{"id":67061,"date":"2026-09-06T12:44:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T12:44:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/67061\/"},"modified":"2026-09-06T12:44:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T12:44:16","slug":"u-s-open-recap-day-7-coco-gauff-toughs-it-out-on-day-of-upsets-and-dramatic-matches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/67061\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Open recap Day 7: Coco Gauff toughs it out on day of upsets and dramatic matches"},"content":{"rendered":"

Follow The Athletic\u2019s U.S. Open coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

Welcome to the U.S. Open briefing, where The Athletic\u00a0will explain the stories behind the stories on each day of the tournament.<\/p>\n

On Day 7, upsets and tussles, a huge deficit in the draws and a college tennis honor.<\/p>\n

How did Coco Gauff get the job done on a day of tussle for top stars?<\/p>\n

Coco Gauff<\/a> has spent the summer playing like someone who has put her \u201cwinning ugly\u201d days behind her.<\/p>\n

She bangs aces. She cracks forehands. She comes in and finishes points at the net. She runs like a deer.<\/p>\n

Mostly. And not Saturday, when she dipped below her level of the past two months and made 28 errors, including six double faults across 19 games, against Cristina Buc\u015fa of Spain. Gauff did still win, of course, 6-3, 6-4.<\/p>\n

The truth is every player has to win a bit ugly sometimes. It may be the most valuable skill there is in a sport where playing at one\u2019s peak is very rare. And there was a whole lot of tussle among the top players in the women\u2019s draw Sunday.<\/p>\n

2022 U.S. Open champion Iga \u015awi\u0105tek needed to come through two tiebreaks to take out Marie Bouzkov\u00e1 of the Czech Republic 7-6(3), 7-6(3). Naomi Osaka, the two-time champion and No. 13 seed, and No. 23 seed Elise Mertens produced a thriller on Louis Armstrong Stadium, which Osaka grabbed 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.<\/p>\n

Why are some tennis players better at night?<\/p>\n

Tifo Sports<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the third set, I was just being really overly critical,\u201d Osaka said. \u201cAnd then it, like, got to a point where I was just like: \u2018OK, just fight for everything. See if she is going to close it out on her terms.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cLike, I started pushing a lot, because I wanted to see if she had the guts to hit winners and go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the same time as Osaka played, No. 14 seed Iva Jovi\u0107 and No. 17 seed Alex Eala<\/a>, two rising stars, were lighting up Arthur Ashe Stadium in prime time, with a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 win for Jovi\u0107.<\/p>\n

A trio of top Americans could have done with some of that tussle.<\/p>\n

2025 finalist Amanda Anisimova<\/a> looked to be climbing back into her duel with No. 24 seed Anastasia Potapova, but stalled out and lost in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5.<\/p>\n

Madison Keys was serving at 5-0 in the third set before Zheng Qinwen<\/a> stormed back for a 1-6, 7-6(3) 7-5 win.<\/p>\n

Taylor Fritz<\/a> frittered away a two-set lead as he landed just 53 percent of his serves and lost in five to Francisco Cer\u00fandolo.<\/p>\n

What allowed Gauff to survive? She covers the court better than maybe anyone in the game. Serves and forehands and backhands have to find tiny spots on the surface. Gauff can cut them off.<\/p>\n

So too can Learner Tien, the No. 14 seed on the men\u2019s side. He came from two-sets-to-one down against Jakub Men\u0161\u00edk, the No. 17 seed from the Czech Republic, by forcing Men\u0161\u00edk to come up with incredible shots and coming up with some of his own in a 6-3, 1-6, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4 win.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u2014 Matt Futterman<\/p>\n

How did Alexander Zverev cut down his match length?<\/p>\n

No player has spent more time on court at the U.S. Open than Alexander Zverev.<\/p>\n

The No. 1 seed entered Saturday\u2019s third-round matchup against Alejandro Tabilo having already played two five-set matches for a total of nine hours and 26 minutes of play \u2014 at that point the seventh-most time spent on court in the men\u2019s singles event.<\/p>\n

His match against Tabilo put him in the top spot, at 11 hours and 51 minutes. But he won it straight sets even after facing two set points in the second set, overcoming the Chilean 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-2.<\/p>\n

Having spent the most time on court is generally an unenviable position to be in, both for energy conservation purposes and because Zverev has been working in the dark of night in front of scant crowds who haven\u2019t stuck around for the early-morning hours at the U.S. Open. But Zverev prefers to play on Arthur Ashe Stadium above all else, even the option of an earlier start time on another court.<\/p>\n

Besides, his long hours of labor are balanced out with what looks like a flimsy draw on paper.<\/p>\n

He wouldn\u2019t face anyone seeded higher than No. 21 before the semifinals, and the only player in his half of the draw to make a Grand Slam semifinal is Russia\u2019s Karen Khachanov.<\/p>\n

Zverev has played a ton of tennis this year. But he\u2019s in a good position to make a deep run even without his batteries at full charge.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ava Wallace<\/p>\n

