Djokovic controlled the round-of-32 contest with a strong first serve as Borges put up a good fight in the second set, but ultimately buckled under pressure.

“In the second set when he started to play better, I struggled a little bit to stay fresh… played out a great tiebreak to close it out in two, so very happy for that,” said 39-year-old Djokovic, who is looking for a record-extending seventh title at the tournament, and his first of the season.

World number six Djokovic cruised through the first set, getting a break in the second game as Borges struggled with errors.

Borges looked better in the second as he drew the Serbian into tiring long rallies, but 24-times Grand Slam winner Djokovic frustrated the Portuguese with precise returns.

Novak Djokovic says body feeling good ahead of China Open comeback

Djokovic put the pressure on Borges in the tiebreak, winning a rally with a straight backhand down the sideline.

As the Serbian stormed into a 5-1 lead, a nervous Borges hit a loose backhand down the sideline to bring up match point, and netted a return to hand Djokovic the win.

Djokovic will next face local favourite Yunchaokete Bu, who saw off Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2 5-7 6-4.

Djokovic will return to action for the first time since his shock opening-round defeat by Mariano Navone at the US Open late last month, when the 39-year-old struggled with shoulder and back problems and vomited midway through the match.

The world number 11 will look to put those problems behind him when he takes on Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the first round in Beijing this week.

“Yeah, feeling good so far,” six-times China Open champion Djokovic told reporters on Monday. “Let’s see.

Obviously it’s completely different when you’re playing an official match compared to practice sets or practice sessions. But so far so good.

“I was looking forward to coming to China, as I always have. My record speaks for itself on Chinese soil. “Knowing that, it also brings this dimension of confidence that I really need. Overall, it’s been really good so far with the body, the way I’m feeling and playing.”

Muchova and Mensik win U.S. Open mixed doubles title

The former world number one is a massive draw in Beijing, where he won the title in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and holds a 29-0 win-loss record at the ATP 500 tournament.

The pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title remains one of the few major targets left for Djokovic, who has become increasingly selective about his tournament schedule in recent years.

“At this stage of my career it’s really also about the tournaments where I enjoy to play, where I’ve had the success in the past, where I feel like I’m also welcomed by the fans in a positive light, in a positive way,” Djokovic added.

“The history of my results on Chinese soil has been incredible. I haven’t played here 11 years. I was trying to make it work in the past years with the schedule, but it worked in such way where I played only Shanghai. “This year Beijing was on the priority list.”

The world number 31 faced a set point against the unseeded Australian but held her nerve, going on to win nine consecutive games in the WTA 500 tournament at OCBC Arena.

It was the 24-year-old Canadian’s first title since the Japan Open in October and the sixth WTA title of her career.

“Throughout the year, it’s been a lot of hard work in finding the right balance between attacking and defending,” Fernandez said.

“Today, everything just kind of clicked in the right place at the right time.”

Fernandez reached the final after downing top seed Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals and coming from a set down to beat 25th-ranked Maja Chwalinska in the semis.

Gibson appeared in her first career WTA final and held her own during the early stages of the match, twice recovering from service breaks and setting up set point at 5-4 on Fernandez’s serve.

But the Canadian dug deep to hold before wearing down Gibson and taking the opener 7-5.

The second set was no contest as Gibson committed a number of unforced errors and dropped her first three service games.

With Fernandez serving for the match, Gibson put a return into the net to hand her the title.

“Talia is a fighter and she found a way to break me a few times. I got a little bit frustrated and overthought too much in those moments,” Fernandez said.

“So when I was facing that set point and those break points, I just told myself to think of the ball and let my instincts take over.

“I wasn’t thinking of where I needed to hit it. Just hit the ball and trust that my training is going to pay off and thankfully today, it did.”

Learner Tien prevailed over Flavio Cobolli in a nervous tiebreak as Team World established a 5-3 advantage but after Alcaraz won, Zverev and Casper Ruud defeated Alexander Bublik and Brandon Nakashima to give Team Europe the overnight lead.

World No. 3 Alcaraz fought off Fritz to win 6-3 4-6 13-11 and claim his first win over a top-10 rival since the Australian Open final as he ​competes in only his second tournament after the US Open following a four-month injury layoff.

Alcaraz faced match points at 10-9 and 11-10 ​in the match tiebreak but the 23-year-old Spaniard saved the first with an ace and the second with a drop ⁠shot. Alcaraz finally won the contest on his third match point with another drop shot.

Alcaraz had lost to American Fritz in last year’s Laver ​Cup as Team World stormed to victory in San Francisco so Saturday’s victory was a measure of revenge.

“I was thinking a little bit about last year,” ​said Alcaraz. “I was trying not to let it happen again. I was kind of nervous in the beginning, I’m not going to lie, but I’m really happy I took it in the end.”

De Minaur prevails against Zverev

Earlier on Saturday, French and US Open champion Zverev lost to de Minaur 2-6 7-6(5) 11-9, after American Tien beat Cobolli 6-3 ​2-6 10-7, allowing Team World to wipe out Europe’s 3-1 overnight lead before Team Europe battled back.

With two points on offer for each match win on the ​second day in a race to 13 points for the championship, De Minaur made the most of the opportunity despite a first-set loss in which Zverev dominated with ‌strong forehands ⁠near the sidelines.

Zverev was 5-4 up and serving for the second set when he committed two double faults that allowed the Australian to bounce back with a break and win the set on a tiebreak.

“Check his oil,” World captain Andre Agassi told De Minaur, asking him to force Zverev, 29, into tiring, long rallies.

The advice paid off in the 10-point match tiebreak, with De Minaur using repeated cross-court shots to thwart Zverev when the German was 9-8 ​up, before getting match point and ​securing victory with a precise backhand ⁠down the sideline.

Alcaraz says uncertainty over comeback fuelled ‘intrusive thoughts’

“It was a tough battle, I left it all out there,” said De Minaur after his second straight Laver Cup win over Zverev.

Before that, Agassi’s American compatriot Tien beat French Open finalist Cobolli in another nervous ​tiebreak.

Tien controlled the contest from the net as he eased to a 4-0 first-set lead. Cobolli fought back with ​a break and, ⁠though it did not save the set, the Italian carried momentum into the second, getting two breaks in a row on his way to winning it.

