NEW YORK, September 10 — The 2026 US Open reached its quarterfinal stage at Flushing Meadows after the Round of 16 concluded on Monday, September 7, with the women’s draw producing a first-time world No. 1 in waiting and the men’s side delivering a pair of contrasting paths through the last eight. The story begins with Monday night’s close-out.
Coco Gauff, the No. 4 seed, defeated No. 14 Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4, extending her winning streak to ten matches and returning her to the US Open quarterfinals for the first time since she won the tournament in 2023. It was a result that steadied a home crowd and set the tone for the days that followed.
A quarterfinal Wednesday reshapes the women’s draw
By Wednesday, September 9, the quarterfinal slate was underway, with Gauff among those scheduled to play. The headline result came from Elena Rybakina, who ended Zheng Qinwen’s run 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. The win guaranteed Rybakina’s rise to world No. 1 and set up a semifinal against Gauff.
At its heart, the result carried a second consequence. Rybakina is assured of ending Aryna Sabalenka’s reign atop the standings even if Sabalenka wins a third straight title — a rare outcome in which the ranking maths and the trophy chase point in different directions.
Gauff’s own path was the product of patience. Her Monday night win over Jovic was her tenth consecutive victory, and it returned her to a stage she had last reached on the way to the 2023 title. For those involved, the contrast between the two semifinalists — one chasing a second US Open crown, the other chasing a first world No. 1 ranking — is the defining thread of the women’s draw.
Zverev and Khachanov advance on the men’s side
On the men’s side, Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov advanced through the quarterfinals, with Khachanov moving on via retirement. The manner of his progress — through an opponent’s withdrawal rather than a completed match — leaves him with fresher legs than his rivals heading into the closing stages. The quarterfinal field also featured Naomi Osaka, Learner Tien and Iga Swiatek, whose presence in the draw’s central matchups reflected the breadth of the tournament’s storylines.
The Round of 16 had concluded on Day 9, with the quarterfinals set once those results were finalised, according to USA TODAY reporters Steve Gardner and Ellen J. Horrow.
What to watch next is straightforward. The women’s semifinal between Rybakina and Gauff will decide whether the new No. 1’s coronation arrives with a title attached, or whether Gauff’s ten-match run carries her back to a final she last contested as champion. On the men’s side, Zverev and Khachanov will look to convert their quarterfinal progress into a place in the title match, with the draw now narrowed to its final four.
