NEW YORK, SEP 8 (IANS): The US Open 2026 delivered another dramatic day of tennis as top-seed Alexander Zverev powered past Italy’s Luciano Darderi, while Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp staged a marathon comeback to reach the quarterfinals. In women’s action, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina advanced with commanding wins, while qualifier Zheng Qinwen stunned former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek to continue her fairytale run.
Zverev cruises past Darderi
Zverev, chasing his second Grand Slam title, overcame Darderi 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The reigning Roland Garros champion, who had endured two five-set battles earlier in the tournament, showed his growing dominance by winning 86% of first-serve points and breaking his opponent four times.
He controlled the first two sets with ease, capitalising on Darderi’s serving struggles. The Italian fought back in the third, holding serve consistently, but Zverev sealed the match in the tie-break with composure. The victory means Zverev has now reached the quarterfinals of all four Majors in 2026.
Van de Zandschulp’s epic comeback
In one of the tournament’s most memorable battles, Van de Zandschulp rallied from two sets down to defeat France’s Arthur Gea 3-6, 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 6-4 in five hours and 13 minutes — the fourth-longest match in US Open history.
Gea had a match point on his serve in the third set but faltered with a backhand volley error. He later served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set, only to be broken again. Van de Zandschulp seized both opportunities, forcing a decider and eventually clinching victory. He now faces Zverev in the quarterfinals.
Gauff dominates Jovic
Defending champion Coco Gauff extended her winning streak with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over fellow American teenager Iva Jovic. The win marked her 12th Grand Slam quarterfinal and third in New York.
Gauff has now won 20 consecutive sets, last dropping one in Cincinnati against Liudmila Samsonova. She blitzed Jovic in the opening set, breaking three times and winning 12 of the final 13 points. Though Jovic fought back in the second set, Gauff regained control, breaking at 5-4 to close out the match.
Awaiting her in the quarterfinals is 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the Roland Garros champion. Gauff holds a 5-0 record against Andreeva, including a straight-sets win at the 2023 US Open.
Rybakina routs Osaka
Second seed Elena Rybakina advanced with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. Rybakina’s powerful serve and aggressive baseline play overwhelmed Osaka, who struggled to find rhythm. The Kazakh star continues her strong campaign and remains a major contender for the title.
Zheng Qinwen stuns Swiatek
China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen produced another sensational comeback, defeating No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3. Zheng, a qualifier, became the first to reach the US Open women’s singles quarterfinals since Emma Raducanu in 2021.
Swiatek raced to a 5-0 lead in the opening set, dictating rallies with angled groundstrokes. But Zheng turned the match around, finding her hitting spots and energy to claw back and win the set. She maintained momentum in the second, closing out a straight-sets victory.
Zheng improved her head-to-head record against Swiatek to 2-7, with both wins coming on the sport’s biggest stages — the 2024 Paris Olympics and now the US Open. She also became the first qualifier or lucky loser to defeat Swiatek at a Grand Slam.