NEW YORK – The U.S. Open often highlights how the long tennis season takes its toll, with some top players struggling to advance into the second week.

This year, however, the women’s draw has demonstrated notable consistency: the leading players of the season are performing exceptionally well in New York.

A total of six out of the top seven seeded players have reached the round of 16— the only exception being the No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina, who withdrew from the second round due to an injury. Additionally, other strong competitors like former No. 2 Paula Badosa, emerging talent Diana Shnaider, and recent Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic have also moved forward.

This paves the way for an exciting second week, as up to 10 players could realistically compete for the championship.

Below are five matchups you won’t want to miss in the fourth round taking place on Sunday and Monday.

Coco Gauff vs. Emma Navarro

Although Navarro is three years older, she feels like the newcomer at this stage of the Grand Slam tournaments. Just three years after clinching the NCAA singles title at Virginia, Navarro has swiftly climbed to No. 12 in the world with a record of 48-19 this year. She achieved her most significant win against Gauff in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, beating her convincingly 6-4, 6-3.

In that match, Gauff struggled to keep her composure, but this year’s U.S. Open may provide a more supportive atmosphere for her. As the defending champion, she typically performs fiercely in Arthur Ashe Stadium, regardless of her current form. The question remains about Gauff’s performance level; she displayed some inconsistencies in her recent match against Elina Svitolina, which she won 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. She will need to improve her game substantially to overcome Navarro, who is incredibly fit and rarely makes unforced errors.

Zheng Qinwen vs. Donna Vekic

These two players faced off recently for the gold medal in Paris, where Zheng won decisively with a score of 6-2, 6-3. Since then, Zheng’s life has been quite hectic, including a significant return trip to China before coming to North America. It’s impressive that she has made it this far in the tournament, especially considering she needed to go the distance in two of her previous matches. But the question remains: how much endurance does she have left?

This matchup seems to favor Vekic, who has smoothly advanced through the first three rounds without losing a set. Vekic has enjoyed a remarkable summer, reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon before heading to the Olympics.

Jessica Pegula vs. Diana Shnaider

Pegula has an unfortunate 0-6 record in Grand Slam quarterfinals, a blemish in what has otherwise been a stellar career. She hopes to change that narrative at the U.S. Open, but she’ll encounter a daunting challenge on Monday against Shnaider, a 20-year-old who has already secured three WTA titles this year.

Shnaider, a Russian player known for wearing a bandanna on the court, gained attention after winning a round at the 2023 Australian Open. She decided to attend NC State for a semester instead of turning pro immediately. Now, after fully committing to the tour, Shnaider has had an extraordinary run, clinching titles on hard courts, grass, and clay this year. Although this is her first significant run in a Grand Slam, many more opportunities are likely ahead. Shnaider has a powerful game, but it will be interesting to see how it holds up under pressure when facing an experienced competitor like Pegula, who excels at countering pace during baseline rallies.

Karolina Muchova vs. Jasmine Paolini

This match is particularly for devoted tennis enthusiasts. Muchova has faced a tumultuous career, often sidelined by injuries just when she seems poised to rise to the top. Meanwhile, Paolini, who was largely absent from the spotlight in major tournaments for several years, is now consistently competitive and made it to back-to-back finals this summer at both the French Open and Wimbledon.

While Paolini plays with infectious energy on the court, Muchova is a master of finesse, likely possessing more shot variety than any other women’s player. Muchova’s talent is highlighted by her ability to compete so well after missing over nine months due to wrist surgery; she’s now making waves in just her sixth tournament back, having lost to Gauff in last year’s semifinals.

Iga Swiatek vs. Liudmila Samsonova

In their two encounters in 2023, Swiatek dominated both matches with ease. However, Samsonova is generally known to be the kind of player that could pose a challenge for Swiatek. As a powerful hitter, she has the ability to disrupt Swiatek’s rhythm by not allowing her enough time to position herself on the court. That said, Samsonova can be quite inconsistent, which makes it unpredictable which version of her will show up to play on any given day.

Even though Swiatek holds the top ranking by a large margin, her performance in Grand Slam tournaments this year—except for her fourth victory at Roland Garros—has not been great. After being eliminated in the third rounds of both the Australian Open and Wimbledon, there is some pressure on her to make a significant push before the current season concludes.