice Tjen	6-2, 6-2	Andreeva wins 17 straight points
Yulia Putintseva	Belinda Bencic	4-6, 7-5, 6-3	No. 12 seed eliminated
Coco Gauff	Zeynep Sonmez	6-3, 6-4	Cincinnati champion moves on
Alexandra Eala	Mary Stoiana	6-1, 6-2	Eala saves all six break points
Gael Monfils	Adolfo Daniel Vallejo	2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0	Victory on 40th birthday
Alexander Zverev	Lorenzo Sonego	6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4	Top seed survives 4:52 marathon
Oleksandra Oliynykova	Reese Brantmeier	6-4, 6-4	Sets up Eala rematch

Day 4: Two Rounds at Once as Sabalenka, Pegula, Medvedev, Shelton and Alcaraz Move On

Wednesday exposed the accumulated weather backlog more clearly than any other day.

The tournament had officially reached Round 2.

Some players were still completing Round 1.

That created unusual scenes around the grounds: one player could be qualifying for the third round while another was only securing a place in the second.

Jessica Pegula Needs Only 56 Minutes Against Sofia Kenin

Pegula entered Arthur Ashe against another American Grand Slam champion and removed her quickly.

She defeated Kenin 6-3, 6-1 in 56 minutes.

That efficiency carries additional value in a rain-distorted first week.

Pegula has played two straight-set matches, both on Ashe, without having to manage the kind of overnight interruption or long resumption experienced by Navarro.

Her Round 3 opponent is Leylah Fernandez.

Daniil Medvedev Ends Sebastian Gorzny’s Run

Gorzny’s five-match-point escape had been one of Monday’s stories.

Medvedev ended it 6-1, 6-3, 7-5.

The match lasted two hours and seven minutes.

Medvedev has now won all six sets he has played through two rounds.

His next opponent, Arthur Rinderknech, presents a considerably more experienced threat after the Frenchman defeated Jaume Munar in straight sets.

Marta Kostyuk Ends Sloane Stephens’ Revival

Kostyuk defeated Stephens 6-1, 7-5.

The first set removed much of the momentum Stephens had built with her opening-round performance.

The second was far more competitive, but the No. 11 seed closed the match in one hour and 27 minutes.

Alex Michelsen Beats Brandon Nakashima

This was one of the most meaningful American results of Wednesday.

Nakashima entered as the No. 16 seed and had enjoyed an outstanding North American hard-court summer.

Michelsen won 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

The result removed a seeded American contender and elevated another member of the country’s younger generation.

Taylor Townsend Produces a 48-Minute Statement

Townsend defeated Taylah Preston 6-1, 6-1 in only 48 minutes.

She won all 23 points behind her first serve.

The performance matched the fewest games Townsend has ever conceded in a Grand Slam victory.

Her first two rounds have now produced a seeded upset and one of the quickest wins of the tournament.

Paula Badosa Finally Completes Round 1

While Townsend was moving into the third round, Paula Badosa was still completing the first.

She defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-4.

The contrast captures the scheduling distortion better than almost any statistic.

Two players could win matches on the same Wednesday while standing an entire round apart in their tournaments.

Jasmine Paolini Reaches Round 3

Paolini defeated fellow Italian Lucrezia Stefanini 6-4, 6-1.

After needing three sets in Round 1, she required only one hour and 17 minutes in Round 2.

That reduction in workload is exactly what players want as a Slam moves toward its first weekend.

Daniel Merida Eliminates Andrey Rublev

Rublev’s comeback against Virtanen had looked like a possible turning point.

Merida made sure it became only an escape.

The Spaniard defeated the No. 23 seed 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

Rublev lost another match in which emotional control became increasingly difficult as the opponent grew more comfortable.

Merida’s advance belongs among the strongest surprise runs through the first half of Round 2.

Ben Shelton Survives Hubert Hurkacz

Shelton’s second round was much more demanding than his first-round recovery might have suggested.

He defeated Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 under the Ashe roof.

Hurkacz increased his serving level after Shelton took early control, forcing the American into a match where small service and tiebreak margins mattered.

Shelton responded well in the third-set breaker and found the final break late in the fourth.

The victory moves him into Round 3 with two very different forms of adversity already behind him.

Emma Navarro Survives Rain Again

Navarro defeated McNally 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Rain suspended the match with Navarro leading 5-2 in the second set.

