liveUpdated 33s agoFollow our live coverage as the U.S. Open singles quarterfinals conclude today in Flushing Meadows.The Athletic Live Team September 9, 2026 at 11:26 AM EDTCoco Gauff looking to advance to the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Getty ImagesU.S. Open quarterfinals — LatestThe quarterfinals of the 2026 U.S. Open conclude today at Flushing Meadows.The round wraps with some big names taking the court, looking for a spot in the semifinals of the year’s last Grand Slam. The women’s action includes Elena Rybakina (2), Coco Gauff (4) and Mirra Andreeva (5). They are joined by No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev on the men’s side. Watch: ESPN (U.S.); Sky Sports (UK)Streaming (U.S.): Fubo (Stream Free Now)Watch or listen to The Tennis PodcastJoin the Discuss tab or email live@theathletic.comSKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementZheng Qinwen is ascending tennis again Getty ImagesZheng Qinwen oozes confidence, and she isn’t afraid to let the public know it.“Wow. What can I say? Wow,” she said proudly after coming back from a 5-0 deficit Saturday in the deciding set to beat Madison Keys in the fourth round.Monday was more of the same.“I guess to come back again from 0-5, that’s not lucky,” she said, both completely serious and smiling, after climbing out of yet another hole in the first set against six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Świątek in the round of 16.Zheng’s run from the qualifying tournament to facing Elena Rybakina in the U.S. Open quarterfinals is one of the more impressive feats in recent Grand Slam history, even for a player whose talent far outpaces her current ranking. It is a great comeback story: the arc of a captivating talent who played the Australian Open final in 2024, won the Olympic gold medal in Paris later that summer, then faced a career setback in July 2025 when a chronic right elbow injury required surgery. Zheng has been trying to rebuild her ranking and her game since then.To reach the quarterfinals in New York, Zheng had to accept her newfound station in tennis — not to abandon her confidence for the sake of humility, but to combine her natural self-belief with acceptance of her reality and a new perspective.The young woman had to live a little more life — and you can read more about her return to the deep end of a Grand Slam here. Rybakina one win away from topping the rankings Getty ImagesFor someone who didn’t play the entire week before showing up at the U.S. Open, Elena Rybakina should be ecstatic with her results. The No. 2 seed beat Naomi Osaka, 6-1, 6-4 in a brisk 61 minutes Monday to advance to today's enticing quarterfinal matchup against Zheng Qinwen, who defeated Iga Świątek 7-5, 6-3 with yet another comeback win after trailing 5-0 in a set.That puts Rybakina one win away from clinching the No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career. She will take the top spot no matter what Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff do, as long as she reaches the semifinals.Rybakina said that opportunity played no part in her decision to play the U.S. Open after she pulled out of the Cincinnati Open last month with a left Achilles injury.Up first, an intriguing contest Getty ImagesOur first quarterfinal today features two players who, for different reasons, have shown surprising form in the tournament so far.Elena Rybakina (2) was nursing an Achilles injury ahead of the U.S. Open and skipped last month's Cincinnati Open as a result. She has been superb up to this point, not dropping a set and making light work of Naomi Osaka (13) in the fourth round. A win today, as we'll hear more about soon, would see Rybakina take the No. 1 spot in the rankings for the first time in her career. On the other side of the net is Zheng Qinwen, who had to come through qualifying as she looks to climb back to the top of the sport after a longstanding elbow injury. She has recovered from 5-0 down to win sets in her last two matches, seemingly playing her best tennis when the scoreline is heavily stacked against her. Against the backdrop of those storylines, an intriguing first match awaits on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Tick tock …We have 20 minutes to go until the action starts at Arthur Ashe Stadium.And if yesterday is anything to go buy, I recommend ignoring the time and getting the snacks in now. We could be here a while once the tennis starts. Today’s action: Zverev vs. Van de Zandschulp Getty ImagesTwo days ago, Botic van de Zandschulp was the party pooper.History beckoned for Arthur Gea as the 21-year-old Frenchman looked set to become the first lucky loser from qualifying to make the quarterfinals in Grand Slam history.Gea took the first two sets, then had match point in the