Gauff Survives Andreeva in Three Sets as Rybakina Joins Her in the US Open Semi-Finals

The New York quarter-finals delivered exactly the kind of resistance the seeds had been warned about, and in both women's matches the winner had to work backwards from a losing position. Coco Gauff was thoroughly outplayed for a set by Mirra Andreeva, dropping it 2-6, before the match turned on a second-set tie-break she edged to level the contest. From there the momentum was one-directional: 6-2 in the decider, and Gauff is through.

The pattern repeated in the other half of the draw. Elena Rybakina lost the opening set 3-6 to Qinwen Zheng, then produced the sort of single-set demolition that has always been her signature, taking the second 6-1 before holding her nerve to close out 6-4. Two matches, two comebacks, and a semi-final line-up assembled by players who refused to accept the first hour's evidence.

On the men's side the mathematics were simpler. Alexander Zverev needed only a brief moment of turbulence in the second set to dismiss Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-2 7-5 6-1, a performance in which the German's return depth left his opponent chasing the baseline all afternoon. Karen Khachanov's quarter-final against Alexander Blockx ended prematurely with the Russian ahead 6-2 7-5 3-2, an incomplete scoreline that nonetheless reflected a match he was controlling from the opening exchanges.

Below the Grand Slam, the Challenger tour produced a genuine headline. Kaitlin Quevedo eliminated Sara Sorribes Tormo 5-7 7-5 6-1 in Barranquilla, recovering from a set down and then running away with the decider against by far the biggest name in the draw. Elsa Jacquemot handled Kayla Day 7-6 6-2, Leolia Jeanjean edged Julieta Pareja 7-6 3-6 6-3, Claire Liu was clinical against Varvara Lepchenko 6-3 6-3, and Carol Young Suh Lee removed home favourite Emiliana Arango in two tight sets, 7-6 7-5.

The European clay produced its own order. Laslo Djere was ruthless in Genova, beating Gabriele Piraino 6-2 6-1, while Valerio Aboian dispatched Andrea Pellegrino 6-3 6-2 and Stefanos Sakellaridis outlasted Duje Ajdukovic 7-6 2-6 6-4. In Seville, Jaume Munar advanced past Gonzalo Bueno, Sebastian Ofner was solid against Alexander Ritschard 6-4 6-4 and Facundo Diaz Acosta needed a late tightening from Alejandro Moro Canas before winning 6-1 7-5. Montreux belonged to the front-runners, with Noma Noha Akugue, Clara Burel and Anastasiia Sobolieva all through in straight sets, Dalma Galfi surviving a three-set marathon against Nuria Brancaccio.

Today's schedule is dominated by the remaining last-16 business. In Barranquilla, Nadia Podoroska faces Anna Blinkova (#95) in the tie of the day, a meeting of two players with pedigree well above this level, while Julia Riera (#147) and Mary Stoiana (#122) offer the closest thing to a ranking coin-flip. Montreux sends Simona Waltert (#89), the highest-ranked woman in action, against Despina Papamichail on clay that should suit the Swiss, with Fiona Ferro (#141) meeting Barbora Palicova.