She returned and completed the comeback.

The reward is a match against Karolina Muchova, one of the most dangerous unseeded-looking seeded players in any major because of her all-court variety and history in New York.

Muchova Destroys Katie Boulter

Muchova needed just 54 minutes to beat Boulter 6-1, 6-0.

The No. 7 seed has been a US Open semifinalist twice and already lifted the 2026 mixed doubles trophy alongside Jakub Mensik during Fan Week.

Navarro will therefore enter Round 3 against an opponent who is playing efficiently, understands the conditions and has spent considerably less time managing interruptions.

Aryna Sabalenka Sends Another Warning

Sabalenka defeated Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1.

She has conceded seven games across two rounds.

Her US Open winning streak continues, and the two-time defending champion has so far avoided the extended matches that can create physical problems later in the tournament.

Rakhimova is next.

Frances Tiafoe Looks Much Better in Round 2

Tiafoe needed five sets and three hours, 48 minutes to survive Martin Damm in his opening match.

Against qualifier Rei Sakamoto, he was much cleaner.

Tiafoe won 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-5 in two hours and 40 minutes.

He has now reached the US Open third round for seven consecutive years.

That consistency is important because Tiafoe’s game has often risen with the atmosphere in New York.

Alcaraz Drops His First Set, Then Takes Control

Jaime Faria produced the best opening set anyone has played against Alcaraz this tournament.

The Portuguese player took it 6-4.

Alcaraz’s response was immediate.

He won the second set 6-0.

The defending champion then took the next two 6-3, 6-2.

His US Open career record improved to 26-3.

The value of the match went beyond advancement. Alcaraz was forced to respond to scoreboard adversity and play four sets, another useful test of the wrist and the rest of his body after the four-month layoff.

Linda Noskova Moves Forward

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova defeated Lanlana Tararudee 6-4, 6-2.

She will face American No. 29 seed Ann Li in Round 3.

Noskova’s first-round scare against Katie Volynets now feels more distant after a much cleaner second performance.

Selected Day 4 Match Duration Graph

Taylor Townsend: 48 min

Jessica Pegula: 56 min

Jasmine Paolini: 77 min

Leylah Fernandez: 78 min

Diana Shnaider: 84 min

Marta Kostyuk: 87 min

Alex Michelsen: 115 min

Daniil Medvedev: 127 min

Daniel Merida: 166 min

Arthur Rinderknech: 186 min

Source: Official US Open completed-match durations. The chart is included to illustrate differences in workload rather than player quality.

Major Day 4 Results Through the Publication Cutoff

Winner	Opponent	Score	Round
Jessica Pegula	Sofia Kenin	6-3, 6-1	R2
Daniil Medvedev	Sebastian Gorzny	6-1, 6-3, 7-5	R2
Marta Kostyuk	Sloane Stephens	6-1, 7-5	R2
Alex Michelsen	Brandon Nakashima	6-3, 6-4, 6-4	R2
Taylor Townsend	Taylah Preston	6-1, 6-1	R2
Paula Badosa	Daria Kasatkina	6-1, 6-4	R1
Jasmine Paolini	Lucrezia Stefanini	6-4, 6-1	R2
Diana Shnaider	Karolina Pliskova	6-1, 7-6(4)	R2
Leylah Fernandez	Mananchaya Sawangkaew	6-4, 6-1	R2
Arthur Rinderknech	Jaume Munar	7-6(4), 6-2, 7-5	R2
Daniel Merida	Andrey Rublev	6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4	R2
Sorana Cirstea	Diane Parry	6-2, 7-5	R2
Ben Shelton	Hubert Hurkacz	6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5	R2
Karolina Muchova	Katie Boulter	6-1, 6-0	R2
Emma Navarro	Caty McNally	3-6, 6-2, 6-3	R2
Aryna Sabalenka	Polina Iatcenko	6-1, 6-1	R2
Frances Tiafoe	Rei Sakamoto	6-3, 7-6(2), 7-5	R2
Carlos Alcaraz	Jaime Faria	4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2	R2
Linda Noskova	Lanlana Tararudee	6-4, 6-2	R2