third-set tiebreak and served for the match in the fourth. And then then world No. 70 took charge, killed the dream and came through in five sets. The Dutchman also made the U.S. Open quarterfinals in 2021, so he won’t be a stranger to what comes today — but surely the No. 1 seed and French Open champion Alexander Zverev, the man who is finding form after a difficult start to this major and who brushed aside Luciano Darderi in straight sets last time out, will prove far too strong tonight.Surely. SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementToday’s action: Khachanov vs. BlockxKaren Khachanov will hope for another semifinal appearance. Getty ImagesLearner Tien (14) cut a frustrated figure as he lost to Russia’s Karen Khachanov on Louis Armstrong two days ago, despite leading 2-1 and bidding to seal the four-set win.But Khachanov’s class was never far from the story and his experience and guile impressed. Now the 2022 semifinalist has the chance to at least match that previous feat.At just 21, Alexander Blockx is a surprise obstacle at this point, especially for his first visit to the U.S. Open where his second-round appearance in Paris has been as good as it’s got for his first trip around the majors.Against Francisco Cerúndolo though, Blockx was simply too strong: outserving, outrunning, outhitting and outsmarting his Argentine opponent for a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory.This is already a breakout major for the Belgian. And maybe the journey isn’t over yet.Today’s action: Andreeva vs. Gauff Getty ImagesMirra Andreeva also has a 2026 Grand Slam title this year, with the French Open in Paris.And while the Russian is into her first hard-court Slam quarterfinal, it was not a convincing performance from the No. 5 seed in the previous round. She took her time to get going, eventually winning in three sets 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 against an ailing Austrian in Anastasia Potapova.Coco Gauff will prove too hot to handle if Andreeva is unable to improve her output today. Gauff was sensational in overpowering American teenager Iva Jović last time out and with her game looking as solid as ever, the No. 4 seed will take some beating if she continues to fire.Today’s action: Zheng vs. Rybakina Getty ImagesNow this is going to be a captivating quarterfinal to opening proceedings today.Zheng Qinwen was world No. 4 as recently as June 2025, yet form and fitness have been an issue since — and she is only here right now after battling through qualifying as the world No. 121.The Chinese star made a major statement in the fourth round too, beating Iga Świątek despite being 5-0 down in the opening set. As for Elena Rybakina, the No. 2 seed breezed aside any question marks over her physical condition — and dished out a comfortable straight sets win against two-time U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka (13).The reigning Australian Open will be looking to double up from here. With the current picture all laid out and about an hour until play begins on Arthur Ashe, let’s start looking forward to what we’ve got in store for us today.And unlike yesterday, we have only one men’s quarterfinal scheduled for the night session from 7:30 p.m. — so we should avoid the late shenanigans of last night (or rather, this morning).How the semifinals are shaping up Getty ImagesSo this is what the last four looks like right now — with the final lineup set by the end of the day.Women’s singles:Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs. Jessica Pegula (3)Andreeva (5) or Gauff (4) vs. Zheng or Rybakina (2)Men’s singles:Frances Tiafoe (11) vs. Ben Shelton (8)Zverev (1) or Van de Zandschulp vs. Khachanov or BlockxSKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementGet debriefed with The Tennis Podcast After all that action, The Tennis Podcast guys then recorded a podcast! We can only hope they then got a gloriously long night’s sleep.The crew of Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matthew Roberts are at Flushing Meadows recording a fresh podcast every day — although they won’t have banked on starting one of those at around 4 a.m. and Catherine left this one alone. Anyway, you can catch the latest edition below on what was another stunning day of tennis.The latest episode on YouTube is here or you can listen the audio version here. Enjoy!Pegula eventually finds the right gear Getty ImagesTwo quarterfinals already going to deciding super tiebreaks — so would Jessica Pegula (3) make it three out of three against Emma Navarro (26)?It looked like she would need to. Pegula was flat and out of sorts, especially on serve, as Navarro powered through the first set of a scratchy match where neither player convinced.The second set ebbed and flowed until Pegula took