US Open tennis 2026: Osaka v Rybakina to return after Zheng stuns Swiatek, and extra on day 9 – stay
Key occasions
Qinwen Zheng, although; again from harm, then again from 0-5 right down to win units in opposition to two grand slam champions. Amazing behaviour, and she or he’ll face one other main winner within the final eight, whether or not Naomi Osaka or Elena Rybakina.
Thanks John; I didn’t miss something good did I?
Cerundolo breaks again briefly order, neither participant’s serve as much as snuff. And with that, I shall hand again to Daniel Harris.
Peter Oh made a good prediction: “I reckon the Belgian would be the quickest out of the Blockx.”
Arthur Ashe not so raucous because it was between Zheng and Swiatek, which grew to become a match for the ages. It’s lunchtime in New York City, and that’s a severe commerce. It’s a manageable 27 levels on the market. Blockx, whose left leg is strapped up, races to 0-30 on his opponent’s serve. Then to a break level, and an prompt break. Cerundolo’s serve was sluggish, very sluggish.
The motion is again on Arthur Ashe, with Franciso Cerundolo up in opposition to Alexander Blockx within the males’s, it’s a battle of twenty fourth v twenty sixth seed. Cerundolo is at his furthest attain on the US Open, whereas Blockx, simply 21, is in his very first go to to the event.
Mirra Andreeva spoke about Potapova’s unlucky demise on the finish of that wonderful match.
“She’s my good pal, and, seeing her fall like this, it’s not straightforward, ‘trigger I can’t think about what she’s going by way of It’s not the best way, clearly, you wish to end the match, otherwise you wish to see considered one of your good pals end the match.
“So, I simply informed her that, you recognize, she’s been taking part in superb thus far, and now she’s been having among the finest seasons, and I’m certain that she’s gonna come again even stronger,”
Swiatek departs with a mournful wave of her racquet, and there are tears of disappointment.
Zheng speaks: “I begin the match not so nicely and little by little I discover my radar. I simply focus level by level and I discovered my sport … I attempt to play extra aggressive and I attempt to stick with her so long as I may. It’s been a very long time since I beat a prime 10 participant. Thanks to my crew, we’ve been working actually laborious, that’s why I’m right here .. I simply really feel actually punped for my subsequent match.”
Zheng beats Swiatek 7-5 6-3
Talking of comebacks, this has been superb. Zheng, from 5-0 down within the first, wins in straight units. Swiatek faces three break factors, having to threat all of it. She goes huge, and earnings, taking the sport to deuce. Then, immediately, a nasty backhand, the ball misplaced within the shadows presents a fourth match level, and when Swiatek nets, Zheng collapses to the ground. Incredible scenes and the widest of smiles.
Andreeva beats Potapova 5-7 6-4 6-3
Potapova is strapped up, and continues on, however tearfully. Andreeva serves out to like, and claims a comeback win. There’s extra tears, and hugs within the aftermath.
Zheng in the meantime, has her break, and Swiatek is on the ropes, and after being bamboozled by a web wire, shouldn’t be joyful when she turns to her coaches. They too, look a little bit shellshocked. Zheng holds, and is 5-3 up, and can have likelihood to serve out the match.
Andreeva is in sight of victory, at 5-3 within the third set, and Potapova takes a tumble at 0-15 down. She’s in some ache, and it appears to be like like she’s strained a knee on the baseline. The coach is out, attempting to evaluate the injury. Potapova is laid down, and this appears to be like severe, doubtlessly the tip of the affair.
Swiatek will get to interrupt level on the Zheng serve, and there’s an indication of nerves from the Olympic champion, taking an age to restart however seeing out each break factors. Then comes a 118mph serve, to take a bonus. A Swiatek backhand returns us to deuce, however then comes Zheng, nearly as a reflex motion, digging out a winner. We stick with function each proceed to carry at 3-3.
Danger for Swiatek as a wild swipe sees Zheng proceed to interrupt level, just for her velocity across the court docket rescue her, and make it to deuce, after which Zheng splats it broad, and the maintain is claimed. 3-2 within the second.
Zheng’s hitting has been fierce, when it’s Swiatek who is meant to the facility participant. The Polish participant clanks an tried blast broad and thus we go to 2-2 within the second. This is simply the second set nevertheless it’s been an extended, attritional affair.
Andreeva goes a break up on Potapova, at 2-1 up, and attempting her greatest to wrest management of the third, she goes to 3-1 up. The French Open champion has struggled however is battling her manner in the direction of the ending line.
