Carlos Alcaraz, the defending US Open champion, returns to competition after a five-month wrist injury break and is seeded second in the men’s draw [1, 2, 3]. He opens against Roman Safiullin and could meet Arthur Fils or Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals, with a potential semifinal against Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Frances Tiafoe, or Brandon Nakashima [1, 2]. Alcaraz is placed in the stronger bottom half of the draw alongside former champions Djokovic, Medvedev, Stan Wawrinka, and Marin Cilic [1, 2]. Djokovic, a four-time US Open winner aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam, will start against Mariano Navone and might face Wawrinka or Matteo Berrettini in round two [1, 2]. Top seed Alexander Zverev, fresh off his first Grand Slam victory at the 2026 French Open, heads the top half and can meet Alcaraz only in the final [1, 2, 3]. Notable opening matches include Zverev versus Sonego, Auger-Aliassime against Hijikata, Djokovic against Navone, and Taylor Fritz (seeded 9th) facing Blanch [3]. American men have not won a major since Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open title; Fritz and Ben Shelton (seeded 8th) are the highest-ranked Americans this year [3].
On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed and seeks a third straight US Open title [1, 2, 3]. She opens against Camila Osorio with a possible quarterfinal against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and a semifinal versus Jessica Pegula [1, 2]. Sabalenka’s path may also include matches with Renata Zarazua, Barbora Krejcikova, and Diana Shnaider, with a potential final against Elena Rybakina [1, 2]. Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open winner and now seeded fourth, claimed the Cincinnati title just days ago and appears in the bottom half of the women’s draw [1, 2, 3].
CBS Sports noted, "If his body and timing cooperate, the sport's most electric star could quickly turn this tournament into his own welcome-back celebration under the lights," referring to Alcaraz’s return [3].
The 2026 US Open draw, revealed today, sets the stage for a series of challenging matches as top seeds face tough routes through the field [1, 2]. The tournament starts soon, with players preparing to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
