US Open 2026 Preview: Alcaraz Returns, Djokovic Chases History and Zverev Leads an Open Field
The final Grand Slam of the 2026 season arrives in New York with an unusually open men’s draw.
For the first time in several years, Jannik Sinner will not be part of the US Open field, having withdrawn because of a right knee injury. His absence completely changes the balance of the tournament and leaves the title without its defending champion.
At the other end of the story, Carlos Alcaraz returns to competitive singles tennis after a four-month absence and will attempt to defend the title he won in New York last year.
Between them stands Alexander Zverev, the new world No. 1 seed and Roland Garros champion, while Novak Djokovic arrives with perhaps the biggest motivation of all: the chance to win a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.
The result is a US Open that feels far less predictable than recent editions. And that makes it one of the most intriguing tournaments of the season.
A US Open without Sinner
The biggest story before the tournament has already been written. Jannik Sinner will not contend US Open title.
The Italian withdrew after suffering a right knee injury, ending his hopes of completing another deep run in New York and creating an enormous opening in the draw. Sinner’s absence is particularly significant because the hard courts of Flushing Meadows have become one of the defining stages of his career. Without him, the tournament loses the player who has dominated much of the recent Grand Slam landscape alongside Alcaraz.
It also means that, for the first time in years, the rest of the field enters a Grand Slam knowing that the most difficult obstacle is already gone. The opportunity is enormous.
Alcaraz returns to defend his crown
If Sinner is the biggest absence, Alcaraz is the biggest question mark. The Spaniard has not played a singles match since April after suffering a wrist injury and therefore arrives in New York without the normal preparation for a Grand Slam. That makes his title defence particularly difficult to evaluate.
At his best, Alcaraz remains arguably the most complete hard-court player in the field. His combination of power, movement, touch and ability to change the rhythm of a match makes him a nightmare over five sets. But the US Open is not a tournament in which a player can afford to start slowly.
His opening opponent is Roman Safiullin, a dangerous first-round test who has already shown this season that he can compete with high-level opposition. Alcaraz’s biggest challenge may therefore come before the second week: rediscovering his competitive rhythm. If he does, he immediately becomes the favourite. If he doesn’t, the draw is open enough for someone else to take advantage.
Zverev's biggest opportunity
For Alexander Zverev, the situation could hardly be better. The German enters as the No. 1 seed, following Sinner’s withdrawal, and arrives in New York as the reigning Roland Garros champion. His Grand Slam breakthrough in Paris finally removed one of the biggest questions surrounding his career. Now he has another opportunity.
Zverev begins against Lorenzo Sonego, while his quarter of the draw also contains Lorenzo Musetti, Flavio Cobolli and Alex de Minaur. On paper, this is the more favourable half of the draw. Most importantly, Zverev avoids both Alcaraz and Djokovic until the final.
After reaching the Wimbledon final earlier this summer, the German has already demonstrated that he can sustain a deep Grand Slam run. The question is whether he can go one step further.
Djokovic and the chase for history
Novak Djokovic arrives in New York with a very different motivation. The Serbian is chasing his 25th Grand Slam title, which would move him clear of Margaret Court for the all-time singles record. At 39, every Slam appearance feels increasingly significant.
Djokovic begins against Mariano Navone and finds himself in the same half of the draw as Alcaraz. A semi-final between the two is therefore possible. The problem is that Djokovic’s recent preparation has not been perfect. He returned in Cincinnati after Wimbledon but was eliminated early by Thiago Agustín Tirante, raising questions about his physical condition and match rhythm.
Nevertheless, writing Djokovic off at a Grand Slam remains one of the most dangerous mistakes in tennis. If he reaches the second week healthy, his experience becomes a major advantage. And there is no greater motivation than history.
The dangerous quarter: Alcaraz, Fils and Shelton
The bottom half of the draw is considerably more complicated. Alcaraz finds himself alongside Ben Shelton and Arthur Fils, two of the players who have produced the strongest results of the North American hard-court swing.