The Biggest Exits of the 2026 US Open So Far

Player	Status	Lost to / Reason	Why it matters
Jannik Sinner	Withdrew before tournament	Right knee injury	World No. 1 and Wimbledon champion absent
Novak Djokovic	Round 1	Mariano Navone	First US Open R1 exit in 20 appearances
Arthur Fils	Round 1	Stefanos Tsitsipas	Cincinnati champion and No. 10 seed
Rafael Jodar	Round 1	Bu Yunchaokete	No. 12 seed beaten by lucky loser
Andrey Rublev	Round 2	Daniel Merida	No. 23 seed eliminated after dramatic R1 comeback
Brandon Nakashima	Round 2	Alex Michelsen	No. 16 seed and summer form player exits
Belinda Bencic	Round 1	Yulia Putintseva	No. 12 seed and Olympic champion out
Barbora Krejcikova	Round 1	Kamilla Rakhimova	Former major champion and No. 27 seed
Sofia Kenin	Round 2	Jessica Pegula	Former major champion removed in 56 minutes
Sloane Stephens	Round 2	Marta Kostyuk	2017 champion’s promising R1 revival ends
Venus Williams	Round 1	Sofia Kenin	26th US Open appearance ends
Stan Wawrinka	Round 1	Matteo Berrettini	Final Grand Slam match of 2016 champion

Djokovic Remains the Exit That Changed Everything

Fils losing mattered.

Bencic losing mattered.

Rublev and Nakashima leaving reshaped individual sections of the draw.

Djokovic altered the tournament’s championship structure.

Before the event, the men’s hierarchy contained three enormous uncertainties.

Sinner was absent.

Alcaraz was returning from injury.

Djokovic’s body had shown warning signs in previous events.

Navone converted the third uncertainty into a fact.

That leaves Zverev as the highest seed, Alcaraz as the defending champion and a group including Shelton, Medvedev, Fritz and Tiafoe with fewer established major winners standing between them and the trophy.

The tournament is still dangerous enough to punish anyone who thinks the bracket has become easy.

Zverev needed nearly five hours merely to escape Round 1.

Alcaraz dropped a set to Faria.

Shelton has already lost three sets across two matches.

The opening is real.

So is the depth underneath it.

Fils’ Exit Shows Why Pre-US Open Form Can Disappear Quickly

Cincinnati made Arthur Fils look ready for a major breakthrough.

His title run included the first Masters 1000 trophy of his career and moved him to a career-high ranking.

He entered New York on a six-match winning streak.

Tsitsipas arrived with very different numbers.

The Greek had fallen outside the Top 50 and had won only three of seven main-draw matches during the summer hard-court season.

Fils still lost.

Grand Slams routinely expose the danger of projecting one-week tournament form too confidently onto a five-set format.

The first round asks different questions: nerves, new conditions, slower match construction and the knowledge that losing once ends the entire campaign.

Tsitsipas understood those conditions better than his recent ranking suggested.

The Surprise Advances Giving This US Open More Depth

Player	Breakthrough so far	Why the run stands out
Mariano Navone	Defeated Djokovic	Biggest win of his career against a 24-time major champion
Daniel Merida	Reached Round 3	Eliminated No. 23 seed Rublev
Alex Michelsen	Reached Round 3	Beat No. 16 seed Nakashima in straight sets
Taylor Townsend	Reached Round 3	Upset No. 20 seed, then won 6-1, 6-1
Bu Yunchaokete	Upset Rafael Jodar	Lucky loser beat No. 12 seed 6-2, 6-1, 6-1
Sebastian Gorzny	Won Round 1	World No. 731 saved five match points
Gael Monfils	Reached Round 2 at age 40	Won on birthday in final Grand Slam season
Yulia Putintseva	Reached Round 2	Removed No. 12 seed Bencic
Kamilla Rakhimova	Reached Round 3	Opened tournament by eliminating Krejcikova

Taylor Townsend Is Becoming More Than an Upset Story

Townsend’s first match qualified as an upset.

Her second suggested form.

There is an important distinction.

Beating the No. 20 seed once can be explained by matchup, confidence or one strong afternoon.

Following it with a 48-minute 6-1, 6-1 victory while winning every first-serve point is a stronger signal.

Townsend has reached the US Open fourth round twice before, in 2019 and 2025.

New York has consistently suited her left-handed serve, willingness to attack the net and ability to break the baseline rhythm preferred by many opponents.