But the 20-year-old Tien, playing in his first Laver Cup, targeted the baseline to frustrate Cobolli in the match tiebreak and won a 34-shot rally to clinch victory.

“I ⁠think in ​this format, no matter what the score is … the match can turn on a dime,” ​Tien said.

Wins are worth three points when the event finishes on Sunday, with the first team to reach 13 claiming the trophy. Europe have won the Laver Cup five times while ​Team World claimed their third title last year.

The 25-year-old Italian has not played since capturing his fifth major title at Wimbledon in July.

Sinner skipped the Canadian Open and withdrew from the Cincinnati Open, two key hard-court tune-up events, before also pulling out of the US Open.

“I’m very sorry to announce that I won’t be able to play in Beijing this year,” Sinner said on social media.

“My knee is not where I would like it to be, and I’m not ready to compete yet, but I will do everything possible to be back on court as soon as I can.

“What I miss the most is, of course, the tournament, the fans and the atmosphere. I’ve had a great time in the past, including winning the title last year, and I’m very disappointed that I cannot defend it this year, but I’m very happy to come back next year.

Agassi tells Raducanu not to judge effort by results in comeback journey

“So I wish everyone a very good tournament, and I’ll see you all very soon on court again.”

Sinner defeated American Learner Tien in straight sets in the Beijing final last year to win his second China Open title after his triumph in 2023.

His withdrawal leaves Novak Djokovic as one of the headline attractions at the ATP 500 event. The 24-times Grand Slam champion will return to the China Open after an 11-year absence as he looks to rebuild momentum following a shock first-round exit at the US Open that saw him slip to world number 12.

The 39-year-old Serb is returning to Beijing, where he boasts a perfect record and a tournament-best six titles.

The men’s draw at the China Open runs from September 30 to October 6.

Eight-times Grand ​Slam winner Agassi endured a four-year barren ​spell between winning the 1995 Australian Open and ⁠1999 French Open, during which his ranking ​fell to 141st in the world.

The American wrote about ​his battle to regain his form in his autobiography in 2009. Briton Raducanu, 23, has not reached the last eight ​of a major since her shock 2021 ​US Open triumph.

“I would encourage her to focus on being the ‌best ⁠of herself on a daily basis, but don’t judge that by results or thinking that somehow you have to be 100%,” Agassi told the ​BBC on Wednesday.

“You ​have to ⁠learn to be 100% of whatever percent you’re at (and) be comfortable in ​your own identity inside of that, not ​what ⁠people say.”

Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who won her fourth Grand Slam in 2021, also took inspiration from Agassi’s book ⁠last ​year, when she reached the ​U.S. Open semi-finals for the first time in five years.

Real, who were beaten 2-1 by rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday, are fourth in the standings with 15 points — 6 behind rivals ​and league leaders Barcelona.

Asked about Real’s performances under new manager ​Jose Mourinho, seven-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz told Stats Perform ⁠on Wednesday that the club “can do better”.

“Right now, I’m seeing ​other teams doing better. They are Real Madrid, great players, talented,” added ​the Spaniard, speaking ahead of the Laver Cup, where he will be part of Team Europe.

“As a team, they can do better. They have to work ​it out a little bit. I’m suffering right now watching the ​games because you never know what’s going to happen. I would say a little ‌bit ⁠more intensity (is needed).”

Alcaraz’s Team Europe teammate Casper Ruud also weighed in on soccer, hailing Norwegian compatriot and Manchester City player Erling Haaland as the best striker in the world.

“His ratio of touches to goals, ​I mean, no ​one can match ⁠him. No one is even near,” the former world number two added.

The three-day Laver Cup begins on ​Friday in London and will also feature Alexander ​Zverev, Flavio ⁠Cobolli, Jakub Mensik and Rafael Jodar for the Europeans.

Andre Agassi’s Team World features Taylor Fritz, Learner Tien, Brandon Nakashima, Alex de Minaur, Alexander Bublik ⁠and ​Francisco Cerundolo.

Team Europe, captained by Yannick Noah, ​are attempting to reclaim the Laver Cup after last year’s defeat by Team World ​in San Francisco.

Britain ensured they will be one of the eight nations to compete for ​the trophy over six days in Bologna in November ​as they comfortably beat Ecuador 4-0.

Austria, Canada, South Korea ⁠and the Czech Republic all moved through as they won ​their qualifiers on Saturday.

Italy qualified automatically as reigning champions.

Zverev got ​the ball rolling for Germany on Saturday with a straight-sets victory over Matej Dodig but Prizmic levelled the tie by beating Daniel Altmaier.

Kevin Krawietz ​and Tim Puetz won Sunday’s doubles for Germany, leaving Zverev ​to wrap up the tie with a composed 6-2 6-4 win against Prizmic.

Spain ‌were ⁠without Carlos Alcaraz but that did not matter as they beat Chile 3-0 with fast-rising Rafael Jodar impressing on his debut. Jodar thrashed Cristian Garin on Saturday after Daniel Merida had ​edged out Alejandro ​Tabilo.

Iva Jovic repeats as Guadalajara Open champ

Sunday’s doubles ⁠saw Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar breeze past Tabilo and Tomas Barrios Vera in quick time.

Britain ​were without the likes of Jack Draper and ​Cameron ⁠Norrie but still had far too much for Ecuador as Toby Samuel and surprise Wimbledon semi-finalist Arthur Fery won their Saturday ⁠singles against ​Andres Andrade and Alvaro Guillen Meza.

Henry ​Patten and Neal Skupski won Sunday’s doubles at the Copper Box in London ​to send the hosts through.

The ‌second seed did not drop a set all week, including her 6-4, 6-2 victory over fellow American Peyton Stearns in one ​hour and 26 minutes in the final of ​the Mexico tournament.

Jovic, ranked No. 16 in the ⁠world, did not face a break point while ​converting three of five opportunities.

The 18-year-old Los Angeles ​native won 70% of her service points (40 of 57) to 59% (30 of 51) for Stearns.

Stearns, ranked No. 60, also has two career ​tournament wins on tour: at Rabat, Morocco, in ​May 2024, and at Austin, Texas, in February 2026.

SP open

Both higher-seeded ‌players ⁠lost in the semifinals at Sao Paulo, with Spain’s Kaitlin Quevedo and Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska advancing to the finals.