Shelton won the Canadian Open before Cincinnati, while Fils arrives in New York as a newly crowned Masters 1000 champion. For Fils in particular, the timing could not be better. His Cincinnati victory was the biggest title of his career and confirmed that he is no longer simply one of the Tour’s promising young players. He is now a genuine threat.
The Frenchman has also been handed a difficult opening match against Stefanos Tsitsipas. That could be one of the most interesting first-round matches of the tournament.
Cobolli leads the Italian challenge
Italy’s best chance of a deep run outside the absent Sinner may be Flavio Cobolli. The 23-year-old is now ranked inside the world’s top six after an extraordinary season that included his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros and a Masters 1000 semi-final in Cincinnati. He begins against Francisco Comesaña and is positioned in Zverev’s half of the draw.
Cobolli’s rise has been one of the defining stories of Italian tennis in 2026. He is no longer simply an emerging player. He is now expected to win matches at the biggest tournaments. That changes the pressure, but also the possibilities.
Musetti, Fritz and the other contenders
Lorenzo Musetti also finds himself in Zverev’s quarter and has the talent to make a deep run. Hard courts remain his biggest challenge, however, and New York will once again test whether he can translate his clay-court consistency and extraordinary shot-making into Grand Slam success on a faster surface.
Among the other established contenders, Taylor Fritz remains one of the most natural hard-court threats. The American will have enormous home support and possesses exactly the kind of serve and first-strike tennis that can become extremely dangerous over two weeks in New York.
Alex de Minaur offers a completely different challenge, with his movement and defensive ability capable of frustrating the biggest hitters.
Daniil Medvedev, meanwhile, remains impossible to ignore despite his inconsistent season. On his best days, few players are better equipped to win seven matches on a hard court.
Young players to watch
The US Open should also provide another opportunity for the next generation.
Rafael Jódar has been one of the breakout names of the summer, reaching the latter stages of Masters 1000 events and demonstrating that his ranking is rapidly catching up with his level.
Learner Tien is another player worth following closely. His consistency against established opposition has continued to improve, while his left-handed game can create difficult matchups on hard courts.
And although João Fonseca arrives with fitness questions after withdrawing from a pre-US Open exhibition because of an abdominal issue, the Brazilian remains one of the most naturally gifted young players on Tour.
Then there is Jakub Menšík, already a Masters 1000 champion and one of the youngest players capable of beating established stars.
The US Open could be another step in the transition toward a broader ATP elite.
Reading the draw
The men’s draw can essentially be divided into two very different stories.
Zverev’s half: This is the more open side. Zverev is the No. 1 seed and avoids both Alcaraz and Djokovic until the final. But the German cannot relax. Musetti, Cobolli, De Minaur and Félix Auger-Aliassime all have enough quality to create problems. For Zverev, the route to the final is there. He simply has to take it.
Alcaraz’s half: This is where the tournament becomes much more unpredictable. Alcaraz has to rediscover his level after months away, while Djokovic is waiting on the other side of the half. Between them are players such as Medvedev, Shelton and Fils. A potential Alcaraz-Djokovic semi-final would be one of the biggest matches possible in modern tennis, but both players have a long road before reaching it.
Conclusion
The 2026 US Open arrives without Sinner, with Alcaraz returning from injury, Djokovic chasing history and Zverev carrying the responsibility of the No. 1 seed. It is therefore impossible to approach this tournament with the same hierarchy that has dominated men’s tennis in recent seasons.
The door is open. Zverev wants another Grand Slam. Djokovic wants history. Alcaraz wants to prove that his four-month absence has not changed his place at the top of the sport. And behind them, Fils, Cobolli, Shelton, Fritz, Musetti and a growing group of younger players are ready to take advantage.
For the first time in several Grand Slams, the question is not simply who can stop Sinner and Alcaraz. It is whether anyone can take their place.