US Open 2026 Day Five: Second Round Kicks Into Gear After Rain-Disrupted Week
The US Open's second round finally got rolling on day five at Flushing Meadows, with play starting at 11am New York time (4pm BST) after rain interruptions earlier in the week had backed up the schedule. The first round concluded on September 3, clearing the way for a packed slate of second-round matches across the day and night sessions. The Guardian
The day session featured a blend of established names and fresh faces. On the men's side, Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti, Flavio Cobolli and Felix Auger-Aliassime all took to court, while Taylor Fritz carried American hopes. The women's draw saw Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva, Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova in action during daylight hours.
Britain had two players involved in second-round ties: Fran Jones faced Iva Jovic, and Harriet Dart took on Czech 25th seed Marie Bouzkova — the seeding that protects higher-ranked players from meeting each other early in the tournament. The Guardian
The night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium — the tournament's 23,000-seat centrepiece — brought out the headline acts. Coco Gauff, Alexander Zverev, Elena Rybakina and the ever-popular Gael Monfils were all scheduled under the lights, the session that traditionally draws the biggest and loudest crowds of the day.
This tournament has already produced its share of storylines. Naomi Osaka survived two tiebreaks in her first-round match, completing victory in just over two hours, while Iga Swiatek cruised through her opener with far less fuss. SABC Sport
The two have history worth noting. At last year's US Open, Amanda Anisimova upset Swiatek 6-4, 6-3 in a result that sent the then-world No. 1 packing. Osaka, meanwhile, defeated Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-2 at the 2025 US Open in their Arthur Ashe meeting. Both results linger as context for this year's draw, even as the 2026 field reshuffles the matchups. USOpen.org
One name generating particular buzz is Alexandra Eala, the Filipino player described as a rising phenom drawing fan mania at this year's tournament. Her presence adds a fresh thread to a draw already thick with narrative. The Guardian
Carlos Alcaraz, who dispatched Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round, looms as a major presence in the men's draw as the tournament moves toward the third round on Saturday, September 5. USOpen.org
For fans, the rain may have frustrated the opening days, but it has compressed the action into a dense, high-stakes stretch. More matches per day means more tennis — and less margin for the players to find their rhythm. The second round is where the draw starts to bite: seeds meet tougher opponents, and the distance to the second week shortens with every session.
