Sabalenka Cruises as Pegula Sets Fernandez Clash | US Open 2026 Day 4 Roundup
US Open 2026 Day 4 Roundup
Our US Open 2026 Day 4 roundup is packed with commanding performances, intriguing matchups and a few surprises as the women’s draw moves deeper into the second round.
Aryna Sabalenka extended her US Open winning streak with a ruthless second-round victory, while Jessica Pegula defeated Sofia Kenin to arrange an intriguing third-round meeting with Leylah Fernandez.
Karolina Muchova produced the most dominant women’s performance of Day 4, dropping only one game against Katie Boulter. Linda Noskova, Marta Kostyuk, Diana Shnaider and Elina Svitolina also advanced as the leading seeds avoided a significant second-round upset.
Rain again complicated the outside-court schedule, but the roofed stadiums allowed several headline matches to continue.
Sabalenka Concedes Only Two Games
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka defeated Polina Iatcenko 6–1, 6–1 in only 54 minutes under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights.
Iatcenko had already produced one upset by eliminating No. 27 seed Jelena Ostapenko in Cincinnati, but she could not generate the same resistance against the world No. 1.
Sabalenka struck 24 winners compared with only three from her opponent. The difference reflected more than raw power: the defending champion controlled the rallies early enough that Iatcenko rarely had an opportunity to establish her own patterns.
The first set disappeared in 26 minutes. Sabalenka immediately broke again at the beginning of the second and maintained control without allowing the match to become competitive.
Victory extended her winning streak at the US Open to 15 matches. She won the title in both 2024 and 2025 and is now attempting to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open singles championships.
The straightforward score was particularly valuable after Sabalenka’s less convincing first-round performance against Camila Osorio. She had committed 30 unforced errors in that match. Against Iatcenko, she reduced the total to nine.
Sabalenka will next face Kamilla Rakhimova, who defeated Croatian qualifier Petra Marcinko in straight sets.
The third round should present a greater test, but Sabalenka has completed her first two assignments without surrendering a set—and without spending unnecessary time on court.
Watch: Sabalenka vs. Iatcenko highlights
Pegula Dismisses Kenin in 56 Minutes
Jessica Pegula defeated fellow American Sofia Kenin 6–3, 6–1, needing only 56 minutes to reach the third round.
The matchup appeared dangerous on paper.
Kenin is a former Australian Open champion with the ability to redirect pace and disrupt more powerful opponents. Pegula prevented any of those qualities from becoming influential.
The No. 3 seed won all but three points behind her first serve and did not face a break point throughout the match. Kenin struggled immediately, opening with a double fault and falling behind before she could settle into Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Pegula took the first set with a single break before becoming increasingly dominant in the second. She won the opening five games and allowed Kenin no realistic route back into the contest.
Her serving numbers were the clearest sign of progress.
Pegula has been working to make her serve more aggressive rather than using it only to begin points. Against Kenin, that adjustment gave her control of the rallies from the first shot and prevented one of the better returners in the draw from applying pressure.
The performance was considerably cleaner than Pegula’s three-set opening victory over Tereza Valentova. She now advances to a third-round matchup carrying far greater audience interest.
Watch: Pegula vs Kenin highlights
Fernandez Books Third-Round Meeting With Pegula
Leylah Fernandez defeated Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6–4, 6–1 to reach the US Open third round.
Sawangkaew remained competitive through much of the opening set, but Fernandez established the decisive separation late and carried the momentum into the second.
Once ahead, the Canadian did not allow the match to become complicated. She used her left-handed angles to pull Sawangkaew away from the center of the court and increasingly controlled the exchanges.
The result represents Fernandez’s first appearance in the US Open third round since her run to the final in 2021.
Her history in New York ensures that she cannot be treated as a routine third-round opponent. Fernandez reached the final in 2021, defeating Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Elina Svitolina and Sabalenka before losing to Emma Raducanu.
She now faces Pegula in one of the strongest matches of the next round.
Pegula will enter as the favourite based on ranking, current consistency and the authority of her performance against Kenin. Fernandez, however, has already demonstrated that she is comfortable playing higher-ranked opponents in front of large New York crowds.
The matchup also presents a useful tactical contrast. Pegula will try to take the ball early and control the court through clean, direct striking. Fernandez will look to change angles, disrupt rhythm and prevent the American from settling into predictable exchanges.
