Tennis: An unusually open 2026 US Open men’s singles awaits

The 2026 US Open gets underway on August 30 with a men’s draw that looks unusually open compared with the Grand Slam tournaments of recent years. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will miss the tournament, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz returns after four months away from competitive tennis. Alcaraz would normally be among the biggest favourites for the title, but his long absence makes it difficult to know how quickly he can regain his rhythm and return to his best level.

That could give top seed Alexander Zverev, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and a strong group of American players a greater opportunity to challenge for the title. Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe all arrive with encouraging results from the North American hard-court swing, while several younger players could also make a deep run.

The draw offers several possible paths to the second week, with different contenders facing different challenges from the opening rounds. The US Open will therefore be closely watched not only for who reaches the latter stages, but also for whether Alcaraz can quickly find his level after such a long spell away.

Here is a look at the main contenders, the potential outsiders and the established names looking to rediscover their best form.

Alcaraz faces immediate test on return

Alcaraz will be one of the first names mentioned among the favorites, but his return comes with considerable uncertainty.

The second seed has not played a competitive match for four months because of injury and will have to immediately adapt to the demands of best-of-five tennis. The US Open will therefore provide his first major test of whether he has fully recovered and can sustain his level through long matches.

The defending champion opens against Roman Safiullin, who has already beaten him once, at the Paris Masters in 2023. Alcaraz remains the favorite on paper, but the first round could provide an early indication of how quickly he can regain his rhythm.

Zverev looks to build on strong Grand Slam season

Zverev enters as the top seed after a highly successful Grand Slam season.

The German reached the Australian Open semifinals, won the French Open and finished runner-up at Wimbledon. His run at Wimbledon also showed a more aggressive side to his game, as he took greater risks and proved difficult to break down even against Sinner.

With his first Grand Slam title already secured, Zverev no longer carries the pressure of trying to win his first major.

His recent hard-court results have been less convincing, however. He lost in the first round of the Canadian Masters before reaching the round of 16 in Cincinnati.

His record over best-of-five matches nevertheless makes him one of the strongest candidates to go deep in New York.

Djokovic still cannot be ruled out

Djokovic’s recent form has raised questions, but writing off a 24-time Grand Slam champion would be a mistake.

The biggest concern came in Cincinnati, where the 39-year-old struggled physically during a three-set defeat to Thiago Tirante in the first round.

The conditions in New York could again test his fitness, particularly as the tournament progresses.

But Djokovic has repeatedly shown that Grand Slam tennis can bring out a different level from him. His experience, mental strength and ability to build momentum over five sets remain major advantages.

With Sinner absent and Alcaraz returning without recent match play, Djokovic has another opportunity to pursue the 25th Grand Slam title that has eluded him.

Can an American finally win at home?

The American men arrive at their home Grand Slam after an encouraging summer on hard courts.

Taylor Fritz won in Washington, Ben Shelton successfully defended his Canada title, while Frances Tiafoe reached the Cincinnati final. Brandon Nakashima also reached the final in Montreal.

The results have increased expectations around the American contingent, which is looking to produce the country’s first men’s US Open champion since Andy Roddick in 2003.

Shelton appears to have the strongest momentum. The 23-year-old arrives after winning his second straight Canada title, but faces a difficult opening against Tallon Griekspoor, who defeated Zverev in Montreal. Former top-10 player Hubert Hurkacz could then await him in the second round.

Fritz also enters with confidence after winning his first title of the year in Washington and reaching the Cincinnati quarterfinals, where he lost to fellow American Nakashima.

Tiafoe has a particularly strong record in New York, with 24 US Open match wins, nine more than at any other Grand Slam. His run to the Cincinnati final also gives him momentum heading into the tournament.

Tommy Paul, Lerner Tien and Nakashima could also make strong runs, giving the United States several players capable of going deep.

Outsiders could take advantage

The open field also creates opportunities for players looking to make a breakthrough.

Arthur Fils is among the most interesting names after winning his first Masters 1000 title during the North American swing. His power and developing all-round game could make him a serious threat if he remains fit.

Fitness, however, remains the main question for the Frenchman after several injury interruptions in recent seasons.

Rafael Jodar is another player who has made a major breakthrough in 2026. The Spaniard has climbed to world No. 13 and is approaching the top 10 after a remarkable rise.

His return of serve is one of the strongest parts of his game and could become particularly important over the course of a Grand Slam. His competitive intensity also makes him a player capable of creating problems for higher-ranked opponents.

Can the old guard find their form?

Some of the established names will arrive in New York looking to turn around difficult periods.

Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, has struggled for consistency and endured a disappointing North American swing. That is particularly notable given that his breakthrough came on these hard courts in 2019, eventually leading him to world No. 1 and his first Grand Slam title in New York two years later.

At his best, Medvedev remains one of the toughest players to face over five sets, but he will need to rediscover his confidence and rhythm.

Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alex de Minaur are among the other established players who could challenge for a deep run if they can put their recent results behind them.