Zheng continues to hit the ball with fearsome abandon and Swiatek is struggling to stay with that. It’s 1-1 within the second set.
Swiatek, ultimately, locates her nerve, and wins the primary sport of the second set. She appears to be rubbing hand cream as she takes a deep breath and will get able to face the Zheng serve. 1-0 within the second, 0-1 on units.
Andreeva has taken the second set 6-4, they usually go into the third.
Zheng has finished it! She wins the primary set 7-5, repeating what she did in opposition to Madison Keys in her final match. An unimaginable flip of occasions.
Another revival act sees Andreeva lead Potapova 5-3 within the second set, simply because it appeared the match was slipping away.
Zheng makes it 5-5. The bagel was on, and now the cost is on. Swiatek is at a loss. What’s gone flawed? The reply lies largely in Zheng’s play although Swiatek can also be complaining her racquet doesn’t have the appropriate pressure. Then follows a few double faults and Zheng will now serve for the set at 6-5 up.
Potapova is again in management over Andreeva, 3-2 up within the second set, having received the primary.
Hello! Zheng’s revival continues, and it’s again at 5-3. When Swiatek steps as much as serve, she’s taken to the wire, however lands a 3rd set level when Zheng overhits. Still, she saves one other deuce with one other, dripping forehand. And then lands a break level, which is saved. Swiatek is in deep convention together with her coaches, this isn’t going to plan as one other break level is stared down. A wild swipe means it’s again on serve and Zheng has received 4 consecutive video games.
Potapova fights again within the second set, hitting one great thing about shot on the best way to a break level to degree at 2-2. And she manages it when Andreeva was trying to go 3-0 up.
Gutsy stuff from Zheng, as can be anticipated, and she or he stops herself from shedding the set by breaking again. It’s nonetheless 5-2, however there are indicators of life.
Righto, I must sprint, so right here’s John Brewin to hold with you for the following little bit; Potapova leads Andreeva 7-5 0-2 30-all, and Swiatek leads Zheng 5-1 deuce.
Andreeva goes down 0-15 then complains about spectators coming in as soon as rallies are in progress. Then, at 30-15, she goes barely broad with an tried winner down the road … solely to conjure a tasty drop, waved from above shoulder-height, taking her to inside some extent of consolidation. Potapova, although, makes deuce, two huge forehands restoring it after Andreeva makes benefit. From there, although, the French Open champ closes out for 5-7 2-0 whereas, on Ashe, Zheng is beginning to compete, holding to save lots of the bagel then pushing Swiatek to deuce as she seeks to serve out the set.
Andreeva has suggested herself. Before she was damaged, she exchanged frantic gesticulations together with her coach, however she comes from behind within the sport to lift break level as Potapova loses focus, a booming backhand changing 30-40 into 1-0.
Yeah Zheng isn’t prepared for the talent and depth Swiatek brings to the court docket. Anisimova is an incredible participant and her backhand might be my favorite shot within the sport, males or ladies, however she doesn’t have that nastiness about her – but – whereas Swiatek is outlined by it. She leads 4-0 and, within the time it takes me to write down this submit, holds for 5-0.
Excellent hitting from Potapova, who will get to 0-15 courtesy of a double, then unleashes on the forehand to make 0-30; Andreeva is beneath it. And she buckles, one other double donating three st factors … transformed when a backhand flies a great foot lengthy, a minimum of. Potapova leads 7-5 and doesn’t she deserve it! This has been a efficiency of confidence and enterprise; Andreeva isn’t fairly certain easy methods to reply.
Potapova is carrying the strain very well, holding to fifteen and forcing Andreeva to serve for a breaker at 6-5. There’s a stunning abandon to her sport: she’s come to assault and she or he’s not second-guessing herself, fairly committing to her photographs and getting good worth for them.
On Ashe, in the meantime, Swiatek holds then breaks Zheng instantly for 2-0.
Excellent work from Andreeva, racing in to select up a web wire and discovering a good riposte, ultimately making 15-0 with an overhead. But from there, Potapova makes 15-30, solely to go fractionally lengthy with a backhand to finish a terrific rally. Nevertheless, she stays two factors from the set … however not for lengthy, Andreeva shortly closing out for 5-5.
Back on Armstrong, we’re nonetheless degree however at 4-4, Potapova taking part in with confidence and poise. She holds to 30, and Andreeva should now serve to remain in set one.