For Tennis Roundup’s Filipino audience, Fernandez’s progress offers another player of Philippine heritage to follow alongside Alexandra Eala—even if Fernandez represents Canada and should be described accordingly.
Watch: Sawangkaew vs Fernandez highlights
Muchova Overwhelms Boulter
Karolina Muchova produced Day 4’s most one-sided women’s victory, defeating Katie Boulter 6–1, 6–0 in under an hour.
The match was originally scheduled for an outside court but was moved to Louis Armstrong Stadium because of the rain.
Boulter broke serve in the opening game. She did not win another.
Muchova responded by claiming 12 consecutive games, repeatedly using her variety to deny Boulter a stable hitting rhythm. She mixed pace, changed direction and moved forward whenever the opportunity appeared.
Boulter committed 15 unforced errors in the opening set alone and failed to hold serve during the entire match.
The performance reinforced Muchova’s status as one of the most dangerous players in Pegula’s quarter. She has reached the US Open semifinals twice and began this year’s singles tournament after winning the mixed-doubles title with Jakub Mensik during Fan Week.
The additional matches have not yet produced visible fatigue. Muchova has dropped only four games across her first two singles rounds.
She will next face No. 26 seed Emma Navarro, who recovered from a set down to defeat Caty McNally 3–6, 6–2, 6–3.
Navarro’s ranking makes the meeting appear balanced, but Muchova’s current level should make her the favourite.
Watch: Boulter vs Muchova highlights
Navarro Recovers Against McNally
Emma Navarro survived a difficult start to defeat fellow American Caty McNally 3–6, 6–2, 6–3.
McNally converted five of her 10 break-point opportunities and controlled the opening set, placing Navarro under considerably more pressure than her ranking positions suggested.
The No. 26 seed responded by improving her first-serve effectiveness and reducing McNally’s opportunities to dictate. After levelling the match, Navarro secured the decisive breaks in the third and completed her second three-set victory of the tournament.
Navarro also needed three sets to defeat Loïs Boisson in a rain-delayed opening match.
Those recoveries demonstrate resilience, but they have also required substantially more physical and emotional effort than Muchova’s route through the draw. Muchova has spent less than two hours on court across her opening two singles matches.
That contrast could become important when they meet in the third round.
Noskova Extends Grand Slam Winning Streak
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova defeated Lanlana Tararudee 6–4, 6–2 to reach the third round.
The No. 6 seed did not reproduce the instability of her opening match, when she recovered from 5–2 down against Katie Volynets and committed 10 double faults.
Against Tararudee, Noskova established control earlier and completed the victory without requiring another comeback.
The Czech has now won nine consecutive Grand Slam matches following her Wimbledon title. That sequence matters because winning a first major can produce two very different responses: greater belief or difficulty adjusting to increased expectations.
Noskova has so far handled the transition.
She will next face No. 29 seed Ann Li, whose aggressive baseline game should provide a clearer measure of Noskova’s level than her opening two opponents.
Kostyuk Beats Stephens Again
Marta Kostyuk defeated 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6–1, 7–5.
It was their second meeting in two weeks following Kostyuk’s straight-sets victory in Cincinnati.
The No. 11 seed dominated the first set before Stephens produced a much stronger response in the second. Kostyuk nevertheless prevented the match from reaching a decider, finding the decisive break during the closing stages.
Repeating a recent victory is not always straightforward. The losing player has fresh evidence of what went wrong and can make immediate tactical adjustments.
Stephens succeeded in making the second set more competitive, but Kostyuk again proved stronger when the match reached its decisive games.
Kostyuk’s power and athleticism make her capable of challenging the leading players in the draw. Her more persistent question has been whether she can maintain emotional and tactical stability across an entire major.
Two controlled victories have provided a promising start.
Svitolina Survives Joint Challenge
Elina Svitolina defeated Australian Maya Joint 6–2, 6–7(6), 6–4 in one of Day 4’s longest women’s matches.
The No. 9 seed appeared to have established control after taking the opening set, but Joint saved match point in the second-set tiebreak and forced a decider.
Svitolina then had to recover physically and emotionally from allowing the match to continue.
The third set remained close, but the Ukrainian used her experience to secure the decisive break and complete the victory after more than two hours.
Svitolina will next face No. 19 seed Anna Kalinskaya.