Quevedo, the seventh seed, downed fourth-seeded Anna Blinkova of ​France 6-4, 2-6, ​6-4 in ⁠two hours, 23 minutes. Quevedo overcame seven double faults and won 4 of 13 ​break-point opportunities, to 4 of 8 for ​Blinkova.

Podoroska, ⁠who is unseeded and ranked No. 317 in the world, defeated second-seeded Paula Badosa of Spain 6-3, 6-4 in ⁠1:29. ​Podoroska won 6 of 11 break-point ​chances, to 3 of 7 for Badosa, the No. 70-ranked player ​who had more aces (2-1) and fewer double faults (8-9).

The Czech Republic will advance to the quarterfinals, while the United States has been eliminated.

Davis ​Cup series are being contested worldwide this weekend to determine the seven teams that will join defending champion Italy in ‌the final stage at Bologna, Italy, from Nov. 24-29.

The United States took a 2-1 lead when the doubles duo of Christian Harrison and Austin Krajicek pulled out a third-set tiebreaker to defeat Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8).

U.S. Open finalist Ben Shelton, who dropped his Friday singles match to Jiri Lehecka, captured the first set over ​Jakub Mensik. But the world No. 15 rallied to defeat Shelton 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to knot the match at 2-2.

American Learner Tien, ​who got his side off to a 1-0 lead on Friday, took on Lehecka in the deciding match. In ⁠a match that featured six breaks of serve, Lehecka earned four of the six to defeat Tien 6-3, 7-5 and oust the U.S. squad.

Austria ​3, Belgium 1

Jurji Rodionov, ranked No. 142 in the world, upset No. 38 Zizou Bergs, 7-6 (6), 6-3 and propelled Austria over Belgium in Vienna.

The Austrian doubles ​team of Lucas Mielder and Neil Oberleitner broke a 1-1 tie by edging Sander Gille and Joran Vliegan, 7-6 (5), 7-5.

Asian Olympic boss says politicians need to stay out of sport at Nagoya Games

That set up Rodionov, who had routed Gauthier Onclin, 6-4, 6-1, on Friday. In the first set, he had two break points at 6-5 over Bergs, but the Belgian held to force a tie-breaker. Bergs had a set ​point at 6-5 in the breaker, but the 27-year old Rodionov won three straight points to capture the set.

Rodionov broke Bergs in all four ​of his service games in the second set.

South Korea 3, India 1

After India won the doubles, Soonwoo Kwon won his second singles match to lead his squad to ‌victory in ⁠Seoul.

Kwon easily got past India’s Sumit Nagal, 6-1, 6-2. The 28-year-old, who did not play internationally from January 2025 to June 2026 due to military service, led off on Friday with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Dhakshineswar Suresh.

India’s doubles duo of N Sriram Balaji and Suresh forced a fourth match with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 triumph over NamJi-sung Nam and Park Ui-sung.

Canada 3, France 1

World No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime edged Arthur Rinderknech in three sets ​to propel Canada to an upset ​victory over France in Quebec City.

Auger-Aliassime ⁠won both his matches in three sets. On Friday, he followed up a stunning win by unheralded countryman Liam Draxl, getting past Quentin Halys, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3.

After France trimmed the deficit to 2-1, the lanky Auger-Aliassime dropped ​the first set to Rinderknech, but rallied to win, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4. The Canadian ripped 17 aces and ​won 67 of 86 ⁠points (77.9%) of his service points.

France earned its lone point with a doubles win by Benjamin Bonzi and Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who defeated Auger-Aliassime and Duncan Chan, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Germany 1, Croatia 1

U.S. Open champion Alexander Zverev gave host Germany a 1-0 lead with a 6-4, 7-6 (3) win over Matej Dodig in Halle. Dino Prizmic got ⁠Croatia level ​with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Daniel Altmaier.

Great Britain 2, Ecuador 0

Great Britain swept the ​first day in singles in London, as Toby Samuel rallied to beat Andy Andrade 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, and Arthur Fery got past Alvaro Guillen Meza 7-5, 6-0.

Spain 2, Chile 0

Daniel Merida ​and Rafael Jodar opened with singles victories in Santiago. Merida downed Alejandro Tabilo 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, and Jodar dominated Cristian Garin 6-0, 6-2.

The 27-year-old produced a dominant performance to dethrone two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in last weekend’s US Open final, securing a third Grand Slam title to go with her rise to the top of the rankings.

An ankle injury had threatened to derail Rybakina’s campaign before the tournament began, but she overcame those concerns to add the US Open crown to her Australian Open title this year and her 2022 Wimbledon triumph.

“I have to announce that I won’t be able to participate in Billie Jean King Cup this year,” Rybakina wrote on Instagram. “Am very sad to miss Shenzhen, such a nice place with an amazing crowd.

Elena Rybakina not putting pressure on herself before Sabalenka showdown

“Last month has been tough for my body and I will need to recover and be at my best to compete again. I wish girls good luck.”

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be held in Shenzhen, China, from September 22 to 27, with Kazakhstan set to face Spain in the quarter-finals on September 23.

Italy are the two-time defending champions.

Samsonova, a 27-year-old Russian, had been to the quarterfinals of three other events this year.

Her last semifinal appearance came in June 2025 at Berlin. Kostyuk, a 24-year-old Ukrainian, was playing her first match of the week.

She received a first-round bye, then got a walkover through the second round when her scheduled opponent, Taylor Townsend, withdrew due to a medical situation that required emergency surgery.

Townsend’s social media post didn’t provide details of the operation. Samsonova will oppose Peyton Stearns in the semifinal.

Stearns won an all-US quarterfinal Thursday night against Sloane Stephens, prevailing 7-6 (6), 6-4. Stephens failed to take advantage of three match points in the first-set tiebreaker.

The other semifinal will feature second-seeded Iva Jovic, the defending champion, and sixth-seeded Cristina Bucsa of Spain.

Former doubles world number one Salisbury retires

Jovic routed seventh- seeded Magdalena Frech of Poland 6-2, 6-1, and Bucsa dumped third-seeded Sara Bejlek of the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-4.

SP Open Mary Stoiana pulled away for a 7-6 (5), 6-1 win over the Czech Republic’s Dominika Salkova in the second round at Sao Paulo to qualify for a WTA Tour quarterfinal for the first time.

