The US Open stands out among the four Grand Slam tournaments as the most difficult to forecast, largely because it arrives at a point in the calendar when players have been on tour for eight months and are often carrying injuries and fatigue from the relentless schedule. By the time the New York hard courts roll out, many competitors are nursing aches, bruises, and lingering niggles that can affect performance. Hard courts, however, are a surface that most top players consider their specialty; unlike the more polarising clay and grass, the fast, bouncy courts at Flushing Meadows suit a broad range of styles, making the draw appear more open and unpredictable.
The event now stretches over three weeks. The opening week, dubbed "fan week," is packed with exhibition matches and promotional activities.
This year, the fan week featured a nostalgic return of five‑time champion Roger Federer for an exhibition, the mixed‑doubles triumph of Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, and a special appearance by six‑time champion Serena Williams, who made a brief comeback to the venue. The qualifying tournament also attracted significant attention, with