US Open WTA Day Four Round-Up | Sabalenka and Pegula make statements as Muchova thrashes Boulter

Thursday, 03 September 2026 at 09:12

Day four delivered a mix of dominant performances and hard-fought battles on the women's side, with Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Muchova producing two of the most emphatic results of the day. Sabalenka dropped just two games against qualifier Polina Iatcenko, while Muchova went one step further by handing Katie Boulter a double bagel. Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini and Marta Kostyuk also advanced in straight sets.

Elina Svitolina provided the day's biggest test, however, needing three sets to overcome Maya Joint after the Australian pushed her all the way. With the US Open schedule again affected by interruptions and delays, the leading contenders continued to navigate the early rounds, with several now moving closer to the second week.

Muchova produces near-perfect performance

Katie Boulter 1-6, 0-6 Karolina Muchova

Karolina Muchova produced one of the most dominant performances of the day, needing just 58 minutes to dispatch Katie Boulter and continue her run in straight sets. After rain interruptions forced the match indoors, the Czech took complete control from the start and never allowed Boulter to establish any rhythm on serve or from the baseline.

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Boulter's only game came after the two players exchanged breaks at the beginning of the match. From there, however, Muchova completely took over, winning 11 consecutive games to close out the match. Her serve was another major difference, as she won 75% of her first-serve points compared with just 33% for Boulter, while the Briton never managed to protect her service consistently.

Muchova was clinical whenever opportunities appeared, converting all seven of her break points and finishing with 14 winners to Boulter's four. She won 68% of all points played, making this about as close to a flawless performance as she could have hoped for.

Pegula makes statement against Kenin

Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-1 Sofia Kenin

Jessica Pegula made another strong statement in her US Open campaign, defeating former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in just 57 minutes. The world No. 3 immediately established the terms of the match by breaking in the opening game and then refusing to give Kenin any way back into the set.

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Pegula's serve allowed her to maintain that advantage with very little difficulty. She won 86% of her first-serve points and, remarkably, did not face a single break point throughout the match. That gave Kenin almost no opportunities to put pressure on her while Pegula continued to create chances at the other end.

The American converted four of eight break opportunities and pulled away decisively in the second set, conceding just one game. Against a former Grand Slam champion, the efficiency of the performance underlined why Pegula is emerging as one of the serious contenders for the title.

Paolini wins all-Italian battle

Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-1 Lucrezia Stefanini

Jasmine Paolini booked her place in the third round of a Grand Slam for another time after overcoming fellow Italian Lucrezia Stefanini in straight sets. The world No. 21 had to work for the opening set, however, recovering from an early break in a contest that quickly became a battle of momentum.

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The first set featured five breaks of serve, with neither player able to establish sustained control. Paolini eventually found the greater consistency at the crucial stage, winning the final three games in a row to turn the set around and take it 6-4. That finish gave her the confidence to take command of the match.

Paolini carried that momentum into the second set, breaking early and then taking control of the longer exchanges. Stefanini could no longer match the 21st seed's consistency, allowing Paolini to pull away and close out the victory comfortably.

Pegula in service position just before the impact.

Kostyuk holds off Stephens

Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 7-5 Sloane Stephens

Marta Kostyuk looked set for a straightforward victory when she raced through the opening set against Sloane Stephens. The Ukrainian broke immediately and then protected her own serve to build a commanding advantage, eventually taking the first set 6-1 and putting the former US Open champion under serious pressure.

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Stephens, though, showed the fighting qualities that have made her such a dangerous player at Flushing Meadows. The 2017 champion kept the second set competitive for long stretches, refusing to allow Kostyuk to run away with the match and maintaining parity deep into the set.

At 5-5, Kostyuk finally found the opening she had been waiting for. She took her chance to break and then held her nerve on serve to close out the 7-5 set and complete the victory. After a one-sided opening set, Stephens had made Kostyuk work for the finish, but the Ukrainian's ability to deliver in the decisive moments proved enough.

Sabalenka drops just two games

Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 6-1 Polina Iatcenko

Aryna Sabalenka continued her dominant US Open title defense with another commanding victory, defeating qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in just 54 minutes. The world No. 1 immediately exposed the difference in experience and power, repeatedly putting Iatcenko under pressure with her return and first-strike tennis.

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Sabalenka won six games by breaking serve and conceded her own service only once. She landed 76% of her first serves and won 75% of those points, leaving Iatcenko with very few opportunities to attack. The qualifier simply could not find enough consistency to withstand the pressure generated by Sabalenka's return games.

The numbers tell the story of a highly one-sided contest: Sabalenka hit 24 winners to Iatcenko's three, while both players finished with 16 unforced errors. After another ruthless performance, the two-time defending champion will face Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round, with the Russian arriving after her surprise first-round victory over two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova.

Svitolina survives Joint thriller

Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 Maya Joint

Elina Svitolina was pushed to the limit by Maya Joint but ultimately avoided one of the day's biggest upsets, overcoming the Australian in three sets. Svitolina made the stronger start and used her consistency from the baseline to take the opening set 6-2, appearing to be on course for a comfortable victory.

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Joint, however, refused to let the match slip away. The Australian raised her level in the second set and managed to stay with Svitolina through the crucial stages before forcing a tiebreak. Joint then held her nerve to level the match and send the contest into a deciding set.

Svitolina responded when it mattered most in the third. The Ukrainian regained control of the exchanges and eventually edged the set 6-4, closing out the win after a much tougher battle than the opening set had suggested. The victory keeps Svitolina's campaign alive, but Joint's resistance ensured she had to work all the way to the finish.

Noskova pulls away after tight start

Taraudee 4-6, 2-6 Linda Noskova

Noskova had to work her way through a competitive opening set before gradually taking control against Taraudee. The Thai player held the slight advantage at 3-2, but Noskova responded by leveling the set and then finding the decisive breakthrough at 3-5. The Wimbledon champion held her nerve to serve out the opener 6-4 and move one set away from victory.

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That momentum carried straight into the second set as Noskova immediately broke Taraudee's serve to take a 1-0 lead. She consolidated the advantage and continued to put pressure on her opponent, opening up a 3-0 lead as Taraudee struggled to halt the Wimbledon champion's momentum. Although Taraudee managed to pull a game back, Noskova remained firmly in control and secured another break to move 5-1 ahead.

With the finish line in sight, Noskova closed out the match without allowing the comeback to develop, completing a 6-4, 6-2 victory. After being tested early, the Wimbledon champion produced a much more authoritative performance as the match progressed, winning the final stages comfortably to book her place in the next round.

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Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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