Sonego Sets the Pace in Winston-Salem as US Open Qualifying Reaches Its Final Round

The last full working day before the US Open main draw takes shape delivered exactly what late August usually does: a Winston-Salem field thinning out at speed, and a qualifying event in Flushing Meadows where careers can pivot on two service holds.

Lorenzo Sonego was the most convincing name on the Winston-Salem hard courts, dismantling Adrian Mannarino 6-1 7-6 in a match that only became competitive once the Italian had already banked the opening set. Fabian Marozsan was similarly efficient against Miomir Kecmanovic, winning 6-3 6-4 without ever appearing to be dragged out of his rhythm, while Sebastian Baez needed a tighter path past Hugo Grenier, 7-5 7-6, on a surface that remains the least natural of the Argentine's habitats.

The day's genuine surprise came from Mees Rottgering, who beat Tomas Machac 6-2 7-6. The unranked Dutchman took the first set at a canter and then held his nerve in a second-set tie-break against an opponent listed at No. 58, the kind of result that reframes a player's week and complicates the bottom half of the bracket.

In New York, the qualifying quarterfinals produced fewer shocks than attrition. Aliaksandra Sasnovich edged past Dalma Galfi 7-6 6-3, Yue Yuan controlled Hanyu Guo 6-2 6-4, and Vendula Valdmannova was clean and direct in a 6-3 6-3 win over Maria Lourdes Carle. Elvina Kalieva survived the day's most volatile scoreline, recovering from a 1-6 second set to beat Kristina Mladenovic 6-2 1-6 6-1. Storm Hunter was ruthless against Maddison Inglis (6-3 6-0), while Mary Stoiana, Katie Swan, Darja Semenistaja, Yeon Woo Ku, Julia Avdeeva and Alexandra Shubladze all advanced.

On the men's side, Liam Draxl came through the longest test of the round, beating Nicolas Mejia 6-4 6-7 6-4, and Tristan Schoolkate needed only 6-3 6-2 against Jack Secord. Seong Chan Hong ended Nikoloz Basilashvili's run 6-3 7-6, and Andrew Johnson turned around a poor start to beat Taro Daniel 2-6 6-2 6-4.

Tomorrow's headline act is Daniil Medvedev, the world No. 8, opening in Winston-Salem against Martin Damm (No. 92). It is a first-round assignment with obvious tune-up value: Medvedev has historically needed match rhythm rather than rest before New York, and Damm's serve-first profile on a quick hard court is a useful, if uncomfortable, examination. Elsewhere in the draw, Luciano Darderi (No. 22) faces Botic Van De Zandschulp (No. 71) in a round-of-16 tie that pits the Italian's heavy baseline patterns against an opponent who has built a reputation on beating higher-ranked players in exactly these conditions, while Daniel Altmaier meets Ignacio Buse.

Monterrey offers the WTA's best fixture of the day: Ekaterina Alexandrova (No. 19) against Clara Tauson (No. 42), a collision of first-strike tennis in which service games should be short and rallies shorter. Maja Chwalinska faces Alycia Parks in the other standout, another clash of styles between rhythm and raw power. Yuliia Starodubtseva, who beat Janice Tjen 6-4 6-3, and Panna Udvardy, a 7-6 6-1 winner over Maya Joint, are already through.