Jannik Sinner kept his U.S. Open title defence on track on Saturday (August 30, 2025) as Iga Swiatek struggled through to the last 16 and home favourite Coco Gauff booked a blockbuster clash with Naomi Osaka.
Sinner rallied from a set down to beat Denis Shapovalov 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 and is trying to become the first man to retain the title in New York since Roger Federer in 2008.
“I was in a very difficult moment today,” said Sinner. “The scoreline was a bit against me today, but I just tried to stay there mentally.”
World number one Sinner awaits the winner of the evening session match between U.S. 14th seed Tommy Paul and Alexander Bublik, the 23rd seed from Kazakhstan.
“Week two is completely different. It’s getting tougher and tougher, also physically and mentally,” said Sinner.
To illustrate that point there were three more retirements in the men’s draw on Saturday after the injury-induced exit of sixth seed Ben Shelton the day before.
Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti and 435th-ranked Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi all moved on when their opponents threw in the towel.
Eighth seed De Minaur led Daniel Altmaier 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 6-4, 2-0 when the German retired, while 10th seed Musetti held a two-set lead over Flavio Cobolli before the latter packed it in because of an arm injury.
“I didn’t want to finish like that, especially against Flavio. He’s probably one of my best friends on tour,” said Musetti.
Riedi became the lowest-ranked man to reach the fourth round of a major since 2002 as Polish opponent Kamil Majchrzak retired after eight games due to injury.
Unseeded Jaume Munar, 28, also advanced in what is his most successful performance at a Grand Slam but Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong saw his brave run ended by a five-set loss to 15th seed Andrey Rublev.
The 21-year-old Wong had become the first player from Hong Kong ever to win a Grand Slam singles match in the Open era.
Zverev knocked out in U.S. Open third round
Alexander Zverev crashed out in the U.S. Open third round after losing to Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets.
Zverev, the 2020 U.S. Open runner-up, claimed the first set and had a set point in the second but came unstuck as Auger-Aliassime won 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4, 6-4 in 3hr 48min.
Germany’s Alexander Zverev in action during his third round match against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
It is the first time Zverev has failed to reach the second week in New York since 2018. He suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit in six years at Wimbledon last month after losing in round one.
Auger-Aliassime’s best run at a major came when he reached the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows four years ago.
“This feels good. I’ve been coming here since 2018. I’m still young, it’s been a few years but I’m working my way,” said the 25-year-old Auger-Aliassime, who beat a top-five player at a Grand Slam for the first time.
“The tournament’s still going, the job’s not done but this means a lot to me.”
Auger-Aliassime advances to a fourth-round meeting with Russian 15th seed Andrey Rublev on Monday.
Swiatek fights back
Swiatek showed great resolve to dig herself out of trouble against Russian 29th seed Anna Kalinskaya under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The world number two slid 5-1 behind in the opening set but saved four set points and won a tie-break before eventually seeing off Kalinskaya 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.
Poland’s Iga Swiatek celebrates winning her third round match against Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
Swiatek, the 2022 US Open champion and six-time major winner, was far from her best but scrambled through to a last-16 meeting with Ekaterina Alexandrova.
“I felt like I had nothing to lose because I was losing pretty bad. So in the end I just went for it because what else can you do?” Swiatek said of her fightback.
Russian 13th seed Alexandrova has never made it past the fourth round at a Grand Slam but destroyed Laura Siegemund 6-0, 6-1 and has surrendered just 10 games en route to the second week in New York.
Coco Gauff sweeps past
Gauff swept past Polish 28th seed Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-1 in her most polished display of the tournament to boost her hopes of collecting a second US Open title.
After battling to a tearful victory in the previous round, a much more composed Gauff dispatched Frech with relative ease to begin Saturday’s action.
U.S.’ Coco Gauff celebrates winning her third round match against Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
“It’s been an emotional week, but I think I needed those tough moments to move forward. I was putting so much pressure on myself,” said Gauff, through to the last 16 at Flushing Meadows for the fourth year in a row.
“I think today showed I was really having fun out there.”
Gauff heads into a showdown on Monday (September 1, 2025) with former world number one Osaka after the Japanese star beat Australian 15th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.
Osaka enjoys her best U.S. Open
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka is enjoying her best U.S. Open showing since winning the tournament for the second time in 2020.
The last-16 match will be a repeat of the duo’s first meeting at the US Open in 2019, when Osaka overpowered the then 15-year-old Gauff in straight sets.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka celebrates winning her third round match against Australia’s Daria Kasatkina
| Photo Credit:
Reuters
“Everyone will be watching. That’s what tennis needs,” said Venus Williams, who progressed to round three of the the women’s doubles on Saturday with partner Leylah Fernandez.
Wimbledon runner-up and eighth seed Amanda Anisimova beat Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Karolina Muchova won an all-Czech encounter with Linda Noskova 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2. Ukrainian 27th seed Marta Kostyuk overcame France’s Diane Parry in three sets.
Published – August 31, 2025 09:11 am IST
