Pegula Rallies Past Fernandez as Sabalenka Marches On | US Open 2026 Day 6 Roundup
Jessica Pegula recovered from a disastrous opening set to eliminate Leylah Fernandez, while defending champion Aryna Sabalenka extended her US Open winning streak to 16 matches.
The US Open 2026 Day 6 roundup also produced a significant upset as Emma Navarro defeated two-time semifinalist Karolina Muchova. Taylor Townsend removed another seed, Linda Noskova survived a three-set test and Marta Kostyuk continued her composed passage through the draw.
Pegula Recovers to End Fernandez’s Run
Jessica Pegula defeated Leylah Fernandez 1–6, 6–4, 6–3, transforming a match that initially appeared to be slipping rapidly beyond her control.
Fernandez dominated the opening set in only 30 minutes.
The Canadian used her left-handed serve, changing angles and early ball-striking to push Pegula behind the baseline. Pegula struggled to find her timing, served poorly and appeared unusually slow to adjust her positioning.
“I wasn’t moving my feet up to the ball, and was a little lazy to start off,” Pegula admitted afterward.
The second set revealed why the American remains one of the tournament’s leading contenders.
Pegula broke in the sixth game and then survived immediate pressure on her own serve. Fernandez threatened to recover the break, but the No. 3 seed held firm and forced the match into a decider.
Pegula saved break points early in the third before taking control with a break for 3–1. She completed the comeback with a backhand volley winner, securing her place in the fourth round.
The match offered two contrasting truths.
Pegula’s opening level would be dangerous against the strongest remaining players. Her response, however, demonstrated the adaptability and composure required to survive seven matches at a Grand Slam.
Fernandez leaves New York after producing her best US Open result since 2023. She also reminded the draw of the tennis that carried her to the 2021 final. Once Pegula adjusted to her patterns, however, Fernandez could not sustain the control she established during the opening set.
Pegula will next face Sorana Cirstea.
Watch: Pegula vs Fernandez highlights
Sabalenka Extends US Open Winning Streak
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Kamilla Rakhimova 6–3, 6–4 to reach the fourth round without surrendering a set.
The two-time defending champion controlled the match through her serve, striking 10 aces and dropping only four points behind her first delivery. She did not face a break point.
Rakhimova offered greater resistance during the second set, but she could not place Sabalenka’s service games under enough pressure to alter the direction of the contest.
The world No. 1 secured the decisive late break and served out the match comfortably.
Play was briefly interrupted when Sabalenka complained about a strong cannabis smell around Louis Armstrong Stadium. The unusual distraction generated attention afterward but had no visible effect on her performance.
Far more relevant was the efficiency of her tennis.
Sabalenka arrived in New York following a difficult stretch by her standards, raising questions about whether her recent form could withstand the pressure of attempting a third consecutive title. She has answered those questions through the opening three rounds:
- Camila Osorio: 6–4, 6–3
- Polina Iatcenko: 6–1, 6–1
- Kamilla Rakhimova: 6–3, 6–4
She has now won 16 consecutive US Open matches and has not been seriously threatened since her first-round encounter.
Sabalenka will face Taylor Townsend in the fourth round. The American’s left-handed variety and willingness to move forward should provide a different tactical challenge from the baseline-oriented opposition Sabalenka has encountered so far.
Watch: Sabalenka vs Rakhimova highlights
Navarro Removes Muchova From the Draw
Emma Navarro produced Day 6’s most important upset, defeating No. 7 seed Karolina Muchova 6–3, 7–5.
Muchova entered the match after conceding only four games across her opening two singles rounds. Her 6–1, 6–0 demolition of Katie Boulter had been one of the tournament’s most impressive performances.
Navarro refused to allow her the same freedom.
The American absorbed Muchova’s changes of pace and repeatedly forced her to play additional shots. Muchova committed 22 unforced errors in the first set alone, surrendering the consistency that had defined her opening matches.
The second set was considerably closer. Both players exchanged breaks twice before Navarro made the decisive move in the 11th game and served out the victory.
Navarro has now recorded three victories over Top 10 opponents this season.
The result also restores some momentum after she required three sets in each of her first two rounds. Those matches showed her resilience; the Muchova victory demonstrated that she can also defeat one of the draw’s most tactically complete players.
Muchova’s elimination removes a former two-time US Open semifinalist and one of the most dangerous players from Pegula’s quarter.
Watch: Navarro vs Muchova highlights
Townsend Earns a Meeting With Sabalenka
Taylor Townsend defeated No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider 6–2, 6–7(3), 6–3 to reach the US Open fourth round for the second consecutive year.
Townsend dominated the opening set with her blend of left-handed angles, net approaches and changes of rhythm.
Shnaider responded strongly enough to take the second-set tiebreak, but Townsend did not allow the lost opportunity to destabilize her. She regained control in the decider and completed one of the day’s two notable seeded upsets.
Townsend’s next assignment is considerably more difficult.
Sabalenka will enter their fourth-round match as the overwhelming favourite, but Townsend offers something the defending champion has not yet faced in New York: an opponent prepared to shorten points at the net and constantly alter the height and speed of the ball.
Attempting that style against Sabalenka carries its own danger. Any weak approach can give the world No. 1 an inviting target.