Zheng and Swiatek are out on court docket; Zheng, the Olympic champion, needed to come by way of qualifying after lacking time with an elbow harm, however two weeks of competitors have introduced her into the primary occasion properly free. I’d be stunned if she finds a strategy to win right here, however she did at these Olympics, so is aware of she will be able to.
Potapova has made an impression on every of Andreeva’s service video games and she or he makes 15-30 on this newest one. But from there, the maintain is sealed, and these two good mates are taking part in a extremely entertaining match thus far; it’s 3-3.
Now Potapova holds for 3-2, and we’ll shortly have motion from Ashe too, the place Swiatek and Zheng are due.
Again, Andreeva struggles on serve, however at 30-all, Potapova thwacks a return lengthy. Again, although, when a second supply arrives, she assaults it, a deep return facilitating a clean-up forehand, muscled inside-out from the backhand nook; deuce. But although Andreeva doesn’t convert her first benefit, she instantly earns one other, sealing the maintain with a service winner to degree the set at 2-2.
Ridicuolous athleticism from Andreeva, sliding into web to make a volley, has Potapova applauding at 0-15. But she definitely isn’t at 15-30, when a web wire leaves her one to dispatch, just for her to unload the suitcase at a ball not requiring violence, overhitting by an extended strategy to donate two break-back factors. And Andreeva solely wants one; Potapova leads 2-1 within the first.
And Potapova holds to 30. She’s by no means been past spherical 4 of a significant – she’s fallen at that stage twice in Paris – and can know the extent of her activity right this moment. As if to underline the purpose, Andreeva opens with an ace, however a forehand winner makes 15-all and we wind up at 30s. Just watching this sport, I feel Potapova fancies tucking into her opponent’s second serve; she assaults one, then unleashes a murderous inside-out backhand, adopted by a fore to the identical nook – within the course of elevating break level. And, although she by chance sends over a moon ball, Andreeva swipes her tried winner broad and trails 0-2.
My predictions throughout this competitors have been an absolute nonsense, and I fancied Anisimova to win the ladies’s occasion, however misguided or not, to beat her on a tough court docket requires a correct commonplace, and Potapova did it in straights. She’s serving first on Armstrong…
I can’t lie, a part of me puzzled if Andreeva would ever win a slam. Not as a result of I doubted her expertise, however as a result of I feared that sooner or later in each main, she’d be out-hit by an opponent with an even bigger however not essentially higher sport. In the occasion, although, her preternatural grasp of the sport is price quite a lot of mph, the query not how however what number of.
Preamble
Word up and welcome to the US Open 2026 – day 9!
We start on Armstrong with Mirra Andreeva, now a grand slam champion so spieling with home cash … besides not spieling with home cash in any respect as a result of she’s a killer with the potential to win a number of. She received’t, although, discover issues straightforward in opposition to Anastasia Potapova, who binned Coco Gauff in Paris and Amanda Anisimova within the final spherical right here. If her high-risk, high-reward type is as grooved now as then, we’re in for a deal with.
Opening up on Ashe, half an hour later, we’ve Iga Swiatek, winner in 2022. Yet to lose a set within the competitors, she may’ve simply discovered her mislaid mojo, however Qinwen Zheng will likely be filled with confidence having come again from 0-5 down within the third set to do away with Madison Keys.
Our likeliest match of the day comes within the second wave of singles contests, with Naomi Osaka, twice a winner of this competitors, assembly the Aussie Open champ and potential planet no 1, Elena Rybakina. It’s been some time since Osaka threatened so as to add to her 4 majors, however her potential is such that, sooner or later, she’ll absolutely go deep and, even when she doesn’t, stays greater than able to beating anybody at any time.
As for the boys’s competitors, I can’t wait to see how Alexander Blockx, the 21-year-old Belgian, will get on within the greatest match of his profession thus far. He dealt harshly with Flavio Cobolli in spherical three, coming from a set right down to energy house 3, 0 and three, and can view Francisco Cerundolo as a really beatable opponent.
Then, later within the day, Arthur Gea – additionally 21 – who first caught our consideration by beating Jiri Lehecka in Melbourne, meets Botic van der Zandschulp, whose big serve has already helped him type two seeds in Zizou Bergs and Alex de Minaur. That one’s on Grandstand whereas, on Armstrong, Karen Khachanov, highly effective however missing palms and agility, faces his inverse, Learner Tien, missing energy however with contact and velocity. It is under no circumstances straightforward to select winners, however fortunately we don’t should – we are able to merely immerse and luxuriate in.
Let’s go!
