3 Americans highlight US Open men's draw on Friday

Ben Shelton (USA) reacts after returning a shot. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

3 Americans highlight US Open men's draw on Friday

By Alan Rubenstein | Last updated Sep 4, 2026 8:20 AM ET

Americans Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul and Francis Tiafoe highlight the first day of third-round play at the US Open on Friday. Shelton, Tiafoe and Paul are favored to win on Friday. Paul is favored despite being the 20th seed against 15th-seeded Alexander Bublik.

Paul is the first of the American men to play on Friday, in the second match at Louis Armstrong Stadium against Bublik in the afternoon. Paul won both of his matches in four sets. Bublik won his first-round match in three sets and second-round match in four.

Paul beat Coleman Wong of Hong Kong 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round and Croatian Dino Prizmic 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the second round. Bublik beat American J.J. Wolf 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in the first round and Adrian Mannarino of France 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 in the second round.

Paul leads the all-time series against Bublik three wins to one. Paul won the first three matches against Bublik before losing in five sets in the third round at the 2025 US Open. The 2025 US Open was the most recent match between Bublik and Paul.

Friday at the US Open.

Serena and Venus Williams will play on Ashe’s night session, just like they did when they played for the last time at the US Open, in 2022. pic.twitter.com/dlZ6yI9bvY
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) September 3, 2026

Ben Shelton and Francis Tiafoe in prime time

Shelton follows the Serena and Venus Williams doubles as the second match at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday against Canadian Denis Shapovalov. Shelton won each of his first two matches in the 2026 US Open in four sets. Shapovalov won his first-round match in four sets and second in three sets.

Shelton beat Tallon Griekspoor 1-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-2 in the first round and Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6, 7-5 in the second round. Shapovalov defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 and Luca Van Assche 6-0, 6-4, 7-6 in the second round. Shelton leads the all-time series against Shapovalov 4-0 with three hard-court wins and one at Wimbledon in 2023.

Valentin Vacherot of Monaco and Tiafoe are scheduled for the first primetime match on Armstrong at 7 p.m. ET. Tiafoe beat fellow American Martin Damm 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round and Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto 6-3, 7-6, 7-5 in the second round.

Vacherot beat American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in the first round and Kamil Majchrzak of Poland 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in the second round. Tiafoe and Vacherot are playing for the first time on Friday night in what should be a raucous atmosphere at Armstrong.

Alan Rubenstein

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