... And We're Headed to the Quarterfinals

Love-Love Letter #22 | Aug 26 - Sept 1

Your tennis cheat sheet — for fans who like the game, but don’t want to live on Tennis Twitter.

🌍 Where in the World Are We?

We’re entering the second week at the US Open (see: the final tournament on the North America hard court circuit and the last - and best if I do say so myself - Grand Slam of the year). The Round of 16 wrapped up on Monday, and starting today, it’s all about the quarterfinals both in the men's and women's draws.

What’s happening:

• Weather check: Absolutely spectacular so far in New York - virtually no rain delays and conditions have been more like California than the Northeast’s standard August heat brutality.

• Withdrawal & retirement wave: Jack Draper pulled out due to a persistent left‑arm injury. Sebastian Korda, Ben Shelton, Flavio Cobolli, Daniel Altmaier, and Kamil Majchrzak all withdrew mid-match. It feels like injuries have been plaguing the men’s side wayyy more than normal.

• The Men’s quarterfinalists: Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, and Carlos Alcaraz (very unsurprising); Lorenzo Musetti, Jiri Lehecka, and Alex de Minaur (pretty unsurprising); Felix Auger-Aliassime (quite surprising).

• The Women’s quarterfinalists: Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, Barbora Krejčíková, Markéta Vondroušová, Naomi Osaka, Karolína Muchová, Amanda Anisimova, and Iga Świątek (no real surprises here - all of these have previously been/won on the largest stages of the sport).

✅ Results You Should Know

Barbora Krejčíková def. Taylor Townsend, 1-6, 7-6(13), 6-3 (4R)
💡Why it matters: Krejčíková saved eight match points in one of the boldest comebacks of the year while Townsend was attempting to make her first singles major quarterfinals of her career. Tough loss is an understatement, but Taylor’s got incredible grit and an incredible attitude about it.

Naomi Osaka def. Coco Gauff, 6-3, 6-2 (4R)
💡Why it matters: Osaka’s return to form is undeniable and she’s back in a Slam quarterfinal for the first time since 2021. Gauff has had a rough couple of weeks: she changed coaches just a week before the tournament and struggled heavily with both her serves and nerves in the early rounds,

Jannik Sinner def. Alexander Bublik, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 (4R)
💡Why it matters: Sinner crushed the match in just 81 minutes - an emphatic display that reinforced his hard-court dominance (OK, or just overall dominance). Part 1 of the “New Two” is in full force.

Carlos Alcaraz def. Arthur Rinderknech, 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-4 (4R)
💡Why it matters: Alcaraz continues his relentless march through the draw - his sharp, aggressive game underlines why he’s a top Slam contender when he’s locked in. Part 2 of the “New Two” is in full force.

Felix Auger-Aliassime def. Andrey Rublev, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 (4R)
💡Why it matters: Back-to-back wins over consistent top-10 players (Zverev and now Rublev) signal that Felix is turning his form around after a few years of not being part of the conversation around top players and Grand Slam contenders.

🔥 Can’t-Miss Highlights

🎥 Krejčíková with some insane match-point shot-making
Taking “holding your nerve” to an entirely new level.
▶️ Watch the end of the second set here (start at 6:06)

🎥 An Alcaraz classic
A “there’s-no-way-he-can-win-this-point-but-then-he-does”.
▶️ Watch here (start at 0:00)

📆 What to Watch For

📺 How to Watch 

• In the U.S., tune into the US Open on ESPN/ESPN+ starting at 11:30am.

There are four quarterfinals matches today:

• Jessica Pegula vs. Barbora Krejčíková (11:30am ET)
  💡Pegula hasn’t dropped a set all tournament, but Krejčíková’s craft and her Houdini-like escape against Townsend make this a battle of steadiness versus survival instinct.

• Aryna Sabalenka vs. Markéta Vondroušová (7:00pm ET)
  💡Why it matters: The defending champ’s raw power goes up against Vondroušová’s slicing, off-pace variety expect some momentum swings.

• Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jiří Lehečka (~12:40pm ET)
  💡Why it matters: Alcaraz is looking almost untouchable, but Lehečka brings fearless firepower that could push him out of rhythm.

• Novak Djokovic vs. Taylor Fritz (~8:20pm ET)
  💡Why it matters: Djokovic is chasing Slam No. 25, while Fritz, backed by a raucous home crowd, is still searching for his first win over the Serb (0-10 lifetime).

📰 Other Happenings (“Drama”)

Hat drama with Polish CEO
A viral moment unfolded when Polish CEO Piotr Szczerek grabbed an autographed cap midair while player Kamil Majchrzak was gifting it to a child. The backlash was swift - Szczerek issued a public apology, returned the cap, and Majchrzak later personally reunited with the fan to make things right.

Townsend/Ostapenko altercation
Following her second-round win, Taylor Townsend sparked a heated on‑court exchange when Jelena Ostapenko accused her of having “no class” and “no education.” Ostapenko has since issued a written apology on social media, attributing the misstep to translation errors and expressing intent to learn from the moment. Mhhhmmmmmmm.

Venus & Leylah’s doubly good fun
Doubles partners Venus Williams (45) and Leylah Fernandez have charmed crowds and have now advanced to the quarterfinals, defeating the 12th seeds in straight sets. Their chemistry on court - and Venus’s call for Serena to sit in the box / Serena’s ‘jealousy’ TikTok post - have made their run feel equal parts nostalgic and heartwarming.

👗 An Outfit Worth Seeing

Osaka Amazes

• The Look: A vibrant clementine-red Nike dress with a bubble-hem skirt, crystal embellishments, and matching warm-up jacket. She topped it off with rhinestone rose details in her hair and a glittery “Labubu” courtside accessory that had social media buzzing.

• Why It Stands Out: Osaka didn’t just return to Slam form on the court—she also returned as a style setter. The outfit balanced performance with statement sparkle, leaning into both tennis tradition and a playful, modern edge.

• Vibe Check: Confident, radiant, and just a little extra. Exactly the energy you’d expect from a former champion announcing, “I’m back.”