Alcaraz, Sabalenka into US Open last 16 as Williams sisters lose on return

What the report says

Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the US Open fourth round on Friday, continuing the strong title defenses that have made them central figures in the tournament’s early days. Alcaraz, who is returning from a four-month injury layoff, beat China’s Wu Yibing in straight sets, while Sabalenka moved on with a similarly routine win over Kamilla Rakhimova. Alcaraz will next meet American Tommy Paul, and Sabalenka is set to face Taylor Townsend.

The Al Jazeera report also said Sabalenka did not face a break point and later complained about the smell of marijuana drifting into the stands, an issue that has come up at the US Open before. The result keeps pressure on her to retain the world No 1 ranking, with other contenders still in the draw.

The night session featured a high-profile doubles return for Serena and Venus Williams, who played a Grand Slam doubles match together for the first time since 2022. The sisters rallied after losing the opening set and held a 5-0 lead in the deciding tiebreak, but eventually fell to Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint in a three-hour match. Al Jazeera said the Williamses remain among the most decorated doubles pairs in tennis history, making the loss a notable moment even in defeat.

Elsewhere, Jessica Pegula, Frances Tiafoe, Daniil Medvedev, Emma Navarro and Stefanos Tsitsipas also advanced, adding to a day that further narrowed the field in both the men’s and women’s singles brackets.