Her run deserves to be treated seriously until somebody solves those patterns.

Alex Michelsen Steps Into the American Conversation

Nakashima’s summer form had made him one of the most interesting American outsiders.

Michelsen beat him without requiring a tiebreak or deciding set.

The 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 result was controlled enough to shift attention toward Michelsen rather than simply recording another seeded casualty.

The American men’s discussion has naturally centered on Shelton, Fritz, Tiafoe and Paul.

Michelsen is giving the tournament another home player to watch.

The American Story Is Broadening

The United States has entered recent US Opens carrying the familiar question of whether an American man can finally end the country’s long wait for another men’s singles champion.

That remains relevant.

The 2026 tournament is developing a broader domestic story.

Pegula is into Round 3.

Shelton is into Round 3.

Tiafoe is into Round 3 for the seventh consecutive year.

Townsend has been outstanding.

Navarro keeps surviving difficult matches.

Michelsen has removed a seed.

Iva Jovic completed a delayed first-round victory and remains one of the country’s most important young prospects.

Fritz, Keys, Gauff, Anisimova, Tien and several others still have matches to play Thursday.

The quantity increases the chances that home interest remains strong well into the second week even if one or two leading names fall.

The Women’s Championship Race After Four Days

Sabalenka has produced the strongest scoreboard argument from the half of the draw that has completed Round 2.

She has won four sets and conceded seven games.

Pegula has also looked extremely efficient.

Muchova’s 6-1, 6-0 win over Boulter may be the most complete single performance from an established women’s contender through Wednesday.

Noskova, the Wimbledon champion, is through.

Navarro has demonstrated resilience rather than dominance.

Townsend has supplied both.

The other half still contains substantial power.

Gauff has played one match.

Rybakina has played one.

Swiatek has played one.

Andreeva has played one.

Osaka has played one.

Anisimova has played one.

Any assessment of the championship race therefore remains incomplete until Thursday’s Round 2 program finishes.

Sabalenka Has Done Exactly What a Defending Champion Wants

Sabalenka has avoided complexity.

She has not been dragged into long deciding sets.

She has not been involved in rain restarts.

She has not had to spend four hours solving an opponent.

That matters because the cost of a major often arrives cumulatively.

A player who saves energy in the first week can spend it in the second.

Rakhimova has already demonstrated that she can upset a major champion, so Round 3 should not be treated as ceremonial.

Sabalenka will still enter it with exactly the physical profile she would have wanted after two rounds.

Pegula Is Quietly Building the Same Advantage

Pegula has conceded nine games in four sets.

Her second-round match lasted less than an hour.

She has also enjoyed predictable Arthur Ashe scheduling.

Against Leylah Fernandez, the challenge will change because the Canadian brings left-handed patterns, speed and far greater willingness to redirect rallies than Kenin managed Wednesday.

Muchova vs Navarro Is Already a Second-Week Quality Match

Muchova against Navarro may be the strongest confirmed women’s third-round matchup at the cutoff.

Muchova’s game is built around variety: slice, net movement, disguised changes of direction and the ability to alter pace without conceding court position.

Navarro is at her best when she can absorb pace, extend exchanges and gradually make opponents play uncomfortable extra shots.

The tactical conflict is excellent.

The scheduling background adds another layer.

Muchova demolished Boulter quickly.

Navarro has played two disrupted three-set matches.

That may matter if their contest becomes physical.

The Men’s Championship Race After Djokovic

The men’s draw currently asks a question nobody could answer before Sunday.

Who takes control when the most proven major winner in the field disappears before Round 2?

Zverev owns the top seed.

Alcaraz owns the defending championship.

Medvedev owns a US Open title and has begun efficiently.

Shelton owns one of the most dangerous serves in the bracket.

Fritz has already reached a US Open final.

Tiafoe has repeatedly played his best major tennis in New York.

The absence of Sinner and Djokovic creates opportunity without creating certainty.

Zverev’s Five-Hour Problem

Zverev won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros this year.

That breakthrough removed the largest career question surrounding him.

His US Open began with a different concern.

Four hours and 52 minutes against Sonego is an enormous first-round investment.

The top seed now needs his next matches to become more economical.

Repeated five-set survival is rarely a sustainable championship strategy, particularly when the tournament has already been complicated by weather.