Townsend nevertheless has a better chance of creating uncertainty by playing her own unconventional game than by attempting to defeat Sabalenka exclusively from the baseline.
Watch: Townsend vs Shnaider highlights
Noskova Survives Ann Li Challenge
Linda Noskova defeated Ann Li 6–2, 6–7(6), 6–2 to reach the US Open fourth round for the first time.
The Wimbledon champion controlled the opening set but failed to complete the victory in two. Li recovered during a tight second set and edged the tiebreak after saving herself from elimination.
Noskova responded decisively.
Rather than allowing the missed opportunity to develop into a larger problem, the No. 6 seed re-established her authority in the final set and reproduced the 6–2 scoreline with which she began the match.
The Czech has now won 10 consecutive Grand Slam matches following her Wimbledon title.
Her route through New York has not been flawless. She recovered from 5–2 down in her opening match against Katie Volynets and was extended to three sets again by Li.
What matters is that she has repeatedly found solutions.
Noskova will next meet Marta Kostyuk in one of the fourth round’s most balanced matchups.
Watch: Li vs Noskova highlights
Kostyuk Continues Controlled Progress
Marta Kostyuk defeated No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6–3, 6–2.
The Ukrainian has now reached the fourth round without dropping a set:
- Sloane Stephens: 6–1, 7–5
- Ekaterina Alexandrova: 6–3, 6–2
Kostyuk possesses enough power and movement to trouble any remaining opponent. Her larger challenge at previous majors has been sustaining tactical clarity and emotional stability when matches become complicated.
Through three rounds, she has avoided those complications.
Her meeting with Noskova should provide a clearer assessment of whether that progress can continue. Noskova enters with the greater recent Grand Slam achievement, but Kostyuk has spent less time navigating difficult passages during this tournament.
Watch: Kostyuk vs Alexandrova highlights
Cirstea Ends Paolini’s Campaign
Sorana Cirstea defeated No. 19 seed Jasmine Paolini 6–3, 6–3, continuing an impressive final season on tour.
The 36-year-old controlled the match with direct, aggressive hitting and prevented Paolini from extending rallies often enough to impose her superior movement.
Cirstea reached the US Open fourth round for the first time since 2023.
She will next face Pegula, who must recover physically and emotionally after spending three sets escaping Fernandez.
Pegula remains the favourite, but Cirstea’s clean ball-striking could punish another slow start. Unlike Fernandez, the Romanian is likely to create pressure through direct pace rather than varied left-handed patterns.
Watch: Paolini vs Cirstea highlights
Svitolina and Kalinskaya Go the Distance
The final women’s singles match of Day 6 between Elina Svitolina and Anna Kalinskaya extended into a deciding set after Kalinskaya took the first 6–3 and Svitolina responded 6–2.
Because the match was still underway when the first Day 6 reports were published, its final result should be inserted here from the official score before publication. The winner advances to meet Emma Navarro.
This is worth checking immediately before posting; leaving an incomplete late-night result inside a “roundup” would make the article look prematurely published.
Williams Sisters Fall in Doubles Thriller
Serena and Venus Williams lost their highly anticipated women’s doubles return to No. 14 seeds Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint 6–3, 6–7(6), 7–6(10–7).
The sisters recovered from 4–1 down in the third set and then built a 5–0 lead in the deciding match tiebreak.
Chan and Joint responded by winning seven consecutive points, eventually completing the victory after approximately three hours.
It was Serena and Venus’ first Grand Slam doubles appearance together in four years. They have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles as a team, including the US Open in 1999 and 2009.
Other Watch-List Updates
Desirae Krawczyk and Storm Hunter did not play on Day 6 after completing their opening doubles victory on Day 5.
Alina Korneeva and Darja Vidmanova were scheduled to begin their doubles campaign against Anna Bondar and Anhelina Kalinina. Their final result should be added only after confirmation through the official completed-match record.
Alexandra Eala also had no match on Day 6. She returns on Day 7 against close friend Iva Jovic, with a place in the fourth round at stake.
What Day 6 Told Us
Sabalenka remains the tournament’s standard.
She has not yet faced an opponent capable of applying sustained pressure, but that is partly because her serving and first-strike tennis have prevented matches from developing into genuine contests.
Pegula’s victory was less polished but more revealing. She was comprehensively outplayed for a set and still found a route into the fourth round. That resilience matters, although stronger opponents may not allow her the same recovery time.
Navarro’s victory changed the shape of their quarter. Muchova had looked capable of reaching another US Open semifinal, but her error count returned as soon as an opponent refused to surrender easy court position.
Noskova and Kostyuk now meet after following contrasting paths: Noskova has survived difficult moments, while Kostyuk has largely prevented them from arising.
Townsend’s reward for eliminating Shnaider is the toughest assignment in women’s tennis. Her variety gives Sabalenka a different problem—but variety is useful only if Townsend can withstand the power coming back at her.
Day 6 removed Fernandez, Muchova, Shnaider and Paolini. It also reinforced that reputation and recent form offer no protection once the women’s draw reaches the third round.
The attention now moves to Day 7 and Alexandra Eala against Iva Jovic.
Sources: Official US Open Day 6 results, Reuters Day 6 report, WTA US Open coverage.