US Open 2026: Alcaraz Rolls On, Paul Survives Bublik as Djokovic Exit Reshapes New York

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.