Naomi Osaka and Jannik Sinner lit up Arthur Ashe Stadium on Labor Day, delivering dominant victories that underscored the high stakes and shifting storylines at the U.S. Open.
Osaka, the two-time champion in New York, produced her most convincing performance in years by dismantling third seed Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in a fourth-round showdown that had been billed as one of the matches of the tournament. Instead, it became a statement of intent from the resurgent Japanese star.
“This is my favorite court in the world, and it means so much to me to be back today,” said Osaka, whose win marked her deepest run at a Slam since the 2021 Australian Open.
The 27-year-old returned to the tour last year after giving birth to her daughter, and Monday’s performance suggested she may be ready for another title push.
Osaka, who first stunned Gauff as a 15-year-old here in 2019, needed only 76 minutes to complete the victory.
Gauff struggled with 33 unforced errors and admitted afterward that the emotional toll of a turbulent opening week, combined with ongoing struggles with her serve, left her drained.
Osaka now advances to face Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova, who outlasted Marta Kostyuk in three sets.
Later, defending champion Jannik Sinner reminded the crowd why he remains the man to beat.
Under the Ashe lights for the first time this year, the top seed demolished Alexander Bublik 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in just 81 minutes. It was sweet revenge for the Italian, whose only defeat this season outside of Carlos Alcaraz came against Bublik in the Halle final.
Sinner, chasing his 25th consecutive Grand Slam win on hard courts, broke Bublik eight times in a masterclass of pace and precision. “It’s always special to play on Ashe at night,” said Sinner. “The atmosphere is louder, the attention is bigger, and you feel very privileged.”
Italy’s Jannik Sinner serves against Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik in the fourth round of the men’s singles at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing, U.S., Sept. 1, 2025. (Reuters Photo)
The 24-year-old world No. 1 now turns his attention to countryman Lorenzo Musetti, who powered past Jaume Munar to reach his first U.S. Open quarterfinal. The matchup guarantees Italy a semifinalist and highlights the nation’s rising stature in men’s tennis.
Meanwhile, second seed Iga Swiatek looked untouchable once more, brushing aside Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-1 in just over an hour. “I felt in my bubble, in the zone,” said Swiatek, who extended her Slam winning streak to 11. She next meets Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of this summer’s Wimbledon final, where Swiatek dropped only two games.
Australia’s Alex de Minaur also advanced with a routine win over Swiss qualifier Leandro Riedi, while Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime downed Andrey Rublev to return to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2021.
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