Unlike several of the day’s leading players, Svitolina was required to reveal considerably more of her competitive resources. She did not dominate, but she responded when a younger opponent transformed what looked like a routine victory into a genuine test.
Shnaider Holds Off Pliskova
Diana Shnaider defeated former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova 6–1, 7–6(4).
The No. 15 seed controlled the opening set before Pliskova’s serve and flatter hitting made the second considerably more competitive.
Shnaider avoided a deciding set by maintaining her composure in the tiebreak.
Although Pliskova is no longer seeded, her experience and first-strike tennis made this a meaningful test. Shnaider’s ability to close the match in two sets preserved energy and prevented the former US Open finalist from gaining confidence through a comeback.
Badosa Finally Completes Two-Day Match
Paula Badosa completed her rain-delayed first-round victory over Daria Kasatkina 6–1, 6–4, converting her ninth match point.
The contest began on Day 3 but could not be completed before play was suspended.
Badosa had spent nearly 15 hours at the tournament site on Tuesday and returned Wednesday with the match still unresolved. Once play resumed, she needed only around 10 additional minutes to finish it.
The victory was Badosa’s first match since undergoing surgery and ended a 40-day competitive absence.
Her reward is a second-round meeting with Coco Gauff on Day 5.
Badosa’s current ranking of No. 87 disguises the level she can produce when healthy. She is a former world No. 2 and has beaten Gauff before, making this considerably more dangerous than a conventional second-round matchup for the American.
The concern is recovery. Badosa must return after a physically and mentally draining two-day opener with less preparation time than Gauff, who completed her first-round match under the roof on Tuesday.
Maria Eliminates Ostapenko
Tatjana Maria completed another delayed first-round match by defeating No. 30 seed Jelena Ostapenko 4–6, 6–1, 6–2.
Ostapenko controlled the opening set, but her level declined dramatically after the interruption. Maria’s slices and changes of pace drew increasing errors and prevented the Latvian from regaining her attacking rhythm.
The result removes another seed from the draw and reinforces Ostapenko’s reputation as one of the tour’s least predictable major champions.
On her best days, she can overpower almost any opponent. On Day 4, she lost 12 of the final 15 games.
Other Notable Day 4 Results
Several additional players reached the third round:
- No. 19 Jasmine Paolini defeated Lucrezia Stefanini, 6–4, 6–1
- Taylor Townsend defeated Taylah Preston, 6–1, 6–1
- No. 29 Ann Li advanced to set up a meeting with Noskova
- Anna Kalinskaya progressed to a third-round match against Svitolina
- Kamilla Rakhimova advanced and will face Sabalenka
- Iva Jovic completed her delayed first-round match against Magdalena Frech, 7–5, 6–3
- Francesca Jones defeated Magda Linette 6–4, 1–6, 6–3, earning her first Grand Slam main-draw victory
- Nikola Bartunkova defeated Mayar Sherif, 6–1, 6–2
Day 4 therefore combined second-round progress with the completion of several first-round matches repeatedly interrupted by rain.
What Day 4 Told Us
Sabalenka remains the player everyone else must catch.
Her first round contained enough errors to create questions. Her second removed most of them. Twenty-four winners, nine unforced errors and only two games conceded represented the clinical performance expected from a two-time defending champion.
Pegula provided a similarly encouraging response after being tested in her opener. Her serve never came under threat against Kenin, and she now enters her match against Fernandez with rhythm and confidence.
Fernandez should not be dismissed simply because Pegula was more dominant on Day 4. New York has repeatedly brought out the Canadian’s best tennis, and her left-handed game gives Pegula a different tactical problem from the one Kenin presented.
Muchova may have delivered the day’s strongest pure performance. Winning 12 consecutive games against an established tour opponent—after being broken in the opening game—demonstrated the full range of her game.
Noskova continues to handle the expectations accompanying her Wimbledon title, while Kostyuk, Svitolina and Shnaider remain safely inside the draw.
The unspoken caution is that Day 4 did not seriously stress most of the leading contenders. Sabalenka, Pegula and Muchova were excellent, but their opponents were unable to make the matches physically or tactically uncomfortable.
The third round should begin answering harder questions.
Alexandra Eala did not play on Day 4. She returns on Day 5 against Oleksandra Oliynykova, seeking to move beyond the second round of the US Open for the first time.
Sources: Official US Open results, WTA US Open coverage, Reuters Day 4 coverage.