The Athletic is providing live updates for the 2025 U.S. Open, and you can access all U.S. Open coverage as well.
Welcome to the U.S. Open overview, where The Athletic shares insights behind each day’s events during the tournament.
On Day 7, a star returned to an anticipated milestone, the tournament’s five-set contenders faced challenges, and a defending champion overcame difficulties.
Naomi Osaka Returns After Four-Year Absence
It’s surprising to note that the last time Naomi Osaka reached the second week of a Grand Slam, much of the world was still grappling with pandemic restrictions.
During the 2021 Australian Open’s second week, matches were played in nearly empty venues, where Osaka eventually triumphed against Jennifer Brady to secure her fourth Grand Slam title. At that time, she had not yet publicly addressed the toll the sport had taken on her mental health, nor had she taken breaks to manage it, including her 16-month hiatus for motherhood.
However, after an inspiring three-set win against Australia’s Daria Kasatkina, Osaka is now set to face Coco Gauff in the fourth round, a match she has long hoped for since her return to tennis in 2024. She had narrowly missed this opportunity at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.
“Since my return, I wanted everything to happen really quickly,” Osaka said following her victory. After her loss at Wimbledon, she refocused on the process rather than the outcomes, and now things are starting to change positively.
“This journey hasn’t been what I envisioned, but I’m grateful to experience it,” she added.
Jannik Sinner Triumphs Over a Familiar Rival
Jannik Sinner has faced two players who have really tested him in Grand Slams this year, neither of whom is Carlos Alcaraz.
On Saturday at the U.S. Open, Canada’s Denis Shapovalov managed to push Sinner. Shapovalov won the first set and had chances in the third and fourth sets, but ultimately lost to Sinner, ending the match at 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Both players are known for their dynamic shot-making, particularly effective single-handed backhands. While Shapovalov’s approach created opportunities, Sinner demonstrated that he can still find himself under pressure.
As Sinner humorously remarked in his post-match interview: “I’m not a machine, you know. I also struggle sometimes.”
Five-Set Matches Wear Players Down
Flavio Cobolli’s forced retirement during his match against Lorenzo Musetti highlighted the heavy physical toll of five-set encounters. Cobolli retired while trailing 6-3, 6-2, 2-0, suffering from a right arm injury after already playing ten sets in the tournament.
Similar fates befell Kamil Majchrzak and Daniel Altmaier later in the day, both succumbing to the demands of their previous five-set matches. This trend recalls previous Grand Slams where multiple player retirements occurred, raising concerns about the viability of five-set formats in the modern game.
The escalating intensity of the tournament combined with increased match durations suggests that sustaining performance in five-set matches is becoming increasingly challenging for players. Given today’s competitive landscape, many find it hard to remain viable throughout a Grand Slam if required to endure multiple lengthy matches.
Highlights from Day 7
• Coco Gauff (3) advanced to face Osaka with a straightforward win against No. 28 seed Magdalena Fręch, winning 6-3, 6-1.
• Andrey Rublev (15) overcame a scare from Coleman Wong, who made history as Hong Kong’s first man to win a Grand Slam match, prevailing 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
• Iga Świątek (2) delivered a remarkable comeback against Anna Kalinskaya (29), winning 7-6(2), 6-4 after being down 5-1.
• Tommy Paul (14) gave a valiant effort against Alexander Bublik (23), pushing the match before succumbing 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1.
Upcoming Matches
🎾 Jessica Pegula (4) vs. Ann Li
11 a.m. ET on ESPN2/ESPN+
Li, having reached her first WTA Tour final in seven months, hopes for redemption against Pegula, whom she faced in the first round of the French Open.
🎾 Barbora Krejčíková vs. Taylor Townsend
2 p.m. ET (estimated) on ESPN2/ESPN+
Townsend, a recent tournament star, faces Krejčíková, who’s had significant success in singles and doubles.
🎾 Tomáš Macháč (21) vs. Taylor Fritz (4)
4 p.m. ET (estimated) on ESPN2/ESPN+
This matchup follows an intense previous encounter between the two players, adding to its intrigue.
🎾 Elena Rybakina (9) vs. Markéta Vondroušová
9:30 p.m. ET (estimated) on ESPN2/ESPN+
A captivating match of contrasting styles is set to conclude the night, featuring two Wimbledon champions.
