American Frances Tiafoe and 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will face off on Sunday in their first ATP Head2Head meeting as they aim to reach their maiden US Open quarter-final, having both battled into the fourth round with five-set victories. #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and second seed Daniil Medvedev will also look to advance in New York in a packed day of action.
In a late-night epic, Tiafoe overcame fifth seed Andrey Rublev 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-1 at 2:14 a.m. Saturday morning, while Auger-Aliassime raised his level in the fifth set to defeat 18th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.
It is the third time this year that Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the fourth round at a major as he aims to match his quarter-final performance at Wimbledon here at Flushing Meadows. The Canadian arrived at the US Open in form, having enjoyed a run to the last eight in Cincinnati where he downed World No. 8 Matteo Berrettini and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Karen Khachanov. Fuelled with confidence, Auger-Aliassime will try to step inside the baseline against the American to dictate on his heavy forehand.
Tiafoe, who also advanced to the last 16 in New York in 2020, will look to play explosive tennis from the baseline himself against the 21-year-old and once again use the support from a raucous home crowd to reach his first major quarter-final since the Australian Open in 2019.
Speaking about the fans after his victory over Rublev, the 23-year-old said: “You guys are the reason I got it done tonight. It was definitely tricky. You guys stuck with me all the way through... you all did it.”
View Sunday's Schedule | Singles & Doubles Draw
#NextGenATP star Alcaraz also returns to action against German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk, two days after he recorded the biggest win of his career against third-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-set thriller to become the youngest player to reach the fourth round at the US Open since Michael Chang, 17, in 1989.
The 18-year-old rallied from 2-5 in the third set to avoid going down two-sets-to-one before raising his level in the fifth-set tie-break to advance and raise the roof off Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I have no words to explain how I’m feeling right now,” Alcaraz said after his victory. “I just don't know what happened out there in the court. I can't believe that I beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in an epic match. I think the crowd was important for me. I think without the crowd I couldn't have had the opportunity to play a great fifth set and be able to beat Stefanos. I really loved it.”
The World No. 55, who clinched his first tour-level title in Umag and advanced to the last four in Winston-Salem, will aim to back up his victory against Gojowczyk as both players seek their first major quarter-final. Gojowczyk, currently No. 141 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, overcame Swiss Henri Laaksonen 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 to set up a first ATP Head2Head meeting with the teenager.
At the bottom of the draw, second seed Daniil Medvedev has cruised through his opening three matches, not dropping a set en route to the fourth round. The Russian will continue his quest for his first major title against 24th seed Daniel Evans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Medvedev has enjoyed a strong North American hard-court swing, compiling an 11-1 record since the Tokyo Olympics. The 12-time tour-level champion captured his fourth ATP Masters 1000 crown in Toronto, before reaching the semi-finals in Cincinnati. The World No. 2 will be aiming to improve this record against Evans at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a venue he holds fond memories at after advancing to his first major final there in 2019 before reaching the semi-finals last year.
“I think it's tough to describe him [Evans] with one word, but definitely very tricky,” Medvedev said ahead of the clash against the Brit. “I would think very smart because he doesn't have one shot that is a weapon, and yet he's a top player for many years already. The way he chooses the right moment to go to the net, to slice, to make a drop shot. His serve is not huge, but it's tough to return. [He is] a great player.”
Evans produced a spirited performance in the third round, fighting back from two-sets-to-love down to defeat Alexei Popyrin 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(1) and earn his meeting with the Australian Open finalist. The 31-year-old, who is competing in the main draw at the US Open for the fifth time, is making his first fourth-round appearance in New York and is relishing the challenge Medvedev poses.
“I've got as good a chance as anyone to do some damage,” Evans said. “I think my game is in a good place. He’s a great, great player, unbelievable competitor, good mover. He's been playing some unbelievable tennis this year.
“But if I go on the court and think I've got no chance and there's no pressure on me... I think in pressure situations, if they do arise, you're not ready for that. You've got to go in believing you can win. There will be pressure situations. I've got to play aggressive, but I can't just start wailing away at balls.”
The winner will next play 11th seed Diego Schwartzman or Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp. The Argentine, who reached the last eight at Flushing Meadows in 2017 and 2019, has yet to drop a set this week, dispatching Ricardas Berankis, Kevin Anderson and Slovakian qualifier Alex Molcan.
He will face Van de Zandschulp at 11:00 a.m. on the Louis Armstrong Stadium in their first ATP Head2Head meeting after the qualifier, who had not visited New York before this week, moved past Facundo Bagnis 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the fourth round at a major for the first time.
