The names are familiar to tennis fans. Naomi Osaka. Aryna Sabalenka. Jessica Pegula. Jannik Sinner. Carlos Alcaraz. Novak Djokovic. They are stars of the sport and each played their way into this year's US Open quarterfinals. Alongside them, talented competitors on the cusp of being among the elite, such as Felix Auger-Aliassime, announced they may be regulars making deep Grand Slam runs for years to come.
The No. 25 seed Auger-Aliassime, a 25-year-old from Montreal, Canada, was on the court yesterday at Arthur Ashe Stadium facing the No. 8 seed, Australian Alex de Minaur, in a men's singles quarterfinals matchup attempting to reach his second US Open semifinals. Auger-Aliassime, whose father is from the West African nation Togo and mother French-Canadian, was a 2021 US Open semifinalist, losing to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev.
In the Round of 16, he earned a 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 Labor Day win over No. 15 Andrey Rublev of Russia, a gratifying accomplishment given Auger-Aliassime was 1-7 in his previous eight matches versus Rublev.
"It was a good win considering our head to head, considering how good he is as a player," he said afterwards. "I was down 4-2 in the first set, but once I settled into the match I felt much better about my chance. From that moment on I felt like I was putting a lot of pressure on him."
Auger-Aliassime shared that he relished his return to the famed US Open venue.
"Today is my first time playing in Arthur Ashe Stadium in a few years and I think it feels even better than the first time," he said. "[In 2021] I was on my way up. I had a few setbacks, injuries, struggles with my confidence. Then to come back the second time in the quarter-finals here, it feels much better, more deserv[ing]."
After defeating No. 3 seed and 2023 women's singles US Open champion Coco Gauff on Monday, No. 23 seed Naomi Osaka, who captured the 2018 and 2020 US Open women's singles titles, met up with No. 11 seed Karolina Muchova of Czechia last night in the quarters with the survivor moving on the semifinals.
On the men's side, Italy's Sinner, the No. 1 seed, took on countryman Lorenzo Musetti, the No. 10 seed, last night in a quarterfinals pairing. With No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz getting eliminated by No. 7 Djokovic 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 late Tuesday night, no American male remains in the singles bracket. The last American male to win the US Open was Andy Roddick in 2003.