Home favorite Coco Gauff and world No. 2 Elena Rybakina advanced to the U.S. Open quarterfinals Monday, while China’s Zheng Qinwen produced another remarkable comeback to upset six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.
Top-seeded Alexander Zverev also moved into the quarterfinals, beating Italy’s Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The German was surprised to finish his match before midnight after being pushed through a pair of five-setters earlier in the tournament.
"I think after 10 hours on court, I just maybe found my rhythm a little bit better, which is helpful because the first two matches were really not great level,” Zverev said. "I think I’m going in the right direction, moving forward in the right direction.”
Zverev, who is seeking his second Grand Slam title after winning the French Open in June, also avenged his earlier loss to Darderi at the Italian Open in Rome this year.
Fourth-seeded Gauff outclassed compatriot Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash with fellow French Open champion Mirra Andreeva for a place in the semifinals.
"Mirra is someone that I always have tough matches with,” Gauff told reporters. "She’s obviously in a different mindset now at the top of the game, coming off of a Grand Slam win ... it’s going to be a really athletic, tough match.”
Gauff is the sixth American player into the quarterfinals, joining Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Frances Tiafoe, Alex Michelsen and Ben Shelton.
Rybakina continued her quest for a third major title with a 6-1, 6-4 win over former U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka, who was hampered by an Achilles tendon injury that had flared up in the previous round.
The victory leaves second-seeded Rybakina one win away from becoming world No. 1 for the first time, with Olympic champion Zheng awaiting her in the quarterfinals.
The win was another encouraging sign for Rybakina, who arrived in New York with questions over her fitness after retiring from the Cincinnati Open in the buildup to the tournament.
"Preparation wasn’t that great,” she told reporters. "It’s an amazing progress. I’m really glad how everything worked out.”
Zheng has become something of an escape artist at Flushing Meadows.
After coming back from a 0-5 deficit in the deciding set against third-round opponent Madison Keys, she let the first five games slip through her fingers in 20 minutes against 2022 champion Swiatek.
However, she clawed her way back into the match and collapsed to the court with her face in her hands after sealing the win on her fourth match point.
Zheng is the first qualifier since Emma Raducanu in 2021 to reach the quarterfinals of the women’s draw as she battles back from a chronic elbow injury.
Andreeva’s entertaining match against Anastasia Potapova ended on a sour note when the Austrian went down injured in the final game.
Potapova valiantly retook the court but could not prevent the inevitable as Andreeva sealed the 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win with a backhand strike before going across the net to hug her opponent.
Drama everywhere
The evening session in the men’s draw was not short on drama.
At Louis Armstrong Stadium, Karen Khachanov fought back to claim a 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-4 win over 20-year-old American Learner Tien, while on the Grandstand court, Botic van de Zandschulp emerged victorious after a five-hour marathon against Arthur Gea.
The 21-year-old Gea had been one point away from becoming the first lucky loser in Grand Slam history to reach the quarterfinals before his Dutch opponent engineered a 3-6, 6-7 (0), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3), 6-4 comeback win.
Earlier Monday, Belgium’s Alexander Blockx dispatched Argentine 24th seed Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.