bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

The US Open swings into the second week on Sunday with the notable absence of upset victims Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
Australia’s Alexi Popyrin, who stunned defending champion Djokovic in the third round to quash the Serb’s latest bid for a 25th grand slam title will face another tough match against American crowd-pleaser Frances Tiafoe for a place in the quarter-finals.
Women’s fourth-round action includes a pair of intriguing rematches: defending champion Coco Gauff will try to avenge a Wimbledon fourth-round loss to fellow American Emma Navarro while China’s Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen faces Donna Vekic of Croatia in a rematch of the Paris Games final.
Second-ranked Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka is also in action as she tries to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win both hard court grand slam titles in the same year.
Here are three matches to watch on day seven of the year’s final grand slam.

Tiafoe v Popyrin
Tiafoe electrified the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd with a five-set triumph over fellow American Ben Shelton. Now takes on giant-killer Popyrin, who brought down Djokovic in his first appearance on the cavernous main court of the Billie Jean National Tennis Center.
Friends off court, the two have never faced off, but Tiafoe expects it to be a barnburner against the Aussie who earned his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal this month.
“I’m probably playing the best tennis of my life right now,” Tiafoe said. “He’s always been really talented. He’s starting to put it together.
“You don’t expect anything easy at this point.”
Popyrin said he would need to get his big serve in high gear to counter Tiafoe’s aggression at the net.
“It will be interesting to play against him,” the 25-year-old from Sydney said. “We have practised a bunch of times.”
Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium
Time: Not before 7am, Monday, Hong Kong Time

Gauff v Navarro
Gauff has endured an uneven season since bagging her maiden major at the US Open last year, and a fourth-round loss to Navarro at Wimbledon was just one of the unwelcome surprises.
“That match at Wimbledon, I think I mentally just literally collapsed on the court,” Gauff recalled. “I was very frustrated and she played well.
“I think going into this match, I just need to know that I need to bring it and mentally be there from the beginning to the end because she’s going to be a tough opponent.”
For her part, Navarro was looking forward to an all-American US Open clash on the imposing Ashe Stadium – a court whose sheer size she said made her dizzy when she practised on it as a junior.
“That’s kind of an experience that is something I could have never even have dreamed of,” she said. “I’m playing the defending champ.”
Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium
Time: Not before 2.30am, Monday, Hong Kong Time

Zheng v Vekic
Vekic says Zheng was just “too good” in the Olympic final on the red clay of Roland Garros, but she’s hoping the change to the hard courts of Flushing Meadows will work in her favour just weeks after she settled for silver at the Paris Games.
“It’s a new match. It’s a different surface, thankfully for me,” Vekic, a four-time WTA champion who reached the US Open quarter-finals in 2019, told reporters. “I’m going to try to prepare well and do a good tactic with my team, and hopefully it will be a different outcome.
“She has a huge serve, it’s tough. Then she plays aggressive. I think my goal will be to make her move and try to be the first one to open up the court.”
But Zheng, China’s first tennis singles gold medallist, has solid hard court credentials, including a runner-up finish at the Australian Open this year.
But the world No 7, itching to join trailblazing compatriot Li Na as a grand slam winner, said Wimbledon semi-finalist Vekic would be a tough challenge.
“I have to be ready, play 100 per cent,” Zheng said.
Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium
Time: Not before 9am, Monday, Hong Kong Time


Key to Zheng Qinwen beating Coco Gauff in WTA Finals lies in killer serve, cutting out mistakes

Players at Hong Kong Open looked tired, should manage their schedules better, says Li Na

China Open men’s final: Carlos Alcaraz fights back to beat Jannik Sinner in thriller

Who is Costeen Hatzi, Nick Kyrgios’ influencer girlfriend who supported him during his comeback at the US Open, where he teamed up with Naomi Osaka?

US Open (tennis)

US Open: what to watch after early exits for Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka

Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the second round at the US Open in one of a number of major shocks from the tournament so far. Photo: Reuters

Having beaten Novak Djokovic, Alexei Popyrin will now look to go even deeper in the US Open. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

Coco Gauff must overcome the woman who knocked her out at Wimbledon if she wants to progress at the US Open. Photo: EPA

Zheng Qinwen faces Donna Vekic once again in a rematch of the Olympics final, where she won the gold medal. Photo: Reuters

US Open: Novak Djokovic laments ‘worst tennis I ever played’ in stunning third-round exit

Novak Djokovic embraces Alexei Popyrin after the defending US Open champion’s shock defeat in the third round. Photo: Reuters

Australia’s Alexei Popyrin celebrates after his stunning victory over Novak Djokovic at the US Open. Photo: AP

Novak Djokovic, a four-time US Open champion, waves to the crowd as he leaves the court after his exit. Photo: AP

US Open: ‘My heart dies every time I lose,’ says Naomi Osaka after second-round exit

Naomi Osaka was beaten in straight sets by Karolina Muchova to exit the US Open in the second round. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

Naomi Osaka has struggled in grand slams throughout 2024, failing to get past the second round in any. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

Major shock at US Open as favourite Carlos Alcaraz dumped out in straight sets

Carlos Alcaraz acknowledges the crowd after his surprise defeat to unseeded Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the US Open second round. Photo: AP

Botic van de Zandschulp and Carlos Alcaraz meet at the net after the Dutchman’s stunning victory at the US Open. Photo: AFP

US Open: ‘unhealthy betting’ behind online abuse, after early exit, says France’s Garcia

France’s Caroline Garcia says she and her family had received online abuse after her loss and slammed social media platforms for not doing enough. Photo: AFP

Coco Gauff says she sometimes spends 30 minutes blocking abusive accounts on her social media. Photo: EPA-EFE

Sport

Tennis

There have been stunning upsets so far at Flushing Meadows with favourites tumbling in the early rounds, but still plenty to look forward to


There have been stunning upsets so far at Flushing Meadows with favourites tumbling in the early rounds, but still plenty to look forward to.