In a late-night epic, Tiafoe overcame fifth seed Andrey Rublev 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-1 at 2:14 a.m. Saturday morning, while Auger-Aliassime raised his level in the fifth set to defeat 18th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.
It is the third time this year that Auger-Aliassime has advanced to the fourth round at a major as he aims to match his quarter-final performance at Wimbledon here at Flushing Meadows. The Canadian arrived at the US Open in form, having enjoyed a run to the last eight in Cincinnati where he downed World No. 8 Matteo Berrettini and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Karen Khachanov. Fuelled with confidence, Auger-Aliassime will try to step inside the baseline against the American to dictate on his heavy forehand.
Tiafoe, who also advanced to the last 16 in New York in 2020, will look to play explosive tennis from the baseline himself against the 21-year-old and once again use the support from a raucous home crowd to reach his first major quarter-final since the Australian Open in 2019.
Speaking about the fans after his victory over Rublev, the 23-year-old said: “You guys are the reason I got it done tonight. It was definitely tricky. You guys stuck with me all the way through... you all did it.”
View Sunday's Schedule | Singles & Doubles Draw
#NextGenATP star Alcaraz also returns to action against German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk, two days after he recorded the biggest win of his career against third-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-set thriller to become the youngest player to reach the fourth round at the US Open since Michael Chang, 17, in 1989.
The 18-year-old rallied from 2-5 in the third set to avoid going down two-sets-to-one before raising his level in the fifth-set tie-break to advance and raise the roof off Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I have no words to explain how I’m feeling right now,” Alcaraz said after his victory. “I just don't know what happened out there in the court. I can't believe that I beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in an epic match. I think the crowd was important for me. I think without the crowd I couldn't have had the opportunity to play a great fifth set and be able to beat Stefanos. I really loved it.”
The World No. 55, who clinched his first tour-level title in Umag and advanced to the last four in Winston-Salem, will aim to back up his victory against Gojowczyk as both players seek their first major quarter-final. Gojowczyk, currently No. 141 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, overcame Swiss Henri Laaksonen 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 to set up a first ATP Head2Head meeting with the teenager.
At the bottom of the draw, second seed Daniil Medvedev has cruised through his opening three matches, not dropping a set en route to the fourth round. The Russian will continue his quest for his first major title against 24th seed Daniel Evans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Medvedev has enjoyed a strong North American hard-court swing, compiling an 11-1 record since the Tokyo Olympics. The 12-time tour-level champion captured his fourth ATP Masters 1000 crown in Toronto, before reaching the semi-finals in Cincinnati. The World No. 2 will be aiming to improve this record against Evans at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a venue he holds fond memories at after advancing to his first major final there in 2019 before reaching the semi-finals last year.
“I think it's tough to describe him [Evans] with one word, but definitely very tricky,” Medvedev said ahead of the clash against the Brit. “I would think very smart because he doesn't have one shot that is a weapon, and yet he's a top player for many years already. The way he chooses the right moment to go to the net, to slice, to make a drop shot. His serve is not huge, but it's tough to return. [He is] a great player.”
Evans produced a spirited performance in the third round, fighting back from two-sets-to-love down to defeat Alexei Popyrin 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(1) and earn his meeting with the Australian Open finalist. The 31-year-old, who is competing in the main draw at the US Open for the fifth time, is making his first fourth-round appearance in New York and is relishing the challenge Medvedev poses.
“I've got as good a chance as anyone to do some damage,” Evans said. “I think my game is in a good place. He’s a great, great player, unbelievable competitor, good mover. He's been playing some unbelievable tennis this year.
“But if I go on the court and think I've got no chance and there's no pressure on me... I think in pressure situations, if they do arise, you're not ready for that. You've got to go in believing you can win. There will be pressure situations. I've got to play aggressive, but I can't just start wailing away at balls.”
The winner will next play 11th seed Diego Schwartzman or Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp. The Argentine, who reached the last eight at Flushing Meadows in 2017 and 2019, has yet to drop a set this week, dispatching Ricardas Berankis, Kevin Anderson and Slovakian qualifier Alex Molcan.
He will face Van de Zandschulp at 11:00 a.m. on the Louis Armstrong Stadium in their first ATP Head2Head meeting after the qualifier, who had not visited New York before this week, moved past Facundo Bagnis 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the fourth round at a major for the first time.