US Open 2026 Day Four: Sabalenka, Tiafoe and Medvedev Advance
- Novak Djokovic advanced to the third round of the French Open after defeating home favorite Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
- The fourth day of the tournament brought a series of grueling physical battles and notable exits across the grounds in Paris.
- Additional men's second-round results saw Alexander Zverev defeat Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, and Casper Ruud eliminate Hamad Medjedovic 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Novak Djokovic advanced to the third round of the French Open after defeating home favorite Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The 24-time Grand Slam champion controlled the opening two sets before dropping a tight third-set tie-break when he squandered a match point, allowing Royer to force a fourth set. Djokovic quickly regrouped, securing an early break in the fourth set to close out the match in just over three hours. The victory extends Djokovic’s winning streak against French players to 30 matches.
Day Four Upsets and Marathons at Roland Garros
The fourth day of the tournament brought a series of grueling physical battles and notable exits across the grounds in Paris. No. 21 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina fell 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-3 to Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante. Following the match, it was revealed that Fokina had been abruptly abandoned mid-tournament by his coach, Mariano Puerta, who reportedly sent a long WhatsApp message announcing his departure before blocking Fokina and his wife and flying to Miami. In another demanding encounter, No. 26 seed Jakub Mensik outlasted Mariano Navone 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(11) in a heavy cramp-ridden five-set struggle. Elsewhere in the men’s draw, 19-year-old Rafael Jodar continued his breakout 2026 season by defeating James Duckworth 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-5 to reach the third round of a major for the first time. Jodar holds a 17-3 clay-court record at tour level for the season, marking the second-best start through 20 matches in the Open Era behind Andy Roddick.
Notable Winners in the Singles Draws
Additional men’s second-round results saw Alexander Zverev defeat Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, and Casper Ruud eliminate Hamad Medjedovic 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Andrey Rublev overcame Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), and Karen Khachanov edged Marco Trungelliti 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(4). Meanwhile, 19-year-old Joao Fonseca mounted a notable comeback from two sets down to defeat Dino Prizmic 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, setting up a third-round clash against Djokovic.
