US Open WTA Day Three Round-Up | Alex Eala cruises, Sakkari completes epic comeback as Rybakina starts No. 1 push
WTAWednesday, 02 September 2026 at 07:59
Day three of the US Open saw several of the leading contenders make their first-round progress, with Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Elena Rybakina and Madison Keys all advancing in convincing fashion. Alexandra Eala also joined them in the second round, while Maria Sakkari produced one of the day's biggest comebacks after recovering from a difficult start against Robin Montgomery.
Rain again played a major role in the schedule, with long delays forcing some matches to begin hours later than planned and others to be suspended. Rybakina's return to Flushing Meadows was one of the main storylines after her recent leg injury, while Andreeva and Gauff avoided major trouble to continue their campaigns.
Keys puts first-round disappointment behind her
Madison Keys 7-5, 6-4 Alina Korneeva
Madison Keys avoided another first-round disappointment at the US Open, defeating Alina Korneeva in straight sets. The American controlled the key moments of a tight opening set, breaking ahead and moving into a 4-2 lead before Korneeva fought back to level at 5-5. Keys did not let the setback derail her, though, immediately finding another break before serving out the set 7-5.
The second set followed a similar pattern. Keys established a 4-2 advantage again, but Korneeva refused to go away and recovered the break to make the score 4-4. The American responded by raising her level when the match was at its most important, breaking once more and then holding serve to complete the victory.
Keys' serving also improved as the match progressed. After landing only 48% of her first serves in the opening set, she pushed that figure to nearly 70% in the second, giving Korneeva fewer opportunities to attack her second serve. The victory is particularly significant after Keys, despite winning the 2025 Australian Open, suffered a first-round exit at last year's US Open.
Rybakina answers fitness concerns
Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-2 Thea Frodin
Elena Rybakina entered New York with questions surrounding her fitness after withdrawing from Cincinnati with a leg injury, but the second seed offered few reasons for concern in her opening match. She dealt comfortably with American teenager Thea Frodin to begin her campaign with a straightforward victory.
Frodin had plenty of attention on her side before the match, making her Grand Slam main-draw debut five years after portraying a young Serena Williams in King Richard. The 17-year-old showed why she has generated interest, hitting 11 aces and producing 19 winners, but Rybakina was considerably more efficient. The Kazakh finished with 17 winners and only 11 unforced errors compared with 21 from Frodin.
The result also keeps Rybakina's hopes of challenging for the world No. 1 ranking alive. She will now look ahead to the second round after completing a match that suggested the leg issue that forced her out of Cincinnati is no longer restricting her.
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan celebrates after defeating Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, during round of 16 National Bank Open
Andreeva makes near-perfect start
Mirra Andreeva 6-2, 6-2 Janice Tjen
Mirra Andreeva needed just over an hour to make a statement in her first match as a Grand Slam champion. The fifth seed was in control from the moment she produced a fierce forehand winner to break for 3-2 in the opening set, and she never allowed Janice Tjen to establish any real foothold.
Andreeva was particularly impressive behind her first serve, landing 80% and winning 85% of those points. She did not face a single break point while converting all four of her opportunities against Tjen. The difference in attacking quality was also clear, with Andreeva producing 18 winners to just nine from her Indonesian opponent.
The French Open champion won 65% of all points played and completed the match in just 69 minutes. It was one of the most convincing performances of the day, and Andreeva will face Eva Lys in the second round.
Sakkari turns the match around
Maria Sakkari 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 Robin Montgomery
Maria Sakkari looked to be heading towards an early exit when Robin Montgomery moved 4-0 ahead in the second set, leaving the Greek two sets away from another disappointing Grand Slam result. Instead, Sakkari produced the comeback of the day, completely changing the direction of the match.
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The former world No. 3 suddenly began finding more depth and consistency from the baseline, winning five games in a row to erase Montgomery's double-break advantage. Sakkari eventually won 13 of the next 16 games, turning a match that had appeared firmly in Montgomery's hands into one she controlled.
Montgomery did make one final push, breaking back at 5-5 and saving several set points soon afterwards. It was not enough. Sakkari stayed composed through the pressure and continued to dominate the longer exchanges, eventually completing the turnaround to reach the second round, where she will meet Ukraine's Yulia Starodubtseva.
Gauff stays composed under the roof
Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-4 Zeynep Sonmez
Coco Gauff avoided the rain entirely under the closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but Zeynep Sonmez initially made the match far more competitive than the final score suggested. Both players held comfortably early on, with the Turkish showing enough conviction to stay with the 2023 champion from the baseline.
The opening set was ultimately decided by one loose service game from Sonmez. Gauff took advantage of the opportunity and then held onto the advantage without facing serious trouble. The American immediately applied more pressure in the second, breaking early to put herself in front again.
Sonmez responded by winning three straight games as Gauff's level dipped, and the Turkish player even earned a match point on Gauff's serve late in the contest. But Gauff recovered her composure when it mattered most, winning four of the final five games to close out the victory and move into the second round.
Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates after defeating Jessica Pegula of the United States 6-2, 6-4 to win the women's singles final at the Cincinnati Open
Eala dominates Stoiana on US Open debut
Mary Stoiana 1-6, 2-6 Alexandra Eala
Alexandra Eala made an emphatic start to her US Open campaign, brushing aside qualifier Mary Stoiana 6-1, 6-2 to reach the second round. The Filipina immediately took control of the contest, breaking early and racing to a 5-0 lead before Stoiana finally got on the scoreboard, with Eala closing out the opening set shortly afterwards.
Stoiana showed more resistance at the start of the second set, holding serve and moving 2-1 ahead as she briefly managed to disrupt Eala's rhythm. The Filipina responded immediately, though, reclaiming the advantage with a break for 4-2 before breaking again to move within a game of victory. She then served out the match without any further drama.
Eala's numbers underlined just how dominant the performance was. She won 78% of her first-serve points, saved all six break points she faced and converted four of her eight break opportunities. With the crowd strongly behind her throughout, Eala looked comfortable from start to finish and completed a convincing victory on her US Open main-draw debut.
Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist
Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.
Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.
He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.
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