Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka opens her US Open campaign on Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, facing American Taylor Townsend in their first ever meeting. Sabalenka, the world No. 1, looks to continue her dominant run after capturing the title last year.
On the men’s side, second‑seeded Carlos Alcaraz, returning from a wrist injury, will take on No. 20 seed Tommy Paul. Alcaraz, who sits behind Alexander Zverev in the seedings, hopes to defend his championship and add another Grand Slam title to his résumé.
American players make historic run
Ten Americans have advanced to the round of 16, the most at any Grand Slam since the 2002 US Open, when eleven U.S. players reached that stage. The men’s contingent includes Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, Learner Tien, Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen – the largest group of U.S. men at a major since eight in 1995.
Ben Shelton, the No. 8 seed, will face Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday night, while fellow American Emma Navarro meets Anna Kalinskaya. Other notable fourth‑round matches feature Jessica Pegula versus Sorana Cîrstea, Frances Tiafoe against world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova playing Marta Kostyuk.
Young talent shines
Twenty‑year‑old Learner Tien earned a five‑set victory over Jakub Mensik, becoming the youngest American man in the US Open fourth round since Andy Roddick in 2002. His performance underscores the depth of emerging U.S. talent on the big stage.
All eyes will be on Sabalenka and Alcaraz as they aim to secure spots in the quarterfinals. Their matches not only represent personal milestones but also set the tone for the remainder of the tournament, where American players are poised to make a significant impact.
What’s next?
Should Sabalenka and Alcaraz advance, they will join the growing list of American competitors still in contention, potentially setting up all‑American quarterfinals – a scenario not seen in decades. Fans can follow live coverage on the ESPN family of networks and the official US Open streaming platform.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
