Upsets aplenty at the U.S. Open following Williams sisters’ exit

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 6, 2026

Multiple top-seeded players, including Madison Keys, Taylor Fritz, and Amanda Anisimova, were eliminated at the U.S. Open, while Zheng Qinwen staged a notable comeback to advance. These upsets have opened the competition, increasing opportunities for lower-ranked players to make deeper runs in the tournament.

Several notable upsets unfolded at the U.S. Open on Saturday as a number of top-seeded players were eliminated from the tournament, further reshaping the competition in both the men’s and women’s draws.

In a remarkable comeback, Zheng Qinwen advanced to the next round after rallying to defeat No. 22 seed Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5. After trailing significantly, Zheng won the final seven games of the match, surprising spectators and opponents alike. Keys, visibly emotional after the loss, acknowledged the unexpected nature of Zheng’s performance. Zheng, who is an Olympic gold medalist, is extending her run at the U.S. Open with this victory.

Defending champion Coco Gauff continued her progress by defeating Cristina Bucsa 6-3, 6-4, securing her spot in the round of 16. Other women’s seeds advancing include No. 5 Mirra Andreeva and No. 8 Iga Swiatek, both of whom won their fourth-round matches.

The men’s draw saw multiple upsets that left the tournament without six of the top 10 seeds. No. 9 Taylor Fritz, ranked among the favorites, was upset after losing to No. 24 Francisco Cerundolo in five sets, despite holding a two-set lead. Cerundolo won 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to advance. Another former U.S. Open runner-up, No. 10 Amanda Anisimova, was eliminated by No. 24 Anastasia Potapova in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. Additionally, No. 5 seed Flavio Cobolli was defeated by No. 28 Alexander Blockx in four sets.

In men’s singles action, 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev secured a straight-sets win over Arthur Rinderknech, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, and is set to face No. 11 Frances Tiafoe, who defeated No. 22 Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Stefanos Tsitsipas also remained in contention with a victory over No. 18 seed Jiri Lehecka.

Friday night saw the departure of Serena and Venus Williams from the doubles event, falling to Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint in a closely contested match. The Williams sisters lost in a match tiebreaker after surrendering a 5-0 lead in the 10-point decider, finishing 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (10-7). Highlighting the atmosphere, Joint noted the crowd’s enthusiastic support for the Williams sisters.

As the tournament progresses, the early elimination of several seeded players creates a more open field, setting the stage for potential breakthroughs from lower-ranked competitors.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.