Alcaraz Is Learning About His Body as Much as His Opponents

Alcaraz has won both matches.

The real examination remains physical.

Four months without singles competition cannot be recreated in practice.

Round 1 gave him three sets.

Round 2 gave him four and included the experience of losing an opening set.

That progression is useful.

His shotmaking against Faria increasingly resembled the variety that has made him so difficult to contain on Ashe: aggressive forehands, heavy serving, drop shots and lobs used from similar preparation positions.

If the wrist continues tolerating that workload, his title defense becomes more credible with every round.

Medvedev Has Quietly Avoided Trouble

Medvedev has gone 6-0 in sets.

That should receive more attention.

His summer form entering New York was poor enough to create doubts about whether the 2021 champion remained a serious title threat.

Gaston and Gorzny have not provided elite opposition.

Medvedev still did what championship contenders are supposed to do with manageable early draws.

He finished the matches.

Rinderknech should provide a better test in Round 3.

Shelton Is Surviving Different Problems

Griekspoor overwhelmed Shelton early.

Hurkacz threatened him later.

Shelton solved both.

The first two rounds have therefore supplied more useful evidence than two routine straight-set wins might have done.

His challenge remains the same one highlighted before the tournament: the serve can create opportunities, but the title will depend on how effectively he manages neutral rallies when elite opponents return that serve.

The First-Round Numbers That Explain the Tournament

The official US Open statistical review confirmed that the opening round required three and a half days to finish.

Several numbers capture the mixture of history and volatility:

• Djokovic’s first-round major winning streak ended after 20 years.
• Sabalenka extended her US Open winning streak to 14 matches after Round 1 and has since added another victory.
• Frances Tiafoe extended his streak of successful Grand Slam opening rounds to 22.
• Venus Williams made her 25th US Open main draw in the Open Era count used by the tournament’s statistical review, extending a record-level history of appearances.
• Swiatek recorded her 28th consecutive first-round Grand Slam victory.
• Seventeen former Grand Slam singles champions started the tournament.
• Thirteen players were making Grand Slam main-draw debuts.
• Three first-round matches required deciding-set match tiebreaks.

The tournament’s official numerical review is available through the US Open Round 1 statistics report.

What the Weather Has Done to Recovery Windows

There is no responsible way to claim rain caused a particular upset without direct evidence.

The scheduling consequences can be measured more carefully.

Consider Navarro and Muchova.

Navarro’s first match crossed two days.

Her second was interrupted again.

Muchova’s Round 2 lasted less than an hour.

Now they meet.

Consider Zverev.

His match could continue under the Ashe roof, which prevented an additional weather delay.

He still spent almost five hours on court.

Consider players whose first-round matches were unfinished Tuesday.

Some completed them Wednesday while players from the opposite half were already qualifying for Round 3.

Those are tangible differences in recovery timing.

At a Grand Slam, a half-day can influence treatment schedules, practice intensity, sleep and preparation.

That does not predetermine results.

It changes the operating environment in which results are produced.

Upcoming US Open Matches to Watch on Thursday, September 3

Match	Round	Why it matters
Naomi Osaka vs Katerina Siniakova	R2	Two-time US Open champion against doubles world No. 1
Learner Tien vs Gael Monfils	R2	20-year-old rising star against 40-year-old veteran
Elena Rybakina vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro	R2	No. 2 seed faces proven upset threat
Alexandra Eala vs Oleksandra Oliynykova	R2	Rematch after Oliynykova beat Eala in Strasbourg
Remaining matches involving Gauff, Fritz, Keys, Swiatek, Zverev and Andreeva	R2	Major championship contenders complete other half of second round

Naomi Osaka vs Katerina Siniakova: A Singles Match With Doubles Geometry

Osaka and Siniakova open Thursday’s Arthur Ashe Stadium program.

The matchup is more complicated than their singles rankings suggest.

Osaka owns four Grand Slam singles titles, including the US Open championships from 2018 and 2020.

Siniakova is the doubles world No. 1 and an 11-time women’s doubles major champion.

They have played three times previously.

Osaka leads 2-1.

Their most recent meeting came at Wimbledon in 2025, where Osaka won in straight sets.

Osaka’s first-round performance was built around serving. She hit 11 aces and won 75 percent of her first-serve points against Zakharova.

