Summary

  • US Open day seven - listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary (UK only)

  • Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka overcomes shaky first set to win 6-4 6-3 against home hope Taylor Townsend

  • LIVE: Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova faces Marta Kostyuk in rematch of SW19 semi-final

  • Sabalenka must win title - and hope Elena Rybakina loses before semi-finals - to keep world number one ranking

  • Followed by: Carlos Alcaraz against American Tommy Paul

  • Second seed Alcaraz bidding for third New York title and eighth major overall

  • GB's Harry Patten into third round of doubles alongside Finland's Harri Heliovaara

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Live Reporting

Phil Cartwright, Harry Poole and Ailsa Cowen

  1. Kostyuk 2-1 Noskova*

    Marta KostyukReuters

    Aryna Sabalenka got through her fourth-round match in an hour and 15 minutes, and it means the crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium will have to wait about an hour before they see defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz in action.

    Sabalenka will play the winner of the match currently on Louis Armstrong Stadium between Linda Noskova and Marta Kostyuk, which is on serve at 2-1 in the first set.

    We'll have updates of that match shortly, along with reaction from Sabalenka and build-up to the Alcaraz match against American Tommy Paul.

  2. Sabalenka into quarter-finals

    Sabalenka 6-4 6-3 Townsend

    Aryna SabalenkaReuters

    Aryna Sabalenka says in her on-court interview that Taylor Townsend's qualities make it "really challenging" to play her, before thanking the crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium for their support.

    Full quotes to come from the defending champion.

  3. game, set and match

    Game, set and match - Sabalenka
    Breaking

    Sabalenka 6-4 6-3 Townsend

    Aryna SabalenkaReuters

    Aryna Sabalenka wins again in straight sets and is into the last eight of the US Open.

    There's a stroke of fortune for the world number one on match point as her return appears to clip the top of the net and the advancing Townsend can't get to a volley near her feet.

    A warm embrace at the net between the players and Taylor Townsend gets an excellent ovation as she leaves the court, her hopes of a first Grand Slam singles quarter-final coming to an end today.

  4. Match point Sabalenka

    Sabalenka 6-4 5-3 Townsend*

    Taylor Townsend drills a backhand down the line to save the first match point.

    Great shot.

    One more to come...

  5. Match points Sabalenka

    Sabalenka 6-4 5-3 Townsend*

    It's a tremendous way for Aryna Sabalenka to start the game - a cross-court backhand winner.

    It puts her on course for two match points...

  6. Sabalenka holds

    Sabalenka 6-4 5-3 Townsend*

    Aryna Sabalenka cruises through a service game - a rarity in this match - to move within one game of the last eight.

  7. Sabalenka breaks

    *Sabalenka 6-4 4-3 Townsend

    Aryna SabalenkaReuters

    Three straight games for Aryna Sabalenka, two of them breaks of serve, have swung the momentum back in favour of the defending champion.

    She is nearing a place in the quarter-finals, where either Marta Kostyuk or Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova would be her opponent.

    They've just got their fourth-round match under way on Louis Armstrong Stadium and sixth seed Noskova has broken Kostyuk's serve in the opening game.

  8. Break points Sabalenka

    Sabalenka 6-4 3-3 Townsend*

    Taylor Townsend badly miscues a forehand to go 0-30 down on serve. More encouragement from the home crowd.

    A double fault follows... three more break points for Aryna Sabalenka and a chance to take a real grip of this match.

    NEW YTaylor Townsend of the United States returns a shot against Aryna Sabalenka during their Women's Singles Fourth Round match on Day Eight of the 2026 US Open.Getty Images

  9. Sabalenka holds

    Sabalenka 6-4 3-3 Townsend*

    At 30-30 on Aryna Sabalenka's serve, the world number one finds a great serve out wide which Taylor Townsend can't get back, and the American is unable to get the next one over the net as well.

    All square.

  10. Sabalenka breaks back

    *Sabalenka 6-4 2-3 Townsend

    A double fault to end by Taylor Townsend, a break to love for Aryna Sabalenka.

    Back on serve in set two.

    Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot against Taylor Townsend of the United States during their Women's Singles Fourth Round match on Day Eight of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.Getty Images

  11. Break points Sabalenka

    Sabalenka 6-4 1-3 Townsend*

    Aryna Sabalenka steps up the pace and has three chances to break back straight away.

  12. Townsend breaks

    Sabalenka 6-4 1-3 Townsend*

    Taylor TownsendReuters

    There's the break!

    Taylor Townsend gets a look at a second serve and finds the baseline with her return to move 3-1 up in set two.

  13. Break point Townsend

    *Sabalenka 6-4 1-2 Townsend

    Aryna Sabalenka nets a backhand and falls 0-30 down - chance for Taylor Townsend?

    The reigning champion takes the next two points but then nets a forehand, so she'll face the first break point of the second set...

  14. Townsend holds

    *Sabalenka 6-4 1-2 Townsend

    For the second time in the match, there's a swing and a miss by Aryna Sabalenka as she tries to return serve.

    Another ace straight afterwards wraps up a love hold for Taylor Townsend.

  15. game, set and match

    Game, set and match - Patten/Heliovaara

    Patten/Heliovaara 7-5 6-2 Arnaldi/Struff

    Henry Patten and Harri HeliovaaraGetty Images

    The top seeds march on!

    Briton Henry Patten and Finland's Harri Heliovaara have made it back-to-back straight-set wins at the start of their latest bid for a first US Open title together.

    After taking the first set with a late break of serve against Italy's Matteo Arnaldi and German Jan-Lennard Struff, they dominated the second to secure smooth progress.

    The Wimbledon champions move on to face either American duo Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow or James Tracy and Portugal's Francisco Cabral.

  16. Sabalenka holds

    Sabalenka 6-4 1-1 Townsend*

    An assured hold of serve from Aryna Sabalenka, who levels at 1-1 in the second set.

    After seven breaks of serve in 10 games during the opening set, normal service appears to have been resumed.

    Just one of the nine points in this set so far have been won by the returning player.

    Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her round of 16 match against Taylor Townsend of the U.S.Reuters

  17. Number one ranking at stake

    *Sabalenka 6-4 0-1 Townsend

    One of the subplots of this year's women's singles is that there could be a change at the top of the world rankings at the end of the tournament.

    Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina will become world number one for the first time if she reaches the semi-finals, even if Sabalenka retains her US Open title.

  18. Townsend holds at start of second set

    *Sabalenka 6-4 0-1 Townsend

    Taylor TownsendGetty Images

    Taylor Townsend starts the second set with a service hold, wrapping it up with an ace down the T.

  19. Injured Sinner watches Antonelli win Italian Grand Prix

    Carlos Alcaraz will be next up on Arthur Ashe Stadium, once the ongoing match between Aryna Sabalenka and Taylor Townsend concludes.

    His big rival - Wimbledon champion and men's world number one Jannik Sinner - is absent from this year's US Open because of injury.

    Sinner has been at Monza today, watching fellow Italian Kimi Antonelli extend his lead at the top of the Formula 1 drivers' standings by winning his home Grand Prix.

    Jannik SinnerGetty Images
    Jannik SinnerGetty Images
    Kimi Antonelli raises a clenched fist standing in front of an Italian flag on a screenGetty Images

  20. 'That last rally was one of the best'

    Sabalenka 6-4 0-0 Townsend*

    Pam Shriver
    Five-time Wimbledon doubles champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

    We didn't have many extended rallies in that first set that lasted 43 minutes, but that last rally was one of the best.

    There was one other one I think in game two or three, maybe about a 10-12 shot rally.

    That was a fun way to end the set.