Andre Agassi’s view of Grand Slam glory has remained blunt since he first lifted a major trophy in 1992 at age 22. Speaking during this year’s French Open, the eight-time major champion said that winning a Slam does not alter the demands that follow. In his view, the work continues, and the weight of expectation is never really lifted.

Agassi explained, “We have had a lot of one Slam wonders, that have done some[thing] incredible — I’m sure they’re thrilled they won. When I finally got over the finish line [and won my first Grand Slam], I was let in on a dirty little secret: that winning changes nothing.

“You are gonna have that pressure again if you have more expectations from yourself. So you gotta deal with it, you gotta bring it on Sunday like you did at the start of the tournament.”

Linda Noskova has found that same message reflected in her own career since winning her maiden major at this year’s Wimbledon. The 21-year-old has since admitted to difficulties with motivation and results. Before the US Open, the Czech player said, “Once you feel like you have kind of achieved the dream that you have always been thinking about and dreaming about, it’s very tough to switch and to act like it never happened basically and go for the same thing all over again.

“The motivation is not 100% as it was right before the tournament.”

Sam Querrey has also challenged the idea that a major title automatically brings freedom. After watching French Open champion Alexander Zverev battle through two five-set matches in his first two US Open rounds, the former world No 11 said the myth does not hold up.

He said on Nothing Major, “The top players get through these top rounds pretty easily. He [Zverev] is struggling right now, for whatever reason. I think there’s a whole myth that when you win a major it relaxes you and frees you up.

“That is so not the case. It’s not like all of a sudden Zverev won Roland Garros; he doesn’t get nervous or anything. That’s not just for him; that’s for anyone.”

Zverev looked more at ease at Wimbledon, where he lost a close four-set match to Jannik Sinner. At Flushing Meadows, however, he now faces 25th seed Alejandro Tabilo on Saturday after two matches that went deep into the night. To win his first US Open, he may need a far cleaner route through the tournament.

Iva Jovic has moved into a third-round meeting with Alex Eala at the 2026 US Open, and she made no effort to hide her enthusiasm after finishing her own latest win.

The No 14 seed and No 17 seed were among the names many expected to cross paths when the draw was announced last week, and both have now done enough to make that matchup a reality.

Jovic advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 second-round victory over world No 104 Francesca Jones on Thursday. Her route into the match has not been straightforward, either. In the first round, the 18-year-old American beat Magdalena Frech 7-5, 6-3 in a contest that stretched across two days because of rain delays in New York.

Eala has also been efficient in reaching the same stage. She opened with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Mary Stoiana before backing it up with a 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Oleksandra Oliynykova in the second round.

After beating Jones, Jovic was asked in her on-court interview about the meeting ahead, and her response was immediate. “I’m super excited,” said Jovic.

“The atmosphere is gonna be amazing, and she’s been playing some great tennis.

“It’s nice to be playing each other third round, deeper into the Slam, so hopefully we can all keep going on runs like this.”

Jovic also acknowledged the physical strain of playing three days in a row because of the weather interruptions. “Yeah, it’s been a bit of a grind the past couple of days, but happy to catch up to speed, and no rain today, hallelujah, so good to be out here on dry courts.”

Eala, speaking after her second-round win, returned the compliment and offered a respectful assessment of Jovic. “She’s an amazing player,” said the 21-year-old Filipina

“Young, very talented, and very intelligent, of course. She’s a high-ranked player and and very, very accomplished, and I’ve encountered my fair share of challenges against her this year.

“But yeah, I mean it’s not under my control who I play. All I can do is, you know, give my best and try to do everything that I can to win.”

Day 5 at the 2026 US Open delivered a mix of sharp opinions and hard-fought wins, with Naomi Osaka, Alexander Zverev, Alex Eala and Carlos Alcaraz all in the frame.

Osaka, a two-time US Open champion, advanced past Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 in the second round at Flushing Meadows on Thursday. Her serving rhythm during the match prompted Tim Henman to revisit a long-running issue in the sport and suggest a change to the let rule on serve. “You wonder, it’s another rule that we probably discuss, whether you get rid of the let serve when the serve clips the top of the net,” the former world No 4 said on Sky Sports.

Zverev also moved through after a demanding night, defeating Quentin Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 6-3 in a marathon second-round contest. The top seed was candid about what he produced. “The performance was quite s***, to be honest, but I won, and that’s the most important thing,” said the German. He added: “I’ve been here for another four and a half hours, 2:15am again, but that is what I go to the gym for, that’s what I go to the track for, that’s what I train for, to be able to come out on top in these difficult moments.”

Elsewhere, Eala’s decision to represent the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games means she will miss the China Open because the events clash. Since the China Open is one of the WTA’s 10 mandatory 1000 tournaments, she could face penalties ranging from ranking point deductions to fines if no exemption is granted.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, has continued his US Open comeback after more than four months out with a right wrist injury. Following his four-set second-round win over Jaime Faria, Greg Rusedski said the Spaniard’s return had “defied logic”, while also noting: “He’s been pretty fortunate, let’s be honest. The opening three rounds look pretty comfortable.”