Siniakova offers a different challenge because her doubles instincts make her more comfortable changing court position, attacking short balls and taking away predictable passing lanes.

Osaka will want first-strike control.

Siniakova will want variation.

That makes the match tactically richer than a simple champion-versus-lower-ranked-opponent reading.

Learner Tien vs Gael Monfils: Twenty Years Against Forty

This may be Thursday’s best pure story.

Tien is 20.

Monfils turned 40 on Tuesday.

They represent opposite points of the professional tennis timeline.

Monfils is playing his final Grand Slam season and has spent two decades turning matches into entertainment without losing the competitive seriousness underneath it.

Tien is part of the generation trying to replace players exactly like him.

The styles also contrast.

Tien is a compact left-hander who builds points intelligently and changes direction well.

Monfils possesses greater reach, explosive defensive movement and the ability to turn a neutral rally into a spectacular attack with very little warning.

Tien won their only previous meeting in Montreal.

New York offers a very different atmosphere.

Louis Armstrong Stadium will understand exactly what may be at stake for Monfils.

Elena Rybakina vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro: The Upset Risk Is Real

Rybakina is the No. 2 seed and one of the biggest servers in women’s tennis.

Bouzas Maneiro is ranked outside the obvious championship group.

Her recent history demands respect.

She defeated Coco Gauff at the 2026 United Cup and has produced major upsets before, including a victory over defending Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in 2024.

The Spanish player also reached the Wimbledon fourth round in 2025.

Her path has therefore established enough evidence that she can handle a major stadium and a highly ranked opponent.

Rybakina should control more points through serve and first-ball power.

The danger appears if Bouzas Maneiro extends return games and turns the contest into a movement test.

Rybakina came into the US Open after the ankle problem that ended her Cincinnati quarterfinal.

Her Round 1 performance was reassuring.

Thursday should reveal more.

Alexandra Eala vs Oleksandra Oliynykova: A Revenge Match With a Possible Jovic Meeting Ahead

Eala already knows exactly how dangerous Oliynykova can be.

The Ukrainian beat her in Strasbourg earlier this year after losing the opening set.

Eala now enters their New York rematch as the No. 17 seed and with considerably greater expectation around her.

Her first-round win showed that the attention has not overwhelmed her.

The next question is whether she can solve a matchup that already went wrong once this season.

There is another incentive in the bracket.

Iva Jovic has progressed from a delayed first-round match, creating the possibility of a meeting between two of the sport’s most closely watched young players.

Eala has to get there first.

The Confirmed Round 3 Matches Already Worth Circling

Match	Early read
Aryna Sabalenka vs Kamilla Rakhimova	Defending champion faces player who eliminated Krejcikova
Jessica Pegula vs Leylah Fernandez	Pegula’s efficiency meets Fernandez’s left-handed counterpunching
Emma Navarro vs Karolina Muchova	One of the strongest tactical matchups in the women’s third round
Linda Noskova vs Ann Li	Wimbledon champion against American No. 29 seed
Daniil Medvedev vs Arthur Rinderknech	Former champion receives his first experienced veteran test

Sabalenka vs Rakhimova Could Be More Difficult Than It Looks

The rankings favor Sabalenka heavily.

The tournament evidence requires one qualification.

Rakhimova has already beaten Krejcikova.

That establishes that she can handle a Grand Slam champion and the emotional pressure attached to trying to complete an upset.

Sabalenka will attempt to prevent the match from becoming emotionally complicated at all.

Her first two rounds have been defined by early scoreboard control.

If she breaks early again, Rakhimova may be forced to attack before she has established rhythm.

Pegula vs Fernandez Will Ask New Questions

Pegula has been comfortable against Ruse and Kenin.

Fernandez changes the geometry.

The Canadian takes the ball early, uses her left-handed forehand to create different crosscourt patterns and is comfortable redirecting pace.

Pegula’s greatest advantage may be her ability to absorb that early ball and maintain compact positioning close to the baseline.

She should also arrive physically fresh after only 56 minutes in Round 2.

Navarro vs Muchova May Reveal the Cost of the Weather

This is where the tournament’s weather narrative and tennis narrative meet most cleanly.

Navarro has played through repeated disruption.

Muchova has just produced one of the fastest and most dominant victories of the round.

If the match reaches a long third set, Navarro’s accumulated workload becomes relevant.