Why is one half of the women\u2019s draw bangers only?<\/p>\n

The day full of tight matches and upsets has wrought a splendid slate in the bottom half of the women\u2019s draw. All four fourth-round matches feature at least one Grand Slam champion \u2014 there\u2019s Osaka vs. Elena Rybakina, \u015awi\u0105tek vs. Zheng Qinwen, Jovi\u0107 vs. Gauff and Mirra Andreeva vs. Potapova.<\/p>\n

Gauff and Rybakina are fighting for world No. 1. The latter, who defeated Ukraine\u2019s Yuliia Starodubtseva in straight sets Saturday, is in pole position to take over from Aryna Sabalenka, but must reach the semifinals. If she does not, one of Sabalenka, Gauff and Pegula could claim the top ranking, but only with a title in New York.<\/p>\n

\"Elena
\nElena Rybakina is two wins from becoming world No. 1. (Caleb Bowlin \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The most enticing matchup might be Osaka vs. Rybakina. Osaka feels primed for a truly deep Grand Slam run after a spring and summer well balanced between rest and good results.<\/p>\n

That match just barely edges out Zheng vs. \u015awi\u0105tek, a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics semifinal in which Zheng stunned \u015awi\u0105tek at Roland Garros. The slight worry is that Zheng will run out of gas at some point after coming through the qualifying tournament and winning six matches in New York. That\u2019s the most matches she\u2019s played consecutively since \u2026 the Paris Olympics in 2024. It might be OK, though: In a news conference Saturday, Zheng said that winning always makes her feel fresh.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ava Wallace<\/p>\n

Other notable results on Day 7:
\nItaly\u2019s Luciano Darderi (21) defeated Australian wild card Dane Sweeny 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 to set up a fourth-round meeting with Zverev (1).
\nAndreeva (5) navigated a banana skin against rising star Nikola Bart\u016f\u0148kov\u00e1 6-2, 7-6(5).
\nA couple of five-set matches closed out the men\u2019s draw. Botic van de Zandschulp, who knocked Carlos Alcaraz out of this event two years ago, is into the fourth round after defeating Zizou Bergs 3-6, 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3. Meanwhile, Arthur G\u00e9a (LL) defeated Michael Zheng (WC) 7-6(7), 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
\nDrop Shots<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udded How Alex Eala\u2019s U.S. Open run is inspiring local fans<\/a> \u2014 and producing art.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf1fRelive the Williams\u2019 sisters glittering return to Arthur Ashe Stadium<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude21 Why a player swatting a ball in anger and hitting a fan<\/a> did not result in a disqualification.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\uddbc\ufe0f A week ago, Roger Federer entered the International Tennis Hall of Fame<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the U.S. Open, a Filipino artist finds inspiration in Eala-mania<\/p>\n

Rebecca Tauber and Johnny Sweet<\/p>\n

Up next: Fourth round begins<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Women\u2019s singles: Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs. Taylor Townsend<\/p>\n

11:30 a.m. on ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited<\/p>\n

Townsend gets another round on Arthur Ashe Stadium after last year\u2019s stunning win over Andreeva that took her into the fourth round. The 30-year-old American has backed that up this year, saying in an emotional on-court interview that she needed to prove to herself that she could be as good as last year. Now she faces one of the ultimate hard-court tests in women\u2019s tennis: Sabalenka.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Men\u2019s singles: Tommy Paul (20) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (2)<\/p>\n

Not before 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited<\/p>\n

Given Alcaraz\u2019s limited preparation and the way his serve is starting points but rarely ending them, this match might represent Paul\u2019s best chance to get a Grand Slam win over the Spanish defending champion. Aside from a beatdown at last year\u2019s French Open, when Paul was injured, their matches have hewed to a clear pattern: The first set is close and the American might nick it, before Alcaraz revs into gear, the forehand delta between the two players yawns open and Paul gets taken out of the match. Will this one be different?<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Men\u2019s singles: Daniil Medvedev (7) vs. Frances Tiafoe (11)<\/p>\n

Not before 3 p.m. ET on ESPN Unlimited<\/p>\n

2021 champion Medvedev has quietly rolled through his first three matches after a long stretch of indifferent results at the majors. Barring his first-round five-setter against compatriot Martin Damm, so too has Tiafoe, who has been playing himself into form for longer than Medvedev. He will have the crowd on his side against one of tennis\u2019 great anti-heroes.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfbe Women\u2019s singles: Jessica Pegula (3) vs. Sorana C\u00eerstea<\/p>\n

After Medvedev vs. Tiafoe on ESPN Unlimited<\/p>\n

Aside from a come-from-behind win over Leylah Fernandez in the previous round, Pegula has mostly rolled, too. The 2024 beaten finalist now meets C\u00eerstea, who has been undoing many of the narratives surrounding how to retire from tennis in her final season on tour. The 36-year-old Romanian, who has been a threat at just about every tournament she has played, has reached a career-high ranking of No. 17.<\/p>\n

U.S. Open 2026 women\u2019s bracketU.S. Open 2026 men\u2019s bracket<\/p>\n

Tell us what you noticed on the seventh day\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Follow The Athletic\u2019s U.S. Open coverage Welcome to the U.S. Open briefing, where The Athletic\u00a0will explain the stories…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":67062,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[185,142,143,28],"class_list":["post-67061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-coco-gauff","tag-coco-gauff","tag-culture","tag-sports-business","tag-tennis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}