How to watch: From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN2; streaming on the ESPN app.
On Sunday, the severely thinned ranks of the singles draw will begin the fourth round of the United States Open with 75 percent of the field knocked out. While some of the betting favorites are still cruising, there are plenty of speed bumps to overcome as the knockout format causes players on hot streaks to collide.
Here are some matches to keep an eye on.
Because of the number of matches cycling through courts, the times for individual matchups are best estimates and are certain to fluctuate based on the completion times of earlier play. All times are Eastern.
Arthur Ashe Stadium | 10 p.m.
Naomi Osaka vs. Anett Kontaveit
Osaka, the 2018 U.S. Open champion, seemed frustrated at times during her third-round victory over Marta Kostyuk. While dealing with hamstring concerns, Osaka has seemed to oscillate between being in complete control of her points and sitting back entirely and hoping her opponents will play themselves into a mistake. As the tournament continues, it will be interesting to see if Osaka can stay sharp, as she did in a dominant second-round win over Caroline Garcia.
Kontaveit, the 14th seed, has been consistent through her last two rounds, winning both easily in straight sets after struggling to win her first-round match over Danielle Collins. Kontaveit, of Estonia, reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open in January but will have a hard time matching that feat against Osaka. Kontaveit’s variety of play will be her main weapon here. If she can throw off Osaka’s rhythm, she’ll still have a chance to upset the former champion.
Arthur Ashe Stadium | 7 p.m.
Denis Shapovalov vs. David Goffin
Goffin, the seventh seed, can be described simply as a consistency player. On the court, he has the tendency to make his opponents hit just one more ball than they’re comfortable with, leading them into unforced errors. Goffin has also shown his consistency in his results, finishing his U.S. Open runs in the fourth round for the last three years. Now, having reached the round of 16 once again, he’ll be trying to make his first quarterfinal in Flushing Meadows by outlasting an in-form Shapovalov.
Although Shapovalov has been impressive throughout this tournament, reaching only his second round of 16 at a major tournament, he struggled to put away Taylor Fritz during a five-set contest in the third round on Friday. His aggressive style, heralded by a powerful and pinpoint-accurate backhand, makes him an exciting player to watch. The open question is whether or not he’ll have the energy to hit ball after ball to the indefatigable Goffin. Shapovalov has spent 10 hours on court this week, not counting his doubles matches, and the wear and tear of the longer Grand Slam formats may make it hard for him to deliver the same performances going into the second week.
Louis Armstrong Stadium | 11 a.m.
Jennifer Brady vs. Angelique Kerber
Brady, the 28th seed, has reached the round of 16 at a Grand Slam event for the first time since 2017. Although Brady has been successful primarily on the doubles court, her run this year has been impressive. She has yet to drop a set at the U.S. Open in singles, and across three matches, she has only lost 14 games. However, she will face a much more difficult test in her first seeded player of the tournament, Kerber.
Kerber, a three-time major champion, including a 2016 U.S. Open title, has also looked as if she is at the top of her game. Although she has lost more games on her path to the round of 16, she has demonstrated that her counterpunch groundstrokes still have the capacity to overwhelm opponents. A former world No. 1, Kerber has not been past the round of 16 at a major event since her championship performance at Wimbledon in 2018. On current form, she has every right to feel confident that she can push for another Grand Slam title.
Louis Armstrong Stadium | 6 p.m.
Borna Coric vs. Jordan Thompson
Thompson, the world No. 63, will play in his first round of 16 match at a major tournament. Before Sunday, he had never been past the second round of a hardcourt major, and it will be interesting to see if the absence of fans at the U.S. Open helps ameliorate the nerves that players can feel upon their first time breaking into the second week at a Grand Slam.
Coric, the 27th seed, pulled off a remarkable five-set upset over fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas. Coric faced six match points in the fourth set, but with a mix of patience and guile, he was able to push past Tsitsipas into the round of 16. Coric’s defensive style of play can be difficult to execute on faster hardcourts, but he adjusted well, taking more risks and coming into the net to put pressure on his opponent. If he’s able to physically recover from his late-night marathon, he should be able to execute again and push past Thompson.
Other important matches:
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Rajeev Ram/Joe Salisbury versus Mackenzie McDonald/Christopher Eubanks, Court 17 | 11 a.m.
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Yulia Putintseva versus Petra Martic, Arthur Ashe Stadium | Noon
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Alejandro Davidovich Fokina versus Alexander Zverev, Louis Armstrong Stadium | 1 p.m.
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Novak Djokovic versus Pablo Carreño Busta, Arthur Ashe Stadium | 2 p.m.
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Aryna Sabalenka/Elise Mertens versus Vera Zvonareva/Laura Seigemund, Court 17 | 3 p.m.
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Petra Kvitova versus Shelby Rogers, Louis Armstrong Stadium | 4 p.m.
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September 06, 2020 at 11:01AM
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2020 U.S. Open: What to Watch on Sunday - The New York Times
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