Serena Williams recovered to beat Sloane Stephens on Saturday at the US Open to set up a rematch with 15th seed Maria Sakkari.
Last year’s finalist Daniil Medvedev and semifinalist Matteo Berrettini continued their smooth progress through the draw, leading several of the ATP Tour’s rising stars into the fourth round.
On Saturday night, second seed Sofia Kenin and a resurgent Victoria Azarenka won through, as did Dominic Thiem, who saw off former champion Marin Cilic.
Thiem, Kenin win under lights
Having lookied completely out of sorts in an opening-round loss at the Western & Southern Open, No.2 seed Thiem appears increasingly comfortable on Flushing Meadows’ quick hard courts.
After dropping the third set, Thiem steadied in the fourth, saving three break points in the fifth game, and two more again when serving for the match, to beat 31st seed Cilic 6-2 6-2 3-6 6-3 in the final match of the day at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
At Louis Armstrong Stadium, Australian Open champion Kenin dug in to see off talented Tunisian Ons Jabeur.
Kenin trailed 4-2 before breaking back immediately, and with the first set in hand she began controlling points with her laser-like groundstrokes to run out a 7-6(4) 6-3 winner.
Prior to Kenin-Jabeur at Armstrong, Azarenka continued her brilliant form in New York, beating Polish rising star Iga Swiatek – her eighth win in a row – to reach the fourth round at a Slam for the first time since Wimbledon 2017.
Serena stops Sloane, Sakkari awaits
Earlier on Saturday, in a highly-anticipated clash between American Grand Slam champions, Williams recovered from a slow start to eventually beat the 2017 US Open winner – just as she did in their last meeting more than five years ago at Roland Garros.
Williams, the No.3 seed, scored her fifth straight win over Stephens with a 2-6 6-2 6-2 victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium to set up a fourth-round clash with Sakkari.
Sakkari, a comfortable 6-3 6-1 winner over 22nd seed Amanda Anisimova, beat Williams the last time they met – just over a week ago at the Western & Southern Open.
Also progressing were No.16 seed Elise Mertens, who beat Caty McNally in straight sets, and 20th seed Karolina Muchova, who staged a stirring comeback to oust Sorana Cirstea.
The Czech trailed 5-3 in the third set, and saved three match points from 6-3 down in the subsequent tiebreak to eventually win 6-3 2-6 7-6(7) – a result sending her through to the last 16 in New York for the first time.
Canadians, Russians roll on
Third seed Medevdev is yet to drop a set at this year’s US Open after seeing off American JJ Wolf 6-3 6-3 6-2 in the first match of the day at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Medvedev, who next plays Frances Tiafoe, is on course for a quarterfinal clash with fellow Russian Andrey Rublev, a 6-0 6-4 6-0 winner over Italian Salvatore Caruso.
Yet Rublev must first get past Caruso’s compatriot Matteo Berrettini, the No.6 seed whose power proved overwhelming in a 6-4 6 6-2 win over Casper Ruud of Norway.
Russian No.11 seed Karen Khachanov was unable to join his countrymen after Australia’s Alex de Minaur roared back to win in five sets and reach the US Open fourth round for the second straight year.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime backed up his breakthrough win over Andy Murray with a commanding 6-1 6-0 6-4 win over Corentin Moutet, and next faces either Thiem or Cilic.
Upset of the day
Another Canadian, Vasek Pospisil, continued his incredible run with a five-set shock over No.8 seed Roberto Bautista Agut, following his upset win over another form player in Milos Raonic two days earlier.
Pospisil – who belted 71 winners to Bautista Agut's 21 – and Auger-Aliassime join Denis Shapovalov in the fourth round, making it the first time in Open Era history three Canadians have reached the second week of a Slam.
Perfect Pospisil! ✨
— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) September 5, 2020
It’s another stunning comeback win for a Canadian, this time with @VasekPospisil upsetting No. 8 seed Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 2-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the second week of the #USOpen.#AnythingIsPospisil pic.twitter.com/dn38Zegwbz
Yet challenging Pospisil in the giant-killing stakes is Tsvetana Pironkova, who reached the fourth round in her first tournament in three years after becoming a mother.
Pironkova, who stunned two-time major champion Garbine Muguruza in the second round, allowed No.18 seed Donna Vekic just five games to set up a battle against either Keys or Alize Cornet.
Quotes of the day
"Much happier. Not 100 per cent yet, I still have to raise my level if I want to go deeper, especially now against Felix. But normally I'm capable of doing this in the Slams, hopefully here as well."
- Dominic Thiem, who plays Auger-Aliassime for a place in the quarterfinals.
“Game-wise I feel like I'm playing really well. Each match is better and better. Leading up to Aussie and here, I obviously wasn't feeling my game, then I started playing better in Australia and here. Obviously that's good.”
- Sofia Kenin, undefeated at majors in 2020, on the similarities between this year’s US Open campaign and her Australian Open run.
“Every day having 'Serena' on your back is a massive target for the tour, for press, for stress. But as Billie Jean King said, pressure is a privilege. So I wouldn't want it any other way. So I just try to think about how fortunate I am to have been in this position, and honestly, to be Serena.”
- Serena Williams
“It's amazing. I've known him for a very long time. We have hit together. He's like a big brother for me. And it's amazing to see us both, and him kind of leading the way, both of us in fourth round, and hopefully we can just keep it going.”
- Alex de Minaur, on joining fellow Australian Jordan Thompson in the fourth round.
"Outside the court, I think I'm a pretty kind person. But once I step on court, it's the best man that wins. You've got to step it up with that killer instinct."
- Felix Auger-Aliassime, through to the last 16 of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
Tweet of the day
Off to week 2. ✌???#onlacherien #çacavale
— Félix AugerAliassime (@felixtennis) September 5, 2020
.
?: Adam Glanzman/USTA pic.twitter.com/ByPqNyG1mS
Stat of the day
Serena’s slow start against Stephens raised the possibility of an earlier-than-expected exit.
Yet the 23-time major champion found her game and eventually sealed a spot in the second week at her 19th consecutive US Open.
Not since 1998, when she lost to Irina Spirlea in the last 32, has Williams fallen before the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.
Day 7: ones to watch
Quarterfinal spots are on the line on Sunday as the fourth round commences at Flushing Meadows.
Former champion Naomi Osaka faces a tough test against No.14 seed Anett Kontaveit in the final match of the night session at Ashe, after an inter-generational battle between seventh seed David Goffin and No.12 seed Denis Shapovalov.
World No.1 Novak Djokovic is eyeing a 30th consecutive match win when he faces Pablo Carreno Busta while Borna Coric will look to rebound from two straight five-setters against Jordan Thompson, the Aussie who features in the fourth round of a major for the first time.
Major champions Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova play at Armstrong against Americans Jennifer Brady and Shelby Rogers respectively, either side of No.5 seed Alexander Zverev’s fourth-round clash with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.