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US Open 2026: Pegula, Shelton, Medvedev Win on Day 4

Day 4 of the 2026 US Open brought several notable results in New York.

Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton both advanced to the next round with early wins.

Daniil Medvedev also secured a victory in one of the day's earlier matches.

These results keep all three players alive in the tournament as it moves into its later stages.

Meanwhile, attention is turning to two of the biggest names in tennis.

Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka are scheduled to play their matches later on Day 4.

Both players enter the tournament as defending champions, having won the US Open title in 2025.

This year, they are looking to complete a successful title defense.

A title defense means a champion tries to win the same tournament again the following year.

It is considered one of the hardest achievements in professional tennis.

The US Open is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, alongside the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon.

These events are the most important tournaments of the tennis season.

As the tournament progresses, more matches will decide who advances toward the later rounds.

Fans and commentators are following the live updates closely, especially with Alcaraz and Sabalenka set to take the court.

Both stars are expected to be strong favorites in their matches, though tennis can always bring surprises.

The results from Day 4 will help shape the picture of the tournament heading into the weekend.

More updates are expected as the day's remaining matches are completed.

Vocabulary10 words

US Open
a very important tennis tournament held in the United States
advanced
moved forward to the next stage of a competition
defending champions
players who won the tournament last time and are trying again
title defense
an attempt by a champion to win the same event again
Grand Slam
one of the four biggest tennis tournaments in the world
live updates
news reports given while an event is still happening
favorites
players expected to win
round
one stage in a tournament
secured
made certain; got successfully
notable
important enough to be noticed

Quiz

1. Which players won early matches on Day 4?
2. What does 'title defense' mean, based on the text?
3. True or False: The US Open is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Day 4 of the 2026 US Open brought several notable results in _____.

Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton both advanced to the next _____ with early wins.

Daniil Medvedev also secured a _____ in one of the day's earlier matches.

Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka are scheduled to play their matches _____ on Day 4.

Both players enter the tournament as defending _____, having won the US Open title in 2025.

This year, they are looking to complete a successful title _____.

A title defense means a champion tries to win the same tournament again the following _____.

The US Open is one of the four _____ tournaments, alongside the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon.

Fans and commentators are following the live updates closely, especially with Alcaraz and Sabalenka set to take the _____.

Both stars are expected to be strong _____ in their matches, though tennis can always bring surprises.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think it is difficult for a champion to defend their title the next year?
  2. Do you follow live sports updates? Why or why not?
  3. What qualities make a tennis player successful over a long tournament?
  4. Which of the four Grand Slam tournaments would you most like to watch, and why?

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