PREVIEW US Open ATP & WTA Day Five: Coco Gauff faces Olympic silver medallist, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek also set to play

The fifth day of action is set at the US Open with Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, and Naomi Osaka all ready to light up the courts in New York. Swiatek and Sinner enter Day 5 as standard setters of their respective tours, carrying the weight of expectation for deep runs, while Gauff and Osaka embody the hopes of the home crowd and tennis fans worldwide.

Swiatek, fresh off a dominant first-round performance, looks to continue her relentless march at the US Open, her heavy topspin forehand and tactical acumen making her a constant threat. Sinner, having impressed on the Australian hard courts, combines clean ball-striking with an improved serve, and will be aiming to assert authority in the early rounds to avoid any scare. Each of these players brings a story into the second round: rising stars battling for recognition, champions returning to form, and home favourites hoping to carry the crowd’s energy forward for a thrilling Thursday.

Arthur Ashe Stadium opens with world number 2 Iga Swiatek facing current Dutch number 1 Suzan Lamens at 11:30 a.m. local time. Swiatek, a former US Open champion, has started the tournament strongly, blending aggressive baseline play with tactical intelligence, proceeding past Emiliana Arango 6-1, 6-2. Experience and form clearly favour Swiatek, but in early rounds, the energy of the underdog can often spark memorable moments.

Later in the afternoon, men’s top seed Jannik Sinner takes on Australia’s Alexei Popyrin at 12:40 p.m. local. Sinner, a Wimbledon champion, has shown an impressive combination of power and composure on hard courts. Popyrin, with his booming serve and flat groundstrokes, poses a threat if he can dictate play like he did the one time they played in 2021 where the Australian beat him 7-6, 6-2. Still, Sinner’s consistency and court coverage make him the favourite to progress.

The evening session on Ashe features American star Coco Gauff against Croatian Donna Vekic at 7:00 p.m. local. Gauff, still only 21, has grown into one of the sport’s brightest young talents. Her athleticism and court awareness have already produced standout moments in New York. battling past Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5. Vekic, a former top-20 player and Olympic silver medallist, will test Gauff’s ability to handle aggressive, flat-hitting opponents. Fans can expect long rallies and a high-octane match under the lights.

Closing the Ashe schedule is homegrown Tommy Paul, seeded 14th, who faces Portugal’s Nuno Borges at 8:10 p.m. local. Paul, a semi-regular contender in the second week of majors, will look to assert control with his precise baseline game. Borges, enjoying a solid season, will be eager to take a seeded scalp and make a statement on the big stage after already dispatching of fellow American Brandon Holt 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in the first round.

Looking at the Louis Armstrong stadium, play begins with a compelling men’s clash as Lorenzo Musetti, the 10th seed from Italy, faces veteran Belgian David Goffin at 11:00 a.m. local. Musetti has faced injury struggles ever since his French Open semifinal retirement early in June. Meanwhile, Goffin brings experience and consistency, capable of exploiting any lapses in rhythm making this is a classic battle of flair versus steadiness, and the winner could gain serious momentum heading into the second week.

Next up, the women’s action features Naomi Osaka, seeded 23rd, taking on American Hailey Baptiste. Osaka, continuing her comeback, relies on her trademark power and aggressive baseline game, while Baptiste, a rising 23-year-old, will lean on home support and fearless shot-making. The crowd will likely play a big role in this encounter, and if Baptiste can unsettle Osaka early, there could be a competitive battle on the hands of both players.

The evening session sees a high-profile men’s matchup as third seed Alexander Zverev faces British Jacob Fearnley at 7:00 p.m. local. Zverev, a former US Open finalist, has the firepower to dominate but must manage any lapses in concentration, while the fearless Fearnley will look to turn the lights of New York into an opportunity for a career-defining upset.

Closing Armstrong for the night is women’s 8th seed Amanda Anisimova against Australian Maya Joint at 8:40 p.m. local. Anisimova, coming off solid performances in previous majors like the Wimbledon final, will look to impose her aggressive baseline game, while Joint the 2025 Eastbourne champion and a young up-and-comer, has the chance to make a mark against an established opponent under the stadium lights.

Day 5 also offers plenty of action away from the main stadiums, with early-round matchups on Grandstand, Stadium 17, and the outer courts providing opportunities for surprises and breakout performances. For example, on Grandstand, American wildcard Tristan Boyer takes on 15th seed Andrey Rublev at 11:00 a.m. local. Boyer has nothing to lose and will aim to bring energy and aggression, while Rublev, a former top-10 player, seeks a straightforward path through the early rounds.

Later, Romanian Sorana Cirstea faces Czech Karolina Muchova at 12:40 p.m., a matchup between two crafty, versatile players capable of producing thrilling rallies with the latter looking to back up her strong victory over Venus Williams. Speaking of the 45 year old, she is set to play doubles with Leylah Fernandez as they face the number six seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez, pairing experience and youth against a well-drilled seeded duo.

Fernandez's Canadian comrade, Felix Auger-Aliassime, meets Roman Safiullin at 3:00 p.m., on Court 5, which may be a tough one with the Russian taking out Gael Monfils in his previous encounter. Another storyline to keep an eye on is Coleman Wong, who plays Adam Walton on Court 10, to see if he can continue being the pride of Hong Kong and become the first player from his country to win consecutive Grand Slam main draw matches.

Across the grounds, Day 5 promises to deliver the full spectrum of Grand Slam tennis: power, finesse, tactical battles, and the ever-present chance of upsets. Fans can expect thrilling rallies, standout performances from rising stars, and established players seeking to assert control as the tournament builds toward the second week.