US Open day four delivered a packed slate despite rain interruptions, with Aryna Sabalenka cruising under the Ashe roof, Ben Shelton seeing off Hubert Hurkacz in four tense sets, and a notable upset for Daniel Merida over Andrey Rublev.
US Open day four: Sabalenka sweeps aside Iatcenko
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka dismissed qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in just 53 minutes, one of her quickest matches of the season, according to tournament statistics. Sabalenka struck 24 winners, three aces and won eight of 11 points at the net, extending her winning run in New York to 16 matches.
Both players finished with 16 unforced errors. Sabalenka, who said on court she was happy with her focus and level, will meet Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round.
Shelton defeats Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6, 7-5
No 8 seed Ben Shelton outlasted Hubert Hurkacz, clinching the third-set tiebreak and breaking late in the fourth to close it out. The American acknowledged the threat Hurkacz posed and celebrated vigorously with the Ashe crowd after sealing match point with a sliced winner.
He will face Denis Shapovalov next, after the Canadian beat Luca Van Assche 6-0, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7).
Muchova routs Boulter 6-1, 6-0
Karolina Muchova produced a near-flawless performance to eliminate British No 1 Katie Boulter on Louis Armstrong Stadium. Boulter struggled on serve throughout and never held, while the No 7 seed’s all-court variety proved decisive.
Muchova, the Wimbledon runner-up, will face Emma Navarro, who rallied past Caty McNally 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Merida knocks out Rublev 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
Spain’s Daniel Merida earned the biggest win of his career, coming from a set down to oust No 23 seed Andrey Rublev. Merida’s rapid rise this season continues and he draws Alex Michelsen next, after the American beat Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Rublev’s defeat follows his early exit at Wimbledon.
Bu stuns Jodar 6-2, 6-1, 6-1
Lucky loser Yunchaokete Bu, 24, replaced the injured Thanasi Kokkinakis in the draw and secured his first grand slam main-draw win by dismantling No 12 seed Rafael Jodar. Jodar, who has surged up the rankings this year, offered little resistance on a difficult day as Bu dominated from the baseline.
Jones earns first US Open main-draw win
Britain’s Francesca Jones closed out a suspended match to defeat Magda Linette 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, handling a momentum swing and a two-day schedule with composure. Rising American Iva Jovic advanced 7-5, 6-3 over Magdalena Fręch and will meet Jones in round two.
Lehecka stops Samuel; Etcheverry advances
No 18 seed Jiri Lehecka beat Britain’s Toby Samuel 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 and awaits Lloyd Harris or Stefanos Tsitsipas, with the Greek leading two sets to one when noted. Tomas Martin Etcheverry overcame Jacob Fearnley 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 after a late push from the Brit fell short.
Medvedev, Pegula, Paolini through
Former champion Daniil Medvedev defeated Sebastian Gorzny 6-1, 6-3, 7-5, saving a late break point to finish in straight sets. Jessica Pegula, the 2024 runner-up, overwhelmed Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1 in 56 minutes, dropping only seven points on serve and keeping her No 1 pathway alive depending on results elsewhere.
Jasmine Paolini, the No 19 seed, beat Lucrezia Stefanini 6-4, 6-1.
De Minaur swift; Navarro rallies
Alex de Minaur completed a delayed opener with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over Andrea Guerrieri following another mid-session rain pause. Emma Navarro, a former semi-finalist, turned around her all‑American clash to defeat Caty McNally 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 and book a third-round date with Muchova.
Around the grounds
- Frances Tiafoe led Rei Sakamoto after taking the first set 6-3 and was in a tight second on Armstrong.
- Stefanos Tsitsipas rallied to even his match with Lloyd Harris and later led two sets to one.
- American wildcard Michael Zheng beat Fabian Marozsan in straight sets to set up a meeting with Bu.
- Ignacio Buse edged Marcos Giron in five sets, becoming the first in his family to win a US Open match since his grandfather Eduardo in 1958.
Rain delays and scheduling at US Open
Persistent showers extended the schedule, briefly pausing several matches and contributing to what officials described as the longest first round in tournament history. The Ashe roof remained open for the night session, allowing Sabalenka and later Carlos Alcaraz, slated to face Portugal’s Jaime Faria, to proceed as planned.
The US Open is organised by the United States Tennis Association and played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. The tournament is the final Grand Slam of the season on the professional tennis calendar.
Fans following this year’s event will also remember emotional moments from past editions, including Stan Wawrinka’s retirement US Open send-off that marked the end of the Swiss star’s Grand Slam career. The New York major continues to serve up dramatic stories on and off the court.