The round of 16 begins on Sunday in New York.
When the draws were made, a potential Daniil Medvedev vs. Frances Tiafoe fourth round matchup immediately stood out. As per the year-to-date rankings, they have been two of the top eight players of the year, and both are currently in position to qualify for the ATP Finals. On Sunday, they collide in a blockbuster round of 16 contest.
The other three ATP singles matches on Day 8 also feature American men. Top-ranked American Ben Shelton takes on a resurgent Stefanos Tsitsipas, 22-year-old Alex Michelsen faces Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and Tommy Paul goes up against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
WTA action on Sunday also includes a matchup between two of 2026’s top 10 players, as Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova plays two-time Major semifinalist Marta Kostyuk. Plus, top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula play their fourth round matches.
Here’s a rundown of the most notable matches on Day 8 (in chronological order, all times local):
Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs. Taylor Townsend – 11:30am on Arthur Ashe Stadium
Sabalenka has not dropped a set through three rounds. While she’s reached the second week in her last 16 Major appearances, she hasn’t won four consecutive matches at any tournament since her dramatic collapse in the Roland Garros quarterfinals against Diana Shnaider. By coincidence, Shnaider is the player Townsend overcame in the last round, to reach the round of 16 in New York for the third time. However, the 30-year-old American is yet to achieve a Major quarterfinal in singles.
Marta Kostyuk (11) vs. Linda Noskova (6) – Not Before 12:30pm on Louis Armstrong Stadium
Since the beginning of the grass court season in June, Noskova has now gone 17-3. She’s dropped one set to this stage, as she vies for her third Major quarterfinal. Kostyuk’s Major semifinals have come at the last two Majors, and she’s advanced without the loss of a set. They’ve split two previous meetings, both of which occurred this season. This is a rematch from the Wimbledon semifinals in July, when Noskova defeated Kostyuk 6-4, 6-4.
Tommy Paul (20) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (2) – Not Before 2:00pm on Arthur Ashe Stadium
While he missed the last two Majors due to his wrist injury, Alcaraz has now claimed 30 of his last 31 matches at Majors, and is 25-3 on the year. Tommy Paul has already played 13 out of a possible 15 sets, and went to a fifth set on Friday against 15th-seeded Alexander Bublik. Alcaraz is 6-2 against Paul, and has taken their last five encounters.
Alex Michelsen vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (27) – Not Before 2:30pm on Grandstand
Michelsen upset one of the ATP’s best players this summer, fellow American Brandon Nakashima, in the second round. This equals Michelsen’s best Major result to date, from the 2025 Australian Open. Etcheverry was a Roland Garros quarterfinalist back in 2023, and has taken advantage of an open section on the draw, after the early loss of Novak Djokovic. But as per Tennis Abstract, Etcheverry has a losing record in his career on hard courts.
Daniil Medvedev (7) vs. Frances Tiafoe (11) – Not Before 3:00pm on Louis Armstrong Stadium
Medvedev played extremely well during the first week, claiming all nine sets he contested. He has advanced to the final at six hard court Majors within the last seven years, though he’s now been in a near three-year drought. Tiafoe survived a five-setter in the first round, before winning his next two matches in straights. The 28-year-old American is vying for his fourth US Open quarterfinal within the last five years.
Medvedev is the player who got off to a much stronger start this season, but it’s Tiafoe who been the better player this summer. Their head-to-head stands at 6-1 in Medvedev’s decided favor, with Tiafoe’s only victory coming during the 2024 Laver Cup. However, this is a huge opportunity for a confident Frances, in front of a partisan crowd at his home Slam. He spent the off-season taking his fitness and conditioning to the next level, and he did so for moments like this.
Jessica Pegula (3) vs. Sorana Cirstea (16) – Last on Louis Armstrong Stadium
Pegula recovered from a poorly-played opening set on Friday against 2021 runner-up Leylah Fernandez, to prevail 6-3 in the third. This is her fifth consecutive year in the second week of the US Open, and she’s 10-2 lifetime in the round of 16 at Majors. Cirstea is enjoying the best season of her career, in what she’s announced will be her last. The 36-year-old has not dropped a set through three rounds, which includes a victory over Jasmine Paolini on Friday. Cirstea is looking to achieve her fourth Major quarterfinal, but just a few weeks ago in Cincinnati, Pegula beat her in a tight three-setter.
Ben Shelton (8) vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas – Not Before 7:00pm on Arthur Ashe Stadium
Shelton has played some sloppy tennis thus far, requiring four sets in each of the first three rounds. While Tsitsipas has also played a trio of four-setters, his level has been much more impressive, and deeply surprising after a few seasons of subpar results. The Greek has already upset two top 20 seeds (Fils, Lehecka), to reach the fourth round for the first time at what has historically been his worst Major. He’s 1-1 against Shelton, with that victory coming three years ago in Cincinnati. But the 23-year-old American is a much-improved player from that time.
Anna Kalinskaya (21) vs. Emma Navarro (26) – Last on Arthur Ashe Stadium
Kalinskaya upset ninth-seeded Elina Svitolina in three sets on Friday evening, as she now eyes her third Major quarterfinal. Navarro upset seventh-seeded Karolina Muchova on Friday afternoon, and she was a semifinalist here two years ago. This past February in Doha, Kalinskaya defeated Navarro in three sets.
Sunday’s full Order of Play is here.
