US Open 2026: Sabalenka and Alcaraz cruise on, Wimbledon champion Noskova and Ukraine's Kostyuk fight for last-16 spots

Favourites move on with authority

At the US Open in New York, the tournament's top contenders are advancing confidently into the second week. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, returning from a four-month injury layoff, beat China's Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to reach the round of 16, where he will face American Tommy Paul. Afterwards, Alcaraz said his form was "getting there."

On the women's side, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka did not face a single break point in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova, firing 29 winners and 10 aces. She next plays American Taylor Townsend. In the previous round, Sabalenka needed just 53 minutes to beat debutant Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 — one of the quickest Grand Slam wins of her career — but afterwards had a tense exchange with a reporter who suggested she had been "partying" ahead of the tournament, calling the question inappropriate.

Third-seeded American Jessica Pegula fought back from a set down to beat Canada's Leylah Fernandez 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, keeping alive both her pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title and her chances of becoming world number one.

Ukrainian success and Linda Noskova

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk beat Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova, who competed as a "neutral" athlete, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the round of 16, according to Ukrainian news agency UNN. She will next face the winner of the match between American Ann Li and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. UNN also reported that fellow Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva beat Greece's Maria Sakkari overnight to advance to the round of 32.

Other results

American Emma Navarro pulled off an upset, beating seventh seed Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5; Muchova, like Noskova, had won her previous match in straight sets. Teenage American Iva Jovic also drew attention as one of the tournament's rising stars with a straight-sets win of her own.

New York is also focused on the return of Serena and Venus Williams, who are playing doubles together at a major for the first time since the 2022 US Open, facing fourth seeds Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint.