Naomi Osaka's wait for a deep run into a grand slam rolls on after the former world number one was beaten by Karolina Muchova at the US Open.

Osaka, a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows, lost 6-3 7-6 (7-5) on Thursday.

She came up against a player in fine form in Muchova, with the Czech displaying the quality that saw her reach the semi-finals a year ago.

"I was just really trying to be focused," Muchova said.

"I know she's an amazing player and that I have to bring the A-game to have a chance. So I was just trying to be really focused on myself. I knew I had to serve well because her serve is really good. So I was just trying to be kind of locked in myself and focused out there."

"Then the energy and the big court and all that, it for sure helps me. I like that."

Osaka, meanwhile, suggested the nerves got to her on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I think during the pressure moments I got nervous," Osaka said, and I don't know if I just have to keep playing more matches and get used to that feeling, especially on a really big stage.

"Honestly, if I get past the disappointment, I feel pretty proud of myself to have gotten that many opportunities while still feeling like I could have played much better."

Data Debrief: Fifth time's the charm?

Muchova is one of nine players to have defeated five former world number ones at grand slam events.

However, out of those, she is the only active player yet to win a major or a WTA 1000 title. Will that change in New York?

Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock defeat to Botic Van de Zandschulp at the US Open.

Alcaraz, the French Open and Wimbledon champion, had been tipped to win a third major of the year at Flushing Meadows.

However, the Spaniard's hopes of becoming just the third player to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same season were dashed by unseeded Dutchman Van de Zandschulp in the second round.

Van de Zandschulp prevailed 6-1 7-5 6-4 to cause the tournament's first huge shock.

"I think my level stayed at the same point all the match," said Alcaraz, who had won his previous 15 grand slam matches.

"It wasn't enough to win the match or to give myself the chance to get into the match or try to give myself chances.

"I didn't feel well hitting the ball. I think I made a lot of mistakes. When I wanted to come back, it was too late.

"He didn't make a lot of mistakes that I thought he was going to do so I was confused a little bit. I didn't know how to manage that.

"I came here with not as much energy as I thought that I was going to come with. But I don't want to put that as an excuse."

Data Debrief: Dutch delight

This was Van de Zandschulp's second career win over a top-five opponent, as he became just the second Dutch player to achieve that feat at the US Open, while he is the first from his nation to defeat a top-three player since 1991. 

Indeed, Van de Zandschulp, who will face Jack Draper next, snapped a 43-match losing streak for Dutch players against ATP top 10 opponents at the majors.

Iga Swiatek cruised into the third round of the US Open with a commanding straight sets win over Ena Shibahara in 64 minutes at Flushing Meadows. 

Swiatek, who won the title in New York in 2022, made just six unforced errors as she triumphed 6-0 6-1 against her Japanese opponent. 

A dominant opening service game set the tone for the encounter, with the world number one racing into a 4-0 lead in double quick time before closing out the first set. 

Shibahara, however, would get her first and only game on the board early in the second, but had to do so by saving three break points to hold her serve. 

From then on, Swiatek took control, dropping just four points in the final three games to comfortably progress to the next round without breaking a sweat.

Swiatek will face the winner of Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova's encounter for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition on Saturday.

Data Debrief: Super Swiatek rolls on

Swiatek is the fifth player in the Open Era to reach the round of 32 in 19 consecutive women’s singles grand slam tournaments, after Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez.

The Pole is also the youngest player to win 20 of her first 22 second round appearances in women’s singles grand slam since Victoria Azarenka in 2012, who won 21 of her first 22 second round appearances.

Jannik Sinner continued his quest for US Open glory in impressive fashion by beating home hopeful Alex Michelsen in straight sets at Flushing Meadows. 

Sinner, who is aiming to secure a second grand slam of 2024, needed just an hour and 39 minutes to dispatch his American opponent, emerging a 6-4 6-0 6-2 victor.  

The world number one navigated a difficult opening set, seeing his opening game break evaporate immediately before a break point in the ninth game gave him the early advantage. 

Sinner would showcase his class in the second, dropping 11 points throughout the entirety of the set to go within touching distance of advancing to the third round. 

Michelsen would match his opponent for the opening games of the third set, but a break in the fifth game proved decisive, with Sinner able to cruise to victory from then on.

The Italian's triumph set up a meeting with Australian Christopher O'Connell after overcoming a scare against Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in four sets. 

Data Debrief: The Italian job

Sinner's triumph over Michelsen saw him achieve consecutive 50-win seasons at ATP level, becoming the first Italian in the Open Era to reach that number.

The world number one impressed on serve, winning 30 of his 37 first-serve points, while also hitting 23 winners compared to the American's 15. 

Novak Djokovic said he "served awful" after progressing to the third round of the US Open.

Djokovic was being pushed hard by his Serbian compatriot Laslo Djere in Wednesday's headline clash at Flushing Meadows.

Indeed, the reigning champion needed two hours to take the first two sets, but Djere was eventually forced to retire through injury, handing Djokovic a 6-4 6-4 2-0 victory.

"It was a big fight, more than two hours for two sets," Djokovic said.

"I served awful and without the serve, you have to grind, you have to run."

The victory brought up Djokovic's 90th match win at the US Open, moving him one clear of Roger Federer, with only Jimmy Connors (98) ahead of the 37-year-old.

"It doesn't get bigger than this in terms of a tennis stage," said Djokovic, who will face Australia's Alexei Popyrin in the next round.

"The atmosphere is incredible and it's a great privilege to be able to play here again at my age."

Data Debrief: Djokovic stands alone

Djokovic is now the only male player in the Open Era to win at least 90 matches at each of the four grand slams.

This win also improved Djokovic's career record against Djere to 3-0. His overall record against fellow Serbians, meanwhile, stands at 30-5, while he has only lost once in 19 hard-court matches against his compatriots, going down to Janko Tipsarevic at the ATP Finals in 2011.

Aryna Sabalenka is taking inspiration from the next generation of tennis fans as she aims to win the US Open, after her third-round win over Lucia Bronzetti.

Sabalenka made light work of the Italian on Wednesday, winning 6-3 6-1 to seal her place in round three.

Last year's runner-up did not face a single break point and converted four of the eight she forced.

After her victory, Sabalenka welcomed a young girl from the crowd onto the court for a photo.

In her post-match interview, the Belarusian said: "That means a lot, it's something that keeps me going. To see the young generation being inspired by me - this is what it's all about. I'm a little bit in shock because this is such an inspiration for me."

There was no such luck for Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who suffered a straight-sets loss to Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Krejcikova has failed to progress beyond round two at the US Open since she reached the quarters in 2021.

Data Debrief: Hard court specialist Sabalenka

Sabalenka tussled with Iga Swiatek on the clay courts earlier this season, but the world number two is excellent on the hard surface too.

Among active players, Sabalenka (80.6%, 45-11) trails only Naomi Osaka (81%, 47-11) in terms of win percentage on hard courts at grand slam events.

Carlos Alcaraz insisted he is not thinking about Rafael Nadal's grand slam record following his triumph over Australian qualifier Li Tu at the US Open. 

Alcaraz was able to overcome a scrappy second set to win 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-1 at Flushing Meadows, serving eight aces and producing 50 winners to his opponents' 19. 

The Spaniard started strongly, finding himself a set and a break to the good before four double faults in the second allowed Tu a way back into the contest. 

However, the world number three would recover, dominating the third as he confirmed his progression to the next round with a love game in the final set. 

Alcaraz is aiming to become the third man in history after Rod Laver and Nadal to win the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in the same calendar year. 

"Well, after this interview I’m going to try to pretend I never heard that," Alcaraz told ESPN when asked about the statistic. 

"Obviously it would be a great achievement if I make it, but it is going to be difficult."

The Olympic silver medallist faces Botic van de Zandschulp in the next round after the Dutchman defeated Denis Shapovalov in straight sets. 

Data Debrief: Alcaraz continues grand slam winning streak

Alcaraz's triumph at Flushing Meadows was his 15th grand slam victory in a row, last losing in a major tournament against Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open quarter-finals. 

Among players to begin their career in the Open Era, only John McEnroe (69) has achieved 60 men's singles match wins at grand slam events in fewer matches than Alcaraz (70), following the latter's win over Tu.

Emma Raducanu is hoping lessons will be learned from her first round defeat to Sofia Kenin at the US Open. 

Raducanu, who won the tournament 2021, lost in three sets 1-6 6-3 4-6 to her American opponent at Flushing Meadows, reducing her to tears after the encounter. 

After being outplayed by Kenin in the opening set, the world number 72 responded in the second to take the match the distance in New York. 

However, despite serving four of her six aces during the contest in the final set, Kenin would prove too strong to secure an all-American encounter with Jessica Pegula in the round of 64.

"I feel down, I feel sad," an emotional Raducanu said. "Obviously, this is a tournament I really want to do well in. 

"I was maybe a bit slow starting. I would have preferred to probably play, a little bit more before coming into the US Open."

"You know, I know when I have a lot of matches, just like every player, you feel really good. You feel like everything's automatic.

"So yeah, I think I can learn from it. And you know my manage my schedule slightly differently."

Data Debrief: Raducanu loses the battle of former grand slam winners

Raducanu's match against Kenin is the second R128 match at this year's US Open between two former women’s singles grand slam winners.

And while not at her best, Kenin was able to showcase her resilience that won her the Australian Open in 2020, saving six of the nine break points she faced. 

Aryna Sabalenka made light work of Priscilla Hon to kick-start her US Open campaign in confident fashion on Sunday.

Sabalenka, who reached the final last year before losing out to Coco Gauff, did not face one break point in the first set and recovered from an indifferent start to the second to stroll into the second round with a 6-3 6-3 victory.

The Belarusian has won the last 12 sets she has played following on from her victory at the Cincinnati Masters, and this was her 40th Tour-level win this year.

Sabalenka will face Italy's Lucia Bronzetti in the second round on Wednesday.

Data debrief: Sabalenka keeps up hard-court form

This was Sabalenka's 24th WTA-level victory on hard courts this year.

Only two players have recorded more victories on the surface in 2024 - Emma Navarro (26) and world number one Iga Swiatek (25).

Novak Djokovic was not at his best to start his US Open title defence, but still eased beyond Radu Albot in straight sets.

Djokovic, who is hunting his first grand slam title of the year on the back of claiming Olympic gold in Paris, won 6-2 6-2 6-4 on Sunday.

However, Djokovic was not at his best, making 40 unforced errors and 10 double faults.

"I wanted to kick start the tournament in the right way and I think I did," Djokovic told ESPN.

"Some ups and downs which I think is normal, getting the rust off your shoulders coming off a different surface and the Olympic Games.

"I haven't played on hard courts for six months, so I'm still finding that groove, finding the tempo on the court."

Next up for Djokovic, who would claim his 100th Tour-level title should he triumph in New York, is his compatriot Laslo Djere, who defeated Jan-Lennard Struff.

Data Debrief: Djokovic equals Federer

Only the great Jimmy Connors (98) has won more US Open singles matches than Djokovic, who claimed his 89th victory at Flushing Meadows to match Roger Federer's tally.

This was also Djokovic's 78th win at Arthur Ashe Stadium, a competition record for a male player.

The final grand slam of the season is already upon us, with the US Open getting going on Monday.

Flushing Meadows will welcome the best and brightest as they aim to light up New York City, where home favourite Coco Gauff will be the defending women's singles champion.

She clinched her maiden major title at Arthur Ashe Stadium last year, overcoming Aryna Sabalenka 2-6 6-3 6-2.

Gauff will be the third seed at this year's tournament, with Sabalenka second and world number one – the fearsome Iga Swiatek – rated as the favourite.

With the help of Opta data, we look into the likely challengers for this year's title.

Will Swiatek cap stellar year?

Swiatek has won 55 matches in 2024, which is the most of any player on the WTA Tour. She also has the longest winning streak in Tour-level events this season, too, having reeled off 21 straight victories.

The all-conquering Pole has won six Tour-level events this term – the United Cup, Qatar Open, Indian Wells Open, Madrid Open, Italian Open and French Open. Unsurprisingly, Swiatek also has the best win percentage of any player across 2024 (88.7%, having lost just seven of her 62 matches).

Swiatek – who clinched bronze at the Paris Olympics – has won all six finals she has been involved in this term, becoming the third player this century after the Williams sisters to triumph in their first six finals of a season across multiple years (2022 and 2024).

The 23-year-old holds a record of 79-17 at grand slams, and the best winning percentage of any active player (82.3%). Among players to have started their career in the Open Era, only six players could achieve 80 wins in fewer major matches than Swiatek (97) – Monica Seles (86), Chris Evert (89), Martina Hingis (92), Serena Williams, Steffi Graf (93 each) and Venus Williams (94).

She will face qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova in the first round. Swiatek has won in straight sets in all her previous eight matches against qualifiers or lucky losers, while she is also undefeated in her five first-round ties at the US Open.

In fact, the last time Swiatek lost in the opening match of an event was at the WTA Finals 2021 in Guadalajara. She has played 48 tournaments since then without ever falling at the first hurdle (United Cup and Olympics included). 

Among current players with 10+ main draw matches played at the US Open, only Bianca Andreescu (85.7%) and Naomi Osaka (81.5%) have a higher winning percentage at Flushing Meadows than Swiatek (80.0%).

Sabalenka on song

Swiatek and Sabalenka tussled on the clay courts earlier in the season, but the latter has endured a difficult summer swing and had to skip the Olympics.

But she returned to form at the Cincinnati Open, triumphing over Jessica Pegula to claim her second title of the season.

Her first was the Australian Open, and that means Sabalenka could become the first woman to win both hard-court grand slams in the same year since Angelique Kerber in 2016. Indeed, since the Australian Open switched to hard court in 1988, the Belarusian could be the fifth woman to reach both hard-court major finals in successive seasons after Graf (1988-90, 1993-94), Seles (1991-92), Hingis (1997-99) and Victoria Azarenka (2012-13).

Like Swiatek, Sabalenka will take on a qualifier (Priscilla Hon) in round one. She won her previous meeting with Hon, back in Mumbai in 2017. The top two seeds will both face qualifiers in the first round of a grand slam for the first time since the Australian Open 1996 (Seles and Conchita Martinez).

Sabalenka is undefeated in her six first-round ties at Flushing Meadows, while she is aiming to be the fourth player in the Open Era to win the title in Cincinnati and New York in the same season, with Gauff having done just that last year.

Only Swiatek (25) and Emma Navarro (24) have won more hard-court matches than Sabalenka in 2024 (23), while the previous season's runner-up at the US Open has only lost in the first round on one occasion in the Open Era (Pam Shriver in 1979).

Gauff and Pegula the fan favourites

The Olympics ultimately ended in tears and frustration for Gauff, and after reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open and French Open, her season is somewhat threatening to peter out. Indeed, her only title this year came in the first tournament of the campaign, in Auckland.

Yet as one of four American players since 2000 to win the singles title at the US Open, she will be fiercely determined to retain her crown at Flushing Meadows and will be backed by vociferous home support.

The world number three is not the only home favourite in with a firm chance, though.

Pegula won nine successive main-draw matches, equalling her longest career winning streak, across her campaigns at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, before losing to Sabalenka in the final of the latter tournament.

The sixth seed could become only the fourth player in the Open Era to reach the singles finals at the Canadian Open, Cincinnati Open and US Open in a season after Rosemary Casals (1970), Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1973) and Serena Williams (2013).

The other contenders

Emma Raducanu has not had quite the hard-court swing she would have liked, but the youngster triumphed in New York as a teenager back in 2021, and will be one to keep an eye on.

Jasmine Paolini heads to Flushing Meadows fresh from claiming Olympic gold at Roland-Garros, where she also reached the French Open final earlier this year. The Italian has both hit the most winners (409) and converted the most break points (80) in singles matches at grand slams in 2024.

