The men’s draw at this year’s US Open has produced an unexpected final eight, with several leading names already out of the tournament much earlier than many had projected. Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the opening round, while Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, and Lorenzo Musetti all exited in the following round.

Carlos Alcaraz’s return from a wrist injury has drawn plenty of attention, but the tournament has also delivered a notable result for American men’s tennis on home soil. Three Americans have reached the quarter-finals, even though Taylor Fritz, Learner Tien, and Tommy Paul are not among them.

Here are Tennis365’s official predictions for all four men’s quarter-final matches at this year’s US Open.

Alexander Zverev vs Botic van de Zandschulp

Alexander Zverev has put together an impressive season and has repeatedly benefited from injuries and below-par form among top seeds. The German lifted his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros earlier this year, after Djokovic went out early and Alcaraz withdrew.

Zverev has looked less secure in New York. He needed five sets to defeat Lorenzo Sonego and Quentin Halys in his first two matches, before producing straight-sets wins over Alejandro Tabilo and Luciano Darderi.

Van de Zandschulp has reached his second Grand Slam quarter-final by beating Jan Choinski, de Minaur, Zizou Bergs, and Arthur Gea.

Prediction: Zverev will have too much for the Dutchman and should progress in straight sets.

Karen Khachanov vs Alexander Blockx

Few would have expected Karen Khachanov and Alexander Blockx to be in this round, yet both have impressed. Khachanov arrived having lost three matches in a row, but he has beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime and Learner Tien.

Blockx has defeated Flavio Cobolli and Francisco Cerundolo, though injury concerns remain. He said he was close to retiring in his round of 16 match with Cerundolo.

Prediction: Khachanov is the clear pick, although Blockx’s physical condition could decide matters before the match is finished.

Frances Tiafoe vs Alex Michelsen

An all-American quarter-final was possible, but this pairing would still have been difficult to predict. Tiafoe is the more established name at this stage, having reached the semi-finals in 2022 and 2024.

Michelsen, however, is on his best run at a Grand Slam and remains the only player in the men’s draw not to lose a set on the way to the quarter-finals. He has also taken advantage of an opening section of the draw that offered limited resistance, with only two seeded opponents and none from the top 15 of the ATP Tour rankings.

Prediction: Tiafoe should win, but Michelsen is likely to make him work hard for it.

Ben Shelton vs Carlos Alcaraz

The standout match of the round is Shelton against Alcaraz. It is the highest-ranked quarter-final by combined rankings, and Alcaraz’s lack of match fitness after his wrist injury gives Shelton some hope.

That said, Shelton has never beaten Alcaraz, losing all three of their previous meetings. He has, however, handled his own path well, defeating Tallon Griekspoor, Hubert Hurkacz, Denis Shapovalov, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Prediction: Shelton’s serving should be enough to carry him through, with Alcaraz still building after four and a half months away.

Alexandra Eala has opted to represent the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games instead of entering the China Open, the penultimate Masters event on the WTA Tour calendar.

Speaking at the US Open, Eala explained that competing for her country was the deciding factor. “Before that, I believe I’ll be in Singapore. But yeah, I love playing and competing with the Philippine team,” said Eala at the US Open of her decision to play the Asian Games.

She added: “You know, the SEA games, the Asian Games I’ve also done. I think it’s a really fun environment and I love being with the team especially this last SEA games in December.

“I had such a great time and I think they’re really memories that stick with me and and, you know, the Asian Games happens once every four years and I just found myself drawn to competing in that aside from other stuff.”

Eala’s choice may leave her facing a WTA Tour fine, since Masters events are mandatory if a player is not injured. Even so, her commitment to the event is now settled, and the Philippine Tennis Association has confirmed the lineup for the tournament.

She will be joined by Francis Casey Alcantara, Shaira Hope Rivera, Tennielle Madis, and Stefi Marithe Aludo. The 21-year-old is the leading name in the group, but the rest of the squad also brings experience representing the Philippines on major stages.

Alcantara has won nine medals for the Philippines across the SEA Games and the Asian Games, despite never getting inside the ATP top 700. Rivera has claimed a SEA Games bronze, has played in Billie Jean King Cup competition, and collected two bronze medals at the 2025 SEA Games. The 19-year-old also appeared at the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open earlier this year, where she lost to Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the first round of the WTA 125 event.

Stefi Marithe Aludo, 17, is the youngest member of the team. She played qualifying at the Philippine Women’s Open, but fell in the final round.

In a press release, PHILTA Secretary General John Rey Tiangco said: “PHILTA is fielding a strong and competitive team for the Asian Games, led by Alex Eala alongside some of the country’s best tennis players.”

The Asian Games run from 19 September to 4 October, with tennis beginning on 27 September. That date also matches the Singapore Open, where Eala is scheduled to play, leaving her with a rapid turnaround if she reaches the final.

The 2026 US Open has arrived at its decisive stage, and the last eight in the women’s draw feature the top six players in the WTA Rankings, plus Emma Navarro and qualifier Zheng Qinwen.

Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva and Linda Noskova fill six of the quarter-final spots at Flushing Meadows, while Navarro and Zheng complete the lineup.

The title race is closely tied to the battle for No 1. Sabalenka, Rybakina, Pegula and Gauff all remain in contention for the top ranking, but they are not on equal terms. Rybakina needs only a semi-final run to move ahead of Sabalenka, while Sabalenka, Pegula and Gauff must win the tournament to have a chance.

Aryna Sabalenka (1) v Linda Noskova (6)

This match brings together the reigning US Open champion and the reigning Wimbledon champion. Sabalenka has already beaten Noskova twice, both times on hard courts, in Adelaide in 2023 and at this year’s Indian Wells Open. Noskova is still searching for her first set against her.

Jessica Pegula (3) v Emma Navarro (26)

Pegula also carries a strong record into her match, leading Navarro 4-0. Her recent North American swing has included a runner-up finish at the Washington DC Open, a round-of-16 result in Toronto and a loss to Coco Gauff in the Cincinnati Open final.

Mirra Andreeva (5) v Coco Gauff (4)

Gauff has won all five of their previous meetings. Four of those came on clay, with only one on hard court, at the 2023 US Open. Gauff has gone 14-1 on hard courts during the swing, while Andreeva is 7-2.

Zheng Qinwen (Q) v Elena Rybakina (2)

Rybakina arrives after a straight-sets win over Naomi Osaka and owns a 4-1 head-to-head lead over Zheng. Yet Zheng has built serious momentum, coming through qualifying and defeating Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek. She has now played seven matches, including three in qualifying, so fatigue could still matter.

If the predictions are correct, Sabalenka would meet Pegula and Gauff would face Zheng in the semi-finals.