Stoiana, 23, helped Texas A&M win the 2024 NCAA team championship.

She is ranked 116th in the world.

Next up for Stoiana is a matchup with second-seeded Paula Badosa.

The Spaniard rallied past Argentina’s Jazmin Ortenzi 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Fourth-seeded Anna Blinkova of Russia, seventh-seeded Kaitlin Quevedo of Spain and eighth-seeded Alina Charaeva of Armenia all earned straight-set wins.

Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands trounced third-seeded Solana Sierra of Argentina 6-3, 6-2, and Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska got past fifth-seeded Eva Lys of Germany 7-5, 6-2.

The six-time Grand Slam doubles champion’s last match was his semi-final defeat alongside American long-time partner Rajeev Ram at this month’s U.S. Open.

“Tennis has been my life for as long as I can remember and I have been incredibly fortunate to have had all the opportunities, experiences and success that I have,” he posted on Instagram.

“I gave it my all and know I can be proud and look back with no regrets.”

Salisbury won three successive U.S. Open men’s doubles titles alongside Ram, the first duo to achieve the feat. He also won the Australian Open men’s doubles with Ram and two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

He took a break at the start of this year, citing anxiety that was affecting him on tour.

Eala, who has become a fan-favourite with wins over some of the biggest names on ​the circuit including Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, is ​the highest-ranked player in the women’s singles draw at ⁠the Asian Games, which begin on Saturday and conclude ​on October 4.

However, the Aichi-Nagoya Games schedule overlaps with the mandatory ​WTA 1000 tournament China Open, which starts in Beijing on September 30.

Skipping a mandatory WTA 1000 competition without an official exemption results in a ​ranking penalty, and may attract fines.

“We have formally requested an ​exemption and we respect the WTA’s process. At the same time, Alex has ‌made ⁠her decision to represent the Philippines at the Asian Games, and we fully support her,” PHILTA Secretary General John Rey Tiangco said in a statement to media on Tuesday.

Reuters has reached ​out to the ​WTA for ⁠a comment.

Earlier this week, Indonesian Janice Tjen withdrew from the Asian Games as she was unable ​to secure an exemption from participating in the ​China Open.

Eala, ⁠however, will compete at the Asian Games regardless of the WTA’s decision, Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino said in a ⁠statement.

“The ​WTA has its rules and breaking the ​rules has penalties. But Alex will be in Nagoya, for flag and country,” ​he added.

The Rafa Nadal Academy confirmed Wednesday the 40-year-old, who won 22 Grand Slams in a glittering career before retiring in November 2024, will participate in some exhibition matches.

Nadal will compete at his academy in his home town Manacor in Mallorca “in a series of exhibition matches together with big names from the sport”, said the academy in a statement.

Nadal opens up about painful battle with career-threatening foot injury

The other players will be announced in the coming days, and will be “some of his rivals and friends who have accompanied him throughout his career”.

A clay court expert, Nadal won the French Open 14 times in a remarkable career which spanned more than 20 years.

After a first set that featured no service breaks, Tjen had two set points while serving at 5-2 in the second ​set. Stephens recovered to take that game, then ​broke serve again to level the set 5-5 ⁠before prevailing in another tiebreaker.

Stephens, the 2017 US ​Open champion, won despite failing to save either of the ​break points on her serve and despite hitting just two aces to Tjen’s 11.

Next up for Stephens will be an all-U.S. matchup ​against Peyton Stearns, who upset fourth-seeded Diane Parry ​of France 6-2, 7-5.

In the day’s other second-round results, third-seeded Sara Bejlek ‌of ⁠the Czech Republic eliminated Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-3, and sixth-seeded Cristina Bucsa of Spain downed Hungary’s Panna Udvardy 6-4, 6-4.

SP Open

Ninth-seeded Darja Semenistaja of Latvia, who had ​lost her past ​nine main-draw ⁠matches, earned a first-round win in Sao Paulo, defeating Japan’s Hayu Kinoshita 7-5, 6-4.

Semenistaja’s ​skid included opening-round defeats at Wimbledon and ​the ⁠U.S. Open, each of which she reached as a lucky loser from qualifying.

Elsewhere at the rain-delayed tournament, Armenia’s Elina ⁠Avanesyan beat ​Argentina’s Julia Riera 6-2, 6-4; ​Serbia’s Teodora Kostovic downed Brazil’s Victoria Luiza Barros 6-2, 6-4; and Argentina’s

Nadia ​Podoroska got past Italy’s Lucrezia Stefanini 6-3, 6-4.

Players launched their campaign in March ‌2025 for a greater voice in Grand Slam decision-making, more player welfare funding and a larger share of tournament revenues, including a proposal for them to receive 22% of tournament revenues as prize money.

The campaign gained momentum ​this year as players cut short pre-tournament media duties at the French Open and Wimbledon ​in protest, while the Grand Slams have all increased prize money amid ⁠growing pressure from the group.

The players said the agreement on a council and the progress toward ​their key objectives marked a “significant step” forward.

“The players will now work directly with the Grand Slams ​to establish the council, through which players themselves will be directly consulted and able to negotiate on an ongoing basis,” the group said in a statement.

Zverev banishes US Open demons with victory over Shelton

The group acknowledged that the Grand Slams had yet to meet players’ target ​of receiving 22% of tournament revenues by 2030, but said prize money had risen significantly ​since the campaign began last year.

Prize pots have risen across the majors, with this year’s purses reaching $79.92 million at ‌the ⁠Australian Open, $71.56 million at the French Open, $86.79 million at Wimbledon and a record $108 million at the U.S. Open.

The group estimated that more than $30 million of recent prize-money increases across the majors exceeded historical growth trends and welcomed a French Open proposal to link payouts to tournament profits.

Players said they ​would let the formally ​established council pursue their ⁠outstanding objectives through engagement with the four Grand Slams.

They also welcomed the U.S. Open becoming the first Grand Slam to commit $2 million toward player ​welfare, saying they hoped the contribution would increase over time and prompt ​similar proposals ⁠from the other three majors.

“This stands as a testament to the gains made possible by concerted, unified player action in an individual sport, and by constructive dialogue with the Grand Slams and tournament organisers,” ⁠the ​statement added.