If Muchova takes early control, her ability to finish Boulter quickly could look even more valuable.

The tennis still decides the match.

The route each woman took to arrive there has been very different.

What Has Been the Best Performance So Far?

There are several valid candidates.

Sabalenka vs Iatcenko

A 6-1, 6-1 second-round win from a two-time defending champion is the cleanest statement from the women’s title favorite group.

Muchova vs Boulter

Muchova conceded one game in 54 minutes against an experienced opponent.

Townsend vs Preston

Townsend lost only two games and won every point behind her first serve.

Navone vs Djokovic

The performance was less efficient than the three above, but the opponent and five-set resilience make it the tournament’s most important victory.

Alcaraz After the First Set Against Faria

Alcaraz lost the opener 6-4 and then responded 6-0, 6-3, 6-2. Given the four-month absence preceding the tournament, the response may carry more value than a routine straight-set victory.

Zverev’s Survival

Survival is the correct word rather than dominance. Sonego pushed the No. 1 seed to the edge. Zverev still found a route out after nearly five hours.

Who Has the Most to Prove in the Next Round?

Zverev needs a shorter match.

His first round created too much physical workload.

Rybakina needs another healthy performance to reduce concern about the ankle.

Gauff needs to translate Cincinnati form through another round before comparisons with Sabalenka’s start become meaningful.

Osaka needs to handle Siniakova’s variety.

Navarro needs to show that repeated rain disruptions have not drained her against Muchova.

Tsitsipas needs to convert the Fils upset into a run rather than an isolated result.

Merida and Michelsen face the opposite challenge. Both now have major wins behind them. Their next test is proving that the breakthrough did not consume the tournament emotionally.

What Most US Open Coverage Is Missing About the Rain

The obvious weather story is interruption.

The more important one is inequality of rhythm.

Grand Slam draws are already unequal by design. Different opponents, different courts and different match durations create different routes.

Rain amplifies those differences.

A player on Ashe can spend four hours playing tennis while an opponent elsewhere spends four hours waiting.

Those are not equivalent physical experiences.

A player suspended overnight may sleep with a match unfinished, return the next morning, compete again and then have to prepare for another opponent quickly.

Another player may have completed a straight-set victory the previous afternoon and already begun recovery.

The tournament cannot remove this difference entirely.

It can only manage it.

That is why the first week’s weather deserves to remain part of the analysis when later-round fatigue appears.

If Navarro reaches the second week after repeated delays, those interruptions belong in the story.

If Zverev struggles physically after a 4-hour, 52-minute opener, the protected roof prevented a scheduling problem but could not erase the workload.

If Pegula or Sabalenka arrives deep in the draw with far fewer hours on court, their early efficiency will become part of the explanation.

The Sports Encounter Verdict After Four Days

The 2026 US Open has yet to reach its first weekend, but several assumptions made before the tournament already require revision.

Djokovic is gone.

Fils is gone.

Rublev is gone.

Nakashima is gone.

Bencic is gone.

Sinner never arrived.

Alcaraz has survived his return well enough to look increasingly dangerous.

Zverev survived a first-round match that could easily have ended his tournament.

Medvedev has quietly rebuilt some credibility.

Shelton has solved two very different opponents.

Sabalenka has looked exactly like a defending champion who understands the value of conserving energy.

Pegula has been nearly as economical.

Muchova appears dangerous.

Townsend has produced one of the best starts of her US Open career.

Navarro has turned rain interruptions into tests of concentration and survived each one.

The other half of the draw has more evidence to provide Thursday.

Gauff, Osaka, Swiatek, Rybakina, Andreeva, Fritz, Keys, Zverev and others remain partway through the tournament rather than safely positioned for the weekend.

That distinction matters.

New York has already shown that reputation provides very little protection.

Fils arrived with a Masters trophy and left after one match.

Djokovic arrived with 24 majors and left after one.

Jodar entered as the No. 12 seed and lost to a lucky loser.

Rublev escaped from two sets down only to lose two days later.

The weather has added another layer of uncertainty because the players are no longer operating on identical recovery rhythms.

That may become increasingly significant as the draw compresses and match quality rises.

The US Open is therefore moving toward its first weekend with two races happening simultaneously.

One is visible in the bracket.

