Day 5 of the 2025 US Open delivered a riveting mix of masterclasses, upsets, and high-octane tennis as the third-round lineup is complete on the men’s side. The day was packed with moments that showcased the depth and unpredictability of men’s tennis. Here’s a detailed recap of the action, highlighting which players looked good, which struggled, and the best match of the day.
US Open Day 5 Men’s Recap
Who looked Good
The No. 1 seed and defending champion, Jannik Sinner, continued his commanding run in New York, advancing to the third round with a straight-sets victory over Alexei Popyrin (6-3 6-2 6-2). Sinner’s precision and brilliant return of serve were on full display as he navigated Popyrin’s powerful serve and aggressive baseline play. Popyrin played at a good level, but Sinner took all of his best shots and turned them into his points. The Italian saved all five break points in the match and has yet to be broken in this tournament.
No.10 seed Lorenzo Musetti defeated David Goffin, 6-4 6-0 6-2 in one of the best performances of the second round. He played at a very high level and surprised Goffin with how well he hit his one-handed backhand. Musetti also came up with one of the shots of the day in the second set when he ripped a backhand down the line from an unbalanced position.
The opening set was the most competitive of the match, with both players playing at a high level. However, Musetti managed to break towards the end to take the set and continued to improve after that. The Italian has never been past the third round here, but with Jack Draper’s withdrawal and the way he is playing, he can make a deep run.
Coleman Wong‘s first appearance in a Grand Slam main draw keeps getting better as he defeated Adam Walton, 7-6(5) 6-2 4-6 6-4. Wong showed incredible mental toughness throughout the match, particularly in the first set, when Walton served twice for the set and Wong broke back both times before playing a fantastic tiebreak. He got great support from the crowd, and he paid them back with some amazing winners, 54 in total. He has now hit 43 aces in two matches and will be a handful for Andrey Rublev in the third round.
Qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland came back from two sets down to defeat Francisco Cerundolo and reach the third round as a qualifier ranked outside of the top 400. Rieidi, who has overcome knee surgeries, is playing some of the best tennis of his life.
#25 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime is into the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time this season as he played a solid match to defeat Roman Safiullin, 6-1 7-6 7-6. He saved 6 set points in the second set, which were crucial in getting this done in straight sets. His backhand has looked better this week, which is a great sign for him going forward. Most importantly, he seems to be enjoying his time on the court, which has not been the case for much of the season.
Who looked Bad
#9 seed Karen Khachanov suffered a horrendous collapse as he lost to Kamil Majchrzak 6-2 7-6(4) 4-6 5-7 6-7(5). This was Khachanov’s second match at a Slam in the last two seasons, where he has blown a two-set lead. He squandered 5 match points and a 5-2 lead in the fifth set. The Russian player showed lapses in concentration in crucial moments, and it cost him big time. His poor decision-making in the fifth set gave Majchrzak multiple opportunities to stay in the match and eventually steal it.
The last time Khachanov blew a two-set lead ( French Open 2024), it took him months to recover from it. Hopefully, it won’t be the case this time, as this defeat was much worse given his form and the opportunities he had in the match.
Match of the day
There were several contenders for the best match of the day, but the one between Flavio Cobolli and Jenson Brooksby was played at the highest level and deserves the title. A 4-hour 32-minute battle, with Cobolli emerging victorious, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(3).
The opening set was a fierce contest, characterised by aggressive play and lengthy rallies. Brooksby, ranked No. 92 and playing in his first US Open since 2022, capitalised on the home crowd’s support on Court 17. He managed to keep the Italian off balance with his unorthodox backhand and won the set 7-5.
Brooksby kept the momentum at the start of the second set and broke right away, and rushed to a 2-0 lead. However, Musetti steadied the ship, started playing much better and broke back in the fourth game of the set. He then went on a run and hit some powerful forehands in the process. Cobolli closed out the set 6-3 in 37 minutes, levelling the match with a display of mental fortitude and aggressive shot-making.
The third set saw Cobolli maintain his momentum, though Brooksby fought tenaciously. Cobolli saved multiple break points early, which proved to be crucial. At 4-4, Cobolli struck decisively, breaking Brooksby’s serve with a pinpoint lob and a forehand winner. He held serve to win the set 6-4 after 50 minutes, converting one of four break point opportunities.
Brooksby, fueled by the crowd chanting “USA,” staged a fierce comeback in the fourth set. He sensed urgency and elevated his game, breaking Cobolli’s serve three times and dominating with his aggressive baseline play. In that set, the American made some stunning drop shots that Cobolli, despite his dynamic speed, could not chase.
The fifth set was a rollercoaster, with both players trading blows. Cobolli struck first, breaking Brooksby’s serve in the opening game due to a costly double fault. Brooksby, however, kept fighting and eventually got rewarded when Cobolli was serving for the match. Brooksby saved multiple match points, one with an unbelievable passing shot, which reignited the crowd. However, the celebration didn’t last long as Cobolli found a different level in the deciding set tiebreak, and Brooksby had no answer. It was a brilliantly entertaining match, and Cobolli closed it out in great fashion to mark a perfect day for Italian tennis.
The match of the night? That’s a tie between the late-night battle between Daniel Altmaier and Stefanos Tsitsipas, which saw Tsitsipas suffer his sixth consecutive early round exit in a Grand Slam. The other contender is Tommy Paul’s five set win over Nuno Borges, the match point in this match was one of the best the US Open has ever produced. Paul was dominant for a while and had a match point in the third set, Borges almost stormed back and caught him in the 5th.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