“The players look to the Council to build on ​this progress and continue pursuing the aims not yet fully achieved.

“Players reserve the right to restart the campaign should the ​council fail to deliver on these aims.”

The German squandered a two-set lead in the 2020 title match against Austrian Dominic Thiem but now armed with ‌a champion’s mentality following his breakthrough triumph at Roland Garros in June, he broke American hearts with a devastating display against Shelton.

“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before,” Zverev said during the presentation ceremony.

The home fans were desperate to see Shelton end a 23-year American men’s Grand Slam drought but the ​eighth seed never found his top form in his first major final.

“I know that today 99.9% of the people wanted Ben to win so I’m very sorry,” said Zverev. “Even though ​I know that the crowd was against me, the crowd was always incredibly fair and we as players we appreciate it.”

Zverev was so focused on ⁠the job at hand, he did not even realise he had won the title when Shelton smacked a service return long.

As the umpire announced ‘Game, set and match Zverev’, the German headed back to ​the baseline, ready to receive Shelton’s serve.

It took him a few seconds to register why the cheering fans were giving him a standing ovation – as he belatedly cracked a smile and ran to the ​net to embrace Shelton.

Ticket prices for Shelton-Zverev US Open final down 27%

He was beaming again as he was handed a Grand Slam record, opens new tab $5.5 million winner’s prize.

zverev gets hot start

In a battle between two of tennis’ most explosive players, it was Zverev who had all the early firepower, as Shelton’s inexperience showed with a double fault on break point in the opening game.

Shelton produced one of the points of the match in the sixth game, scrambling to reach a drop shot and prevailing in a tense exchange at the net.

Encouraged ​by his team, the American mixed in serve-and-volley tactics in an attempt to shift the momentum, but the move proved ineffective and he handed Zverev the set with a double fault.

The partisan crowd ​tried to get under Zverev’s skin in the second set, cheering wildly after he produced a double fault in the ninth game. But the German refused to get distracted, surging to a 5-0 lead in the tiebreak as the fans desperately chanted “Let’s ‌go, Ben!”

Zverev ⁠looked like he would roll to the finish line in the third set as he saved a break point in the sixth game with a lethal backhand winner.

Shelton’s frustration boiled over two games later when he slipped and crashed to the court, prompting the American to let out an expletive.

But Shelton dug in his heels, subduing his opponent with a series of powerful groundstrokes from the baseline to break serve and force a fourth set.

Shelton’s resilience only delayed the inevitable as Zverev came through a 25-shot rally to secure an early break in the deciding set. He never let go of that advantage as ​he finally got the chance to hoist the ​U.S. Open trophy on his 11th appearance ⁠at the hardcourt major.

“My successes are a gift, the failures are a gift, and being here playing in front of you guys is a gift,” said Shelton, the first Black American man in 54 years to contest the New York final after Arthur Ashe.

His girlfriend, Olympic champion soccer player Trinity Rodman , made ​it to his player’s box after racing 200 miles from her Washington Spirit game, which largely overlapped with the start of his match.

‘Jannik ​is still ahead’

The victory will ⁠no doubt help Zverev move beyond a series of Grand Slam disappointments. The German’s career has also been overshadowed by allegations of domestic violence, which he has repeatedly denied.

His two majors this season have made a dent in the duopoly of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who won all eight Grand Slam titles across 2024 and 2025.

Alcaraz, who won this year’s Australian Open, exited the U.S. Open in a quarter-final defeat by Shelton ⁠after a long ​injury layoff while Sinner pulled out injured before the tournament began after winning Wimbledon.

Asked if he considered himself the ​world’s top player now, Zverev said, “With Jannik Sinner being injured and Carlos Alcaraz coming back from injury after four months, right now this moment, probably yes.

“Both of them healthy and both of them at the top of their game, maybe not.

“If everyone ​is healthy, I think Jannik is still ahead. It’s as simple as that.”

While Rybakina maintained her trademark composure through the tense final, Sabalenka twice let her frustration spill over, firing a ball into the ​crowd and later breaking her racket as the match slipped away.

“It’s really tough ​to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the ⁠Grand Slam and when you were trying to go for three-peat,” Sabalenka told reporters.

“I ​just wanted to let it go, because if I would hold it inside. I wouldn’t ​be able to say a word. I would just go not really nice over there.”

Rybakina’s composure proved a sharp contrast as she absorbed Sabalenka’s heavy hitting before stepping forward to dictate, eventually pulling ​away in the deciding set to win her third Grand Slam title and first ​at Flushing Meadows.

“She played really aggressive, great tennis. She was simply a better player today than me,” ‌Sabalenka ⁠said of her opponent.

Rybakina had already dethroned her from the top of the rankings before the final, ending Sabalenka’s 99-week reign at world number one.

“Let’s see if Elena can beat me in that,” Sabalenka said with a laugh. “She continue to play like that, then ​yeah, I’m in trouble.”

Sabalenka ​also missed the ⁠chance to reward the crowd that had rallied behind her. Having faced an American opponent in each of her previous three U.S. ​Open finals, she at last found Arthur Ashe Stadium firmly behind ​her.

“I felt ⁠like, ‘Oh, my God, I feel American over there’,” she said. “I just wish I could win it and feel the support even more. Yeah, not this year.”

The defeat also ended Sabalenka’s ⁠20-match winning ​streak at Flushing Meadows and denied her the chance ​to join Serena Williams and Chris Evert as the only women in the professional era to win three ​straight U.S. Open titles.

Ben Shelton is the first Black American male ​singles player to reach the championship match since Arthur Ashe in 1972.

He ‌will take on No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev at the stadium named after Ashe as Shelton attempts to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick at the US ​Open 23 years ago.

The get-in price for Sunday’s final remains steep at $388. However, that does represent a 27% drop over the past three ⁠days.

The get-in price has remained relatively stable in the 24 hours since Shelton beat ​fellow American Frances Tiafoe in their primetime semifinal match.

The price did drop to $361 on Saturday ​afternoon before climbing back up to $400 ahead of the latest dip at 11 p.m. ET.

The average get-in price through the first 15 days of the tournament has been $246, which is down from $313 at the same point ​last year.