it away from her fellow American in the blink of an eye and while Navarro had her chances thereafter, the challenge ran out of steam as the deciding set came to a conclusion and Pegula won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.Navarro remains without a win against Pegula, while the No. 3 seed is into the U.S. Open semifinals for the third year running. In both 2024 and 2025, Aryna Sabalenka ended her fun — including in the final two years ago.I’ll leave you to guess who awaits Pegula next in this year’s last four. Tiafoe’s heart pops Michelsen’s bubbleBy the time France Tiafoe was wrapping up his dramatic comeback against Alex Michelsen on Arthur Ashe, everyone knew it was going to be a long, long night.The No. 11 seed lost the opening two sets and found himself in a super tiebreak at the end of the fifth. He didn’t give up any match points but Michelsen did serve for the match in the third set, only to be broken twice in three games from 5-4 up. It all left the young American feeling so close to his first Grand Slam semifinal and yet also, so very far away.Still, this 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(6) defeat ended Michelsen’s best major run to date and at 22 years old, better will surely come in future.That is exactly what Tiafoe told him too, as the pair took on a long embrace under the umpire’s chair and Michelsen’s emotions got the better of him immediately after the final point.For Tiafoe, his first U.S. Open win from two sets down booked his third major semi — all of them coming in New York. Will he finally reach the final?Sabalenka digs in to come through Nosková task Getty ImagesThis was a brilliant victory for Aryna Sabalenka (1) yesterday, sustaining her record of not losing a quarterfinal at the U.S. Open. She had to overcome some low moments in the match — such as watching the second set slip away and going a break down in the third to the Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková (6) — but Sabalenka showed superb resilience to get over the line. In the end, it was two excellent tiebreak performances that earned the top seed and two-time defending champion her win. And now the menFrances Tiafoe consoles Alex Michelsen following their quarterfinal. Getty ImagesAs for the men’s singles, this is what halfway through the U.S. Open quarterfinal ties looks like in 2026.Yesterday:Frances Tiafoe (11) beat Alex Michelsen — 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(6)Ben Shelton (8) beat Carlos Alcaraz (2) — 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) And yes, these matches were as dramatic as the scorelines suggest. As for today:Karen Khachanov vs. Alexander Blockx (28)Alexander Zverev (1) vs. Botic van de ZandschulpSKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementLast eight in women’s singles Aryna Sabalenka’s hat-trick hopes are still alive. Getty ImagesLet’s start with the women’s championship. Here is how the quarterfinal draw is shaping up.Yesterday:Aryna Sabalenka (1) beat Linda Nosková — 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7) Jessica Pegula (3) beat Emma Navarro (26) — 3-6, 6-4, 6-3We’ll also take you through the hows and whys of all this shortly. As for today:Zheng Qinwen vs. Elena Rybakina (2)Mirra Andreeva (5) vs. Coco Gauff (4)The quarterfinals so far Getty ImagesWe are bang in the middle of the 2026 U.S. Open singles quarterfinals. So let’s bring you how they’re looking right now …As for the men’s singles champions Getty ImagesAnd here are the men’s singles Grand Slam winners this year. Like the women, three players have won the first three majors. Australian Open: Carlos AlcarazFrench Open: Alexander ZverevWimbledon: Jannik SinnerAlcaraz completed the career Grand Slam with his win in Australia, before a wrist injury in April forced him to withdraw from the next two majors. The Spaniard’s return ended this morning — more on that to come. Zverev won his first career Slam at Roland Garros and survived five-set thrillers in his first two matches in New York before discovering better form since. He plays his quarterfinal today.Sinner secured his second Wimbledon title and fifth Slam at the previous major before a knee injury ruled him out of competing here in Flushing Meadows.The women’s major champions of 2026 Getty ImagesHere are the women’s singles Grand Slam winners this year — and so far, we have three unique champions. Australian Open: Elena RybakinaFrench Open: Mirra Andreeva Wimbledon: Linda NoskováThese marked the first major title at each venue for the three players, and a first career major for both Andreeva and Nosková.Rybakina and Andreeva bid today to remain in contention for a second Slam this year, while Nosková was sent home yesterday by a surprising absentee from the above list: Aryna Sabalenka.