She will go up against 2019 US Open winner Bianca Andreescu in round one, making the duo the first players to face each other in the women's singles at Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows in the same season since Serena Williams and Justine Henin in 2007.

Elena Rybakina, meanwhile, has served the most aces (85) at majors this year.

Then there is two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka. She will go up against Jelena Ostapenko, and combined with Sofia Kenin taking on Raducanu, it makes this tournament the first time that two former grand slam winners are taking each other on in first-round ties in New York since 2019.

When Novak Djokovic triumphed at Flushing Meadows last year, he surely thought the outright record for grand slam titles was all but his.

Yet just shy of a year later, Djokovic is still waiting for his 25th major win - and the one that would take him clear of Margaret Court, making him the undisputed greatest of all time.

He came close at Wimbledon, but Carlos Alcaraz ultimately had too much, with the Spaniard winning the final in straight sets.

Alcaraz, the 2022 US Open champion, will be one of the most likely candidates scrapping it out for Djokovic's crown over the next two weeks, along with world number one Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic avenged that Wimbledon defeat with a 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) win over Alcaraz in the final of the Paris Olympics, with the 37-year-old ending his wait for a gold medal.

But while that gold is now hanging around his neck (or, in his trophy cabinet, which must be pretty big), it did not settle Djokovic's desire for that record-breaking major triumph. His next tournament win would also bring up his 100th career title.

Should Djokovic fail to defend his crown, though, it will be just the fourth year since he won his first major in 2008 that he has not won a grand slam in a season, after 2009, 2010 and 2017.

But what do the Opta statistics tell us about the key storylines ahead of the US Open?

Can Djokovic dominate?

Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer have won the US Open a joint-record five times each. Should Djokovic win, he will join that illustrious trio on five Flushing Meadows titles.

Connors has appeared in (115) and won (98) the most singles matches of any player in the Open Era at the tournament, but Djokovic (88) has won the most among active players and could equal Federer (89) for the second-most by defeating Radu Albot in round one on Monday.

Should Djokovic reach the second round, he will also match Federer's tally of matches played in the competition (103).

At 87.1%, Djokovic holds the second-best win percentage at the US Open in the Open Era of players to have featured in at least 30 matches at the event, after Sampras (88.8%).

The Serbian great, who became the oldest player to win the men's singles at the US Open when he succeeded at the age of 36 years and 111 days in 2023, has featured in the most men's singles finals in the tournament's history (10). He is the only player in the Open Era to have reached 10+ finals at multiple grand slams, having also done so at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Should he reach the quarter-finals, barring walkovers, Djokovic will surpass Federer (429) for the most matches played at grand slams in the Open Era. If he were to then reach the last four, he would be the first male to appear in 50 major semi-finals, and the second player overall after Chris Evert (52). 

Connors (109) and Federer (103) are the only players to win 100 Tour-level titles, while Djokovic is chasing his 72nd hard-court title, which would take him clear of Federer (71).

Could the kids have too much?

Djokovic may have outfought Alcaraz at the Olympics, but that was only after he had been dispatched by the world number three at the All-England Club.

Alcaraz, who said he had played his worst-ever tennis during a shock defeat to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month, could become only the third player in the Open Era to win the men's singles title at Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open in the same year after Rod Laver (1968) and Rafael Nadal (2010).

Aged 21 years and 126 days, he would also be the youngest man to win a singles title at three grand slams in a calendar year. He won his first major title at Flushing Meadows two years ago, and reached the semi-finals last season, losing to eventual runner-up Daniil Medvedev.

Then there is the world number one, and top seed, Sinner. The Italian was forced to miss the Olympics due to illness, but after going out in the last eight at the Canadian Open, he returned to form with a sensational run to triumph in Cincinnati.

That was his fourth title of the season. Excluding team events, Sinner (23 years, 23 days) could become the youngest player to win five ATP trophies on hard court in a calendar year since Andy Murray in 2009.