Shelton bids to end US men’s major drought in final with Zverev

The get-in price for Saturday’s women’s final between Elena Rybakina ​and Aryna Sabalenka settled at $314, a 20% drop over the previous three days. Rybakina won her first US ‌Open ⁠crown with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win over the two-time defending champion.

Shelton, 23, is the No. 8 seed and will be playing in his first Grand Slam final.

He is 0-5 in his career against Germany’s Zverev, 29, who claimed his first Grand Slam title earlier this year ​at the French Open. ​

All five of ⁠their previous meetings came during a 16-month stretch spanning August 2024 to November 2025, and none came in a Grand Slam event.

Shelton also is ​the first Black U.S. man to compete in a Grand Slam ​final since MaliVai ⁠Washington lost in the 1996 Wimbledon final.

Discussing his feelings about following Ashe to the U.S. Open championship match, Shelton said, “It’s a lot of emotion. My dad, my mom have sacrificed a lot ⁠for me ​to be in this position. … I’m going to need (the ​fans) on Sunday to bring the energy. I’m going for it here. I’m gonna leave it all on the court. ​I hope you guys come and back me. Let’s do it for the USA.”

Eighth seed Shelton is one win away from ending the nearly quarter-century-long American men’s drought at ‌the Slams, a dry spell that pundits have raised ad nauseam since Andy Roddick last lifted the trophy in Flushing in 2003.

That Shelton will be the first Black American man to play in the New York final in 54 years - since Ashe, the man for whom the tournament’s showpiece court ​was named - only deepens the significance.

“For me, this whole tournament now at this point has been uncharted territory. I’m ​in positions I’ve never been in before,” said Shelton, who will play in his first major final.

“I’ve ⁠beaten guys – beaten a guy or guys that I have never beaten before. I’m just excited to put it all out ​on the line.”

The hard-hitting American with the monster serve has built up an inspiring body of work over the tournament, beating seven-times ​major winner Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarter-final thriller.

He recovered from a set down against compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the penultimate stage on Friday, showing poise well beyond his 23 years in only his third Grand Slam semi-final.

“Problem-solving has been the name of the game here,” said Shelton.

“I feel that ​I’m a different player. I feel like I have so many more tools. I feel like I know my identity, am comfortable ​in my own skin, and I know what it takes for me to be playing top-level tennis.”

He has one of the trickiest puzzles of ‌his young ⁠career against Zverev, the tournament’s top seed who has triumphed in all five of their prior meetings and has far more experience on tennis’s biggest stages.

The German endured his share of Grand Slam heartbreak before taking his maiden major title at Roland Garros this summer and suffered one of the most gut-wrenching defeats in US Open history six years ago when he squandered a two-set lead ​against Dominic Thiem in the ​title match.

“It was my first ⁠Grand Slam final. I was inexperienced. I was still a young guy, I would say. Yeah, just different. Everything is different,” said Zverev, who played in two more major finals before lifting the ​French Open trophy.

“There was question marks, there was doubts whether I was ever going to win ​one for sure. ⁠I talked about it quite openly before. Now that I’ve won one, it’s okay.”

Zverev appeared destined for more tears this time around with a shaky start to the tournament, with five-set marathons in the opening two rounds that stretched deep into the night.

The uninspiring early campaign ⁠led him ​to wonder whether his title attempt was “pointless” - but he quieted those doubts quickly, ​winning his last four matches in New York in straight sets.

“Ben is just a big, powerful guy,” said Zverev, who has 87 aces across the tournament to ​71 from Shelton. “Massive serve, massive groundstrokes. Everything he does is just big.”

The Russian-born Kazakh’s icy composure on the grand stage helped her snap Sabalenka’s 20-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows and denied the Belarusian the chance to emulate Serena Williams and Chris Evert with three straight New York titles.

An ankle injury had threatened to derail Rybakina’s campaign even before the tournament started, but the 27-year-old shrugged off those concerns to add the US Open title to her Australian Open triumph this ​year and Wimbledon success in 2022.

“It’s tough to find words … I didn’t expect anything like this coming into the tournament,” said Rybakina, who became only the ​third woman this century to claim both hardcourt majors in the same year after Sabalenka and Angelique Kerber.

“I’ve been dealing a bit with ⁠an injury. Somehow, everything aligned together on my side. Aryna … it’s so difficult to play against you. You push me to the limit.

“I want to say thank you to ​the beautiful spectators for such a beautiful atmosphere. I’m falling in love with New York more and more.”

Saturday’s title showdown at Arthur Ashe Stadium had all the ingredients of a classic ​between the top two in the rankings, and though Sabalenka brought late aggression, Rybakina was typically unruffled and prevailed to pocket the $5.5 million prize.

“It’s going to be different to wake up the next morning knowing you’ve won the U.S. Open and achieved the world number one ranking,” said Rybakina, who collected her trophy from Russian five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova.

“It’s a relief, because you do all the ​routines for the past two to three weeks. It’s a lot of work, a lot of nerves also.”

Stinging groundstrokes

Dressed in a yellow-and-black match kit that evoked a bee, Rybakina produced some stinging ​groundstrokes but was unable to make the early pressure count as Sabalenka unleashed big serves to hold firm in the pair’s third Grand Slam final meeting.

The second seed drew first blood to go ‌ahead 3-2 ⁠following a Sabalenka double fault, with the frustrated Belarusian earning a code violation immediately afterwards for launching a ball high into the stands of the main showcourt.

“It’s really tough to control your emotions when you lose in the final of the Grand Slam and when you’re trying to go for the ‘three-peat’ so I wanted to let it go,” Sabalenka said.

“If I had held it inside, I wouldn’t be able to say a word.”

Sabalenka’s irritation became increasingly evident with each missed shot and squandered opportunity, in stark contrast to the trademark calm etched on ​Rybakina’s face as the Kazakh tightened her ​grip on the opening set and clinched ⁠it with a tight hold.

A sudden drop-off in Rybakina’s level midway through the second set gave the 28-year-old Sabalenka hope, and she produced a delicate drop shot and a stunning backhand crosscourt winner en route to forcing a deciding set.

Sabalenka let out a roar after ​another backhand winner to hold in a tight opening game of the third set.

