Top seeds move on
Defending champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka both advanced from third-round matches on Friday to reach the fourth round at the US Open, with fellow high seeds Jessica Pegula and Daniil Medvedev also progressing. The results kept several of the tournament’s leading names on course as the event moved into its second weekend.
Fernandez puts Pegula on the back foot
In the marquee women's matchup of the session, Leylah Fernandez surprised early by breaking Pegula to open a 2-0 lead in the first set. Fernandez, who was Emma Raducanu’s opponent in the 2021 US Open final, has had intermittent Grand Slam runs since that match but remains a consistent presence inside the world’s top 30 and has claimed five WTA Tour titles. The early break suggested Pegula would be under pressure despite ultimately advancing.
Sabalenka and others start strongly
Sabalenka, the defending women’s champion, took the first set of her match 6-3, maintaining a typically aggressive baseline game against an opponent described as playing decent tennis. Elsewhere, Marta Kostyuk won the opening set 6-3 against Anastasia Alexandrova, while Sorana Cirstea claimed the first set by the same scoreline against 19th seed Jasmine Paolini; Cirstea is seeded 16th.
Tournament context
The wins by Alcaraz, Sabalenka, Pegula and Medvedev preserve the tournament narratives around the top seeds as the draw tightens. With fourth-round matchups looming, the holders of major seeds will face rising challenges from a deep field that has produced several tight encounters already. Fans and players alike now turn their attention to Saturday’s schedule, which will decide the last of the players into the tournament’s second weekend.