Since the Australian Open switched to hard court in 1988, Sinner could become only the fourth male to win that competition and US Open in the same year, after Mats Wilander (1988), Roger Federer (2004, 2006 and 2007) and Djokovic (2011, 2015 and 2023).

Sinner has now won three ATP 1000 hard-court titles in total. Across the past decade, only three players have won more Masters titles on the surface: Djokovic (17), Federer (seven) and Medvedev (five).

The last top seed to lose in their opening match at the US Open was Stefan Edberg, who lost to Alexander Volkov in 1990.

Indeed, the US Open is certainly not a tournament in which you can confidently say "expect the unexpected" when it comes to major shocks.

Only two top seeds in the Open Era have been eliminated in the first round of the men's singles – John Newcombe (1971) and Stefan Edberg (1990). Andre Agassi is the last first seed to not reach the second week at the event, losing to Arnaud Clement in straight sets back in 2000. 

Ons Jabeur has withdrawn from the US Open with a shoulder injury just days before the season's final grand slam gets under way.

Most recently, she featured at the Canadian Open in Toronto where she lost in straight sets to Naomi Osaka in the first round.

The Tunisian has been struggling with injuries all season, seeing her miss the Paris Olympics and tournaments in Washington and Cincinnati.

And, just hours after the draw for the US Open was made, the world number 17 decided that her shoulder injury will not allow her to compete at Flushing Meadows.

"I am truly sad to announce that my shoulder won’t recover in time for the US Open. I feel I need to give 100 % and today it's not possible yet," Jabeur wrote on Instagram.

"Life has ups and downs, but sometimes in the very negative moments we all need to find the positive in it. This year has been very tough for me, but I know somewhere the light is there.

"Always grateful for the unconditional support you all bring to me."

The 29-year-old will be replaced in the draw by Elise Mertens, who will become the number 33 seed.

Jabeur achieved her best grand slam result at the US Open, reaching the final in 2022, but lost in straight sets to Iga Swiatek.

She also came agonisingly close to a major title in two further final appearances at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023.

Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the US Open, claiming he would be unable to give 100% effort should he participate.

Nadal, who played in both the singles and doubles at the Paris Olympics, skipped Wimbledon earlier this year in order to feature at Roland-Garros.

However, after losing to Novak Djokovic in the singles and then failing to reach the medal matches alongside Carlos Alcaraz in the doubles, Nadal has elected to miss this season's final major and instead ready himself for the Laver Cup, which will take place in September.

It means the 38-year-old, who has triumphed four times at Flushing Meadows, may well have featured at the last major of his extraordinary career.

In a post on social media, Nadal wrote: "I have decided not to compete at this year’s US Open a place where I have amazing memories.

"I will miss those electric and special night sessions in NYC at Ashe, but I don't think I would be able to give my 100% this time.

"Thanks to all my US fans in particular, will miss you all and will see you another time.

"Best of luck to all for the always amazing US Open! My next event will be the Laver Cup in Berlin."

Novak Djokovic knows there is still plenty more to come from Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard's dominant display in the Wimbledon final.

Alcaraz beat Djokovic 6-2 6-2 7-6 (7-4) to retain his crown at All England Club and clinch his fourth major title overall.

At 21 years and 70 days, he is the youngest player to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.

And while Alcaraz said he does not count himself among the list of tennis' great champions, Djokovic has no doubt that the next generation's superstar is destined to scale such heights.

"Obviously, not the result I wanted, in the first couple of sets, the level of tennis wasn't up to par from my side," Djokovic said.

"But credit to Carlos for playing some amazing tennis, very complete, he had it all today.

"I tried to push him, saved the three match points and extended the match a little bit, but it wasn't meant to be.

"He was a deserved winner today, so a huge congratulations to him for an amazing performance.

"To his team, his family, an amazing job you guys are doing, clearly. Everything you have done so far, he's only 21, it's incredible, we'll see a lot of you, I'm sure."

Alcaraz and Djokovic have already met six times, with three of those matches coming in finals, including last year's Wimbledon showpiece. They share an even 3-3 record.