Commanding lead

However, Rybakina’s quality shone through her red-and-blue-framed ​racket as she took ⁠a commanding 5-2 lead and then closed out a famous triumph to leave her Belarusian rival without any major silverware in 2026.

The typically mild-mannered Rybakina’s celebration had little more pizzazz than one might expect from a routine match victory, and she calmly packed her belongings at her bench as Sabalenka sat with her demolished racket.

“It’s the last thing I want to do right now, ⁠give a speech. ​But I’ll try my very best,” said a teary Sabalenka, who lost to Rybakina in the Australian ​Open final this year.

“I’m disappointed, but I want to congratulate Elena. I wish I could perform a bit better, but I guess next year.”

The action resumes on Sunday with another final, where Ben Shelton bids to end a 23-year ​American wait for a men’s Grand Slam champion when he plays top seed Alexander Zverev.

Tiafoe, appearing in his third U.S. Open semi-final, was unable to take the final step, falling to eighth seed Shelton 4-6 6-3 6-3 7-5.

Yet his run at Flushing Meadows guaranteed the 28-year-old will climb to a new career-high ranking of world number eight once the post-tournament rankings are released, returning him to the top 10 for the first time since 2023.

“It’s been a great season for me, but also, you know, this one is tough,” Tiafoe told reporters.

“We wanted to win this one. You know, it’s just the last couple of weeks, it’s been great weeks, but haven’t been able to finish, and that’s probably going to be the next thing for me.

Shelton relishing challenge of first Grand Slam final against Zverev

“I was doing my interview here last year, and it was really bad how I felt where I was at,” he said. “I’m upset, but I’m at the same time so proud of myself of where I’ve been.”

Tiafoe said his ultimate goal, winning a major title, remained unchanged.

“I want to do the thing, man. I want to be a Grand Slam champion one day and just get back to the drawing board and keep working,” he said.

The support he receives in New York made another deep run particularly meaningful, but also left him wanting more.

“I just want to win it, man. I mean, the love is incredible. It’s something that gives me definitely tears in my eyes from a kid starting how I did, and the love I have here is crazy.”

He will now turn his attention to the final stretch of the season and a place at the ATP Finals in Turin, November’s season-ending event for the highest-ranked players.

“I’m going to probably feel sorry for myself the next couple of days, but after that, I can start working again and get to Turin,” he said.

Shelton beat compatriot Frances Tiafoe 4-6 6-3 6-3 7-5 on Friday to book a final with German top seed Alexander Zverev and move closer to ending a 23-year American wait for a men’s singles Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick’s triumph in New York.

The 23-year-old will also aim to become the first Black American man to capture the New York title since Arthur Ashe in 1968, but knows he must earn a first victory over Zverev in their sixth meeting.

“This whole tournament at this point has been unchartered territory,” Shelton told reporters. “I’m in positions I’ve never been in before. I’ve beaten guys that I’ve never beaten before. I’m just excited to put it all out on the line.

“I can think about how cool this moment is and what I’m playing for. At the end of the day, I’m here in New York, I’m hanging out with my team, I’m with my homies playing a little bit of tennis and I’ve been able to downplay the moment well.

Navarro books US Open quarter-final spot

“I’ve got great people around me that keep me grounded and focused and humble, and I think these moments I want to cherish, I don’t want to take lightly. But at the same time, it’s very business-like the way I’ve been going about it.”

While Shelton acknowledged the nerves that come with the biggest match of his career, he said the chance to test himself against the top seed on the sport’s grandest stages on Sunday was something he was embracing.

“The nerves are always there,” he added.

“It’s something that you’ve got to lean into. The nerves are as much there in the first round for me as in the semis, and I’m sure the finals will be the same.

“It’s something you’ve got to be able to overcome, but I’m having fun, you know? I’m playing against the number one seed, playing against a Grand Slam champion trying to get my first.

“It’s a lot of reasons that this is an enjoyable moment for me. Knowing I can leave it all on court and push myself to the absolute limit … and see what I can do is an exciting thought.”

The top seed had not reached the final of any tournament since completing the “Sunshine Double” in March and arrived at Flushing Meadows with major questions about her form.

But she has silenced those doubts with a clinical campaign in New York, beating Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the quarter-finals before taking down the top American Pegula.

She now stands on the brink of completing a rare “three-peat” at the hardcourt major in her fourth straight trip to the championship match on Saturday.

“I just love New York,” said Sabalenka, whose last Grand Slam triumph came at Flushing Meadows last year.

“I love being here, and I love the energy of the city. I think that’s what drives me. That’s what really inspires me and pushes me to keep going.”

 That the semi-final win came against Pegula - who triumphed in their last meeting only three months ago in Berlin - seemed to sweeten the victory for Sabalenka.

“I was super desperate. I lost a tough match on grass against Jess, and I wasn’t really performing well in the middle part of the season,” she said. “So it kind of like feels for me, talking about Grand Slams, like a last push of the season. I wanted it badly to go to the finals, and of course, I want to go all the way.

“The mentality was just I’m ready. I’m ready for whatever it’s going to take to get the win.”

She now commands the longest hard-court Grand Slam final streak of all time, reaching her eighth in a row in a run that dates back to her maiden major title win at the 2023 Australian Open. “I feel confident,” said Sabalenka.

“I feel mentally and physically really strong right now.”

“I think I played almost every match on my terms,” the 22-year-old told reporters. “I think the worst match for me was maybe the quarter-final where I maybe fell back into some old habits, but in 24 hours I was able to switch that.

“I’m just excited to keep putting in the work for another year, another two years, and see where I’m at 24, 25, and where my game can take me.”

Rybakina, who will take over as world number one from Aryna Sabalenka on Monday, maintained constant pressure on Gauff and edged the key moments.

“I think she played really well. I thought it was a really good match, and honestly, it came down to a couple service games of mine in both sets, and I didn’t quite hold,” Gauff said.

The American, who won the US Open title in 2023, has had a good run over the last few months, reaching her first Wimbledon semi-final, winning the Cincinnati title, getting to the last four in Toronto and making another deep run in New York.

“My dad came up to me and was like, you accomplished so many great things this summer, and I’m like, I don’t care about the summer,” she said.

“But, I mean, it’s the goal. I want to be a consistent player. I want to give myself as many opportunities to lift a trophy. But, yeah, it hurts.”