The other is taking place inside players’ bodies and preparation schedules as they try to recover from whatever the first four days demanded of them.

Sabalenka and Pegula have spent relatively little time paying that price.

Zverev has already paid heavily.

Navarro has paid through interruption.

Alcaraz is discovering what his body can tolerate after four months away.

Monfils is attempting to extend one final major run at 40.

Townsend, Michelsen, Merida and other less obvious names are trying to turn first-week opportunity into second-week relevance.

That is the state of the 2026 US Open before Thursday’s play.

The tournament is still in Round 2.

Its original shape has already disappeared.

Follow The Sports Encounter’s complete tennis coverage as the US Open progresses through Round 3, the second week and championship weekend.

Frequently Asked Questions

What round is the 2026 US Open currently in?

As of the publication cutoff before play on September 3, the US Open is in Round 2. One half of the men’s and women’s second rounds was completed Wednesday, while the remaining Round 2 matches are scheduled for Thursday.

Has the US Open 2026 first round finished?

Yes. The first round was completed on Wednesday, September 2, after rain stretched it across approximately three and a half days.

Who produced the biggest upset of the 2026 US Open so far?

Mariano Navone’s five-set victory over Novak Djokovic is the biggest result so far. Navone won 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Why was Djokovic’s defeat historic?

It was Djokovic’s first first-round defeat in 20 US Open appearances and his first opening-round Grand Slam loss since the 2006 Australian Open.

Why is Jannik Sinner not playing the 2026 US Open?

Sinner withdrew before the tournament because of a right knee injury that had also prevented him from competing in Montreal and Cincinnati.

Who is the top seed in the men’s US Open?

Alexander Zverev is the men’s No. 1 seed following Sinner’s withdrawal.

Who is the top seed in the women’s US Open?

Aryna Sabalenka is the women’s top seed and two-time defending champion.

How has Carlos Alcaraz performed after returning from injury?

Alcaraz defeated Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in Round 1 and Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 in Round 2. These were his first singles matches after four months away because of a right wrist injury.

How has Aryna Sabalenka performed?

Sabalenka beat Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-4 and Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1. She has lost only seven games through two matches.

Who does Sabalenka play next?

Sabalenka faces Kamilla Rakhimova in Round 3. Rakhimova eliminated No. 27 seed Barbora Krejcikova in the first round.

Who does Jessica Pegula play next?

Pegula faces Leylah Fernandez in Round 3 after defeating Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1.

Who does Emma Navarro play next?

Navarro faces No. 7 seed Karolina Muchova in one of the strongest confirmed third-round matches.

How has rain affected Emma Navarro?

Both of Navarro’s first two matches have been interrupted by rain. Her opening contest against Lois Boisson was suspended overnight, while her second-round match against Caty McNally was stopped with Navarro leading 5-2 in the second set.

How long was Alexander Zverev’s first-round match?

Zverev needed approximately four hours and 52 minutes to defeat Lorenzo Sonego in five sets.

Who eliminated Arthur Fils?

Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated the No. 10 seed 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4.

Who eliminated Andrey Rublev?

Daniel Merida defeated Rublev in Round 2, 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

Who eliminated Brandon Nakashima?

Alex Michelsen defeated the No. 16 seed 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in an all-American second-round match.

Who are the biggest surprise players still advancing?

Daniel Merida, Alex Michelsen, Taylor Townsend, Mariano Navone, Kamilla Rakhimova and lucky loser Bu Yunchaokete are among the players who have produced notable upsets or unexpected runs.

Who does Naomi Osaka play next?

Osaka faces doubles world No. 1 Katerina Siniakova in the second round Thursday. Osaka leads their head-to-head series 2-1.

Who does Gael Monfils play next?

Monfils faces 20-year-old American Learner Tien in Round 2 after winning his opening match on his 40th birthday.

Who does Alexandra Eala play next?

Eala faces Oleksandra Oliynykova, who defeated her in three sets earlier this season in Strasbourg.

Who does Elena Rybakina play next?

Rybakina faces Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, a Spanish player with previous Top-10 and Grand Slam upset wins.

When does the US Open third round begin?

Round 3 begins Friday, September 4, after the remaining second-round matches are completed Thursday.

When is the 2026 US Open final?

The tournament concludes on Sunday, September 13, with the men’s singles championship after the women’s final on the preceding day.