Navarro Stuns Seventh Seed Muchova; Sabalenka Stays on Title Course

Navarro Delivers the Tournament's Biggest WTA Upset

The US Open women's draw lost its highest remaining seed on Friday when Emma Navarro defeated seventh seed Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5 in a controlled, composed performance that marked Navarro's third victory over a top-10 opponent in 2026. The 26th seed did her best work from the baseline, absorbing Muchova's varied shot-making before dictating the key moments — breaking serve in the penultimate game of the opening set and holding firm when the Czech pressed late in the second.

Muchova's presence at the US Open had carried an asterisk from the start. The former French Open finalist had undergone minor surgery after reaching the Wimbledon final in July, and her 22 unforced errors in the opening set hinted at a player who had not quite found tournament rhythm since that intervention. She broke back briefly to level at 5-5 in the second set, but Navarro held her nerve and converted her second opportunity to serve for the match.

The American, who made the semi-finals at this tournament in 2024, will face either Elina Svitolina or Anna Kalinskaya in the round of 16 — a draw section that has opened considerably with Muchova's exit.

Sabalenka Maintains Relentless Pace

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka was equally authoritative in her third-round match, defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4. The top seed, who has won the US Open title in the past and arrives at Flushing Meadows as the clear favourite, fired 29 winners and 10 aces across the two sets. Rakhimova managed a brief run of games in the second set but could not sustain any pressure against a Sabalenka who has looked increasingly settled as the tournament has progressed.

The Belarusian has yet to face a seeded opponent through three rounds — a source of frustration for some observers, but also a sign that she is managing her energy carefully ahead of the business end of the draw.

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Pegula Recovers from Opening-Set Shock Against Fernandez

Third seed Jessica Pegula faced a sterner test than her eventual 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 scoreline might suggest. Canadian Leylah Fernandez took the first set in dominant fashion, breaking early and serving it out with barely a nervous moment. Pegula, however, resettled between sets and found a different gear in the second and third, breaking serve at the decisive moments to grind out a win that extended her streak of reaching the US Open fourth round for a fifth consecutive year. As the home crowd's second-favourite behind Navarro on the day, she received strong support throughout the recovery.

Eyes on Gauff, Swiatek and Rybakina Still to Come

The women's draw picture remains incomplete on Saturday, with fourth seed Coco Gauff, eighth seed Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina all still scheduled to complete their third-round matches. Their results will define the shape of the last 16, but Friday already delivered its most dramatic storyline: Navarro's elimination of Muchova has pried open a quarter of the draw that many expected the Czech to reach at minimum. With the home crowd behind her and momentum from a major scalp, Navarro enters the second week as a genuine contender.