PREVIEW US Open ATP & WTA Day Four: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Aryna Sabalenka lead the lineup

The fourth day of action is set at the US Open with Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jessica Pegula all taking centre stage as the second round continues in New York. Djokovic and Alcaraz enter Day 4 as some of the standard-bearers of men’s tennis, their rivalry casting a long shadow over the draw.

On the women’s side, Sabalenka resumes her pursuit of redemption for a slamless 2025 and backs up her 2024 US Open championship win, her power and consistency marking her as the player most likely to dictate the fortnight. Pegula, meanwhile, represents the enduring hope of American fans longing for a homegrown champion at the majors. Here is who will be ready to light up Arthur Ashe Stadium on a frenetic Wednesday of tennis.

Arthur Ashe Stadium gets underway with a clash of generations as world number 6 Novak Djokovic faces American qualifier Zachary Svajda at 11:30 a.m. local time. Djokovic is chasing a 25th major title and looked sharp yet physically hampered in his opening match, where he faced a tight second set against Learner Tien. For Svajda, ranked outside the top 100, the challenge is less about expectation and more about seizing the spotlight in front of a home crowd. The gulf in experience is vast, but these matches can often ignite Ashe early in the day if the underdog swings freely.

Following the Serbian superstar will be US Open 2024 finalist, Jessica Pegula against Anna Blinkova (1:10 p.m. local). Pegula has built a reputation for consistency, often reaching the latter stages of majors without quite breaking through. Blinkova, though, is dangerous, having beaten high-profile names in recent years and can be seen as a dark horse who may cause trouble. Pegula will know that she has tonnes of points to defend so this will be a tough round to traverse through if the American wants to back up her success in North America last year.

The evening session on Arthur Ashe is box-office with US Open 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz facing Italy’s Mattia Bellucci (7:00 p.m. local). Alcaraz, with a fresh buzzcut and still just 22, has taken ownership of Ashe’s night stage with his flair and fearless shot-making. The Italian who won the Sumter challenger a few weeks ago without dropping a set has nothing to lose. Yet against Alcaraz’s explosiveness and crowd-pleasing style, the gulf in class could be exposed quickly but do not expect Bellucci to give up too easily.

Closing the Ashe schedule is world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka against Polina Kudermetova (8:40 p.m. local). Sabalenka has been one of the most consistent forces in the women’s game, with her ferocious power from both wings carrying her past a tricky first-round test against Rebeka Masarova, 7-5, 6-1. Kudermetova, ranked outside the top 50, may struggle to absorb the barrage and lacks US Open match reps as she benefited from Nuria Parrizas-Diaz retiring at 2-2 in her first round clash.

Over on Louis Armstrong, the day starts with one of the most intriguing names in the women’s draw: Emma Raducanu (11:00 a.m. local). The 2021 champion is still searching for the form that stunned the tennis world, and faces Indonesian qualifier Janice Tjen, who has been one of the surprise packages of the week. Tjen’s breakthrough moment, inspired by Emma's 2021 US Open run, comes on one of the sport’s grandest stages, where she became the first Indonesian to win a Grand Slam match since Angelique Widjaja at Wimbledon in 2003. Nevertheless, Raducanu’s greater experience and baseline solidity should be enough if she keeps her nerves in check.

American number 1 Taylor Fritz then steps out against South African qualifier Lloyd Harris (1:00 p.m. local). Harris has a pedigree; he reached the US Open quarterfinals in 2021 and is known for his booming serve. Fritz, seeded number 4, is determined to cement his status as the face of U.S. men’s tennis. On paper, Fritz has the edge in both form and ranking, but Harris is the kind of opponent who can make a match messy if he is firing.

In the evening, number 7 seed Jasmine Paolini meets 17-year-old American wildcard Iva Jovic (7:00 p.m. local). Paolini since that French Open final in 2024, has been one of the biggest breakout stars, winning big titles and climbing steadily into the elite. Jovic, though, embodies the new wave of fearless young American hitters. Paolini’s guile and all-court game may test Jovic’s rawness, but this one has upset potential if the crowd gets behind the teenager.

Closing the Armstrong schedule is an eye-catching battle between Ben Shelton and Pablo Carreno Busta (8:10 p.m. local). Shelton’s serve and athleticism electrified New York last year, and he has quickly become a fan favourite. Carreno Busta, however, is vastly experienced and former two time US Open semifinalist. This could well be the most competitive Armstrong match of the day, with Shelton’s explosive power meeting Carreno Busta’s counterpunching nous.

The Grandstand schedule also provides some of the day’s most intriguing contests, beginning with the number 10 seed Emma Navarro against fellow American Catherine McNally. Following that match, Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca will face against number 21 seed, Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic. With Machac’s recurring injury concerns, Joao Fonseca will look to seize the opportunity and make a statement in his US Open Grand Slam debut.

Youngsters on the women's side will also feature in the night session of Grandstand with a compelling all-Russian encounter between Mirra Andreeva and Anastasia Potapova. Filipino teenager Alexandra Eala, already a national sporting icon at just 20, takes on Spain’s Cristina Bucsa on Court 7.

Elsewhere, American number 17 seed Frances Tiafoe takes on compatriot Martin Damm Jr. Tiafoe remains a New York favourite after his semifinal run in 2022, celebrated for his flamboyant shot-making and crowd connection. Damm Jr, making his first appearance on a stage of this magnitude, faces both the occasion and Tiafoe’s ability to ignite the home crowd.

With so many high-profile names and compelling early-round clashes, Day 4 of the US Open promises both star power and potential upsets. As play unfolds, expect the storylines of this year’s Open to take shape, reminding fans once again why Flushing Meadows remains one of the sport’s most electric stages.