Rybakina rallied to beat Coco Gauff 3-6 6-4 6-4 in a thrilling semi-final on Thursday to earn a title clash with defending champion Sabalenka and take a step towards her third Grand Slam crown.

The pair have played two previous Grand Slam finals, with Belarusian Sabalenka defeating Rybakina in the 2023 Australian Open decider before the Kazakh levelled the score at Melbourne Park in January.

“It’s an important match, and since it’s a final, I feel like it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side,” said Rybakina, who will take over as world number one from Sabalenka on Monday.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, because we’re very close in the rankings. Even if something goes wrong in the final, I’ll still have other opportunities and other tournaments until the end of the year.

“We push each other when we play these matches, and you can clearly see on what you need to work more. I think that’s great that you play against someone who pushes you to the limit.”

Rybakina credited her team for helping her maintain her strong form this season after her Australian Open triumph.

“It definitely helps. There’s been a lot going on in the previous year outside of the court,” the 27-year-old said.

“I think now all of my focus is on tennis.

I can’t always perform at my best, there’s always ups and downs, but I think we’ve been doing a very good job, right decisions in certain situations, because every day is a challenge.

“I’m not getting younger, and physically always some things come up. So just all things put together and also experience for the past years on tour have led to these kinds of results.”

A day after Ben Shelton took out defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the latest-finishing match at Flushing Meadows, Alexander Zverev wrapped up the action in double-quick time by thumping Botic van de Zandschulp 6-2 7-5 6-1.

The German top seed will take on Karen Khachanov in the next round after the Russian went through when Alexander Blockx retired while trailing 6-2 7-5 3-2.

With Aryna Sabalenka (top seed), Rybakina (second), Jessica Pegula (third) and Gauff (fourth) all through to the final four, it marks the first time all four top-seeded women have reached a Grand Slam semi-final since Wimbledon in 2009.

Zheng had earned a reputation as a comeback artist at Flushing Meadows but ran out of gas on Wednesday, losing 3-6 6-1 6-4 as Rybakina chipped away at her defences after overcoming early mistakes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“It’s tough to find words,” said Rybakina, who will dethrone Sabalenka at the top of the world rankings on Monday.

“It wasn’t maybe the highest level but I’m glad I pushed through.”

US fan favourite Gauff then got off to a dreadful start before recovering to beat Russian fifth seed Mirra Andreeva 2-6 7-6(7) 6-2.

Gauff improved her level dramatically as the match wore on, drawing inspiration from compatriot Frances Tiafoe’s recovery from two sets down the previous evening as she saved two match points in the tiebreak.

“Elena - she’s the new world number one so it’s going to be a tough match,” said Gauff. “I’m looking forward to the battle. These are the moments you live for.”  

Zverev ensures early finish

 Zverev started his campaign with back-to-back five-set matches and made another sluggish start against his Dutch opponent.

“I think you saw in the first two rounds, I really didn’t play well,” Zverev said. “In other tournaments I’d be out in the first round, but here I can fight back and play best of five sets, play 4-1/2 hours … I’m definitely happy to be in the semi-finals.”

The French Open champion was on the brink of losing the second set but held firm and faced little resistance thereafter to ease into his third New York semi-final.

With 23 Grand Slam match wins this year, Zverev surpassed Boris Becker’s German men’s record of 22 from 1989.

His next opponent Khachanov has made the final four at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2022 and can look forward to a rematch of their Tokyo Olympics final when Zverev won the gold medal.

The 29-year-old French Open champion got off to a slow start in his campaign at Flushing Meadows but has steadily found his range.

“I think you saw in the first two rounds, I really didn’t play well,” Zverev said.

“In other tournaments I would be out in the first round, but here I can fight back and play best of five sets, play 4-1/2 hours. I’ve started playing better throughout the tournament and I’m definitely happy to be in the semi-finals here.”

The German has reached the semi-finals at all four majors this year and is the only Grand Slam winner left standing in the men’s draw. “I don’t take it for granted at all,” Zverev said.

“I know it can change in a heartbeat in tennis. I think confidence is something that is incredibly important but also can go away quite quickly.”

Tiafoe dreaming bigger in latest US Open semi-final berth

Zverev was far from steady on serve early on at Arthur Ashe Stadium, coughing up five double faults in an erratic start, but van de Zandschulp leaked forehand errors to allow the top seed to break in the fifth game and then take the first set.

Van de Zandschulp regrouped in the second set and came close to levelling the contest, but Zverev absorbed the pressure and reeled off three games in a row towards the end as the momentum swung firmly in the German’s favour.

Zverev, the 2020 runner-up, fired an overhead smash to break early in the third set and cruised home from there to reach his third semi-final in New York.

With 23 Grand Slam match wins this year, Zverev surpassed Boris Becker’s German men’s record of 22 from 1989.

He next faces Russian Khachanov in a rematch of their gold medal showdown at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

The 11th seed has provided treasured memories for the home fans in New York, from his dragon-slaying defeat of Rafa Nadal en route to the 2022 semi-final, to his blockbuster win over compatriot Ben Shelton two years ago.

But the Cincinnati runner-up this year is ready to write a new chapter this time around, after a roller-coaster comeback performance against Alex Michelsen over five sets.

“I’m just a different person in general. Those two runs (to the semi-finals) were great, something I will cherish forever, but I’m not that person who I was when I made one in 2022 and when I made one in ‘24. I’m not that person.

I’m excited to see what this me does,“ said Tiafoe, who plays either Shelton or defending champion Carlos Alcaraz next. “I have higher hopes for myself. So yeah, it’s great.

The tournament is still going.

There’s a lot more tennis to be played, a lot more sets to be played, and a lot more physical things to be done. We’re going to enjoy this, but we got to keep going.“

Tiafoe advances with the ever-present American men’s major drought looming over him, with US fans having seen their hopes lifted — and then dashed — many times over the 23 years since Andy Roddick last lifted the trophy in New York.

“I mean, the women’s side, they’ve been killing it for so long. It’s not something new,” said Tiafoe, giving a wide smile as he rattled off a list of achievements from his female counterparts.

“But the guys, we’ve been doing pretty well. Someone is always going deep in majors… I mean, hopefully we can do the thing, and that’s ultimately try to do the thing after two weeks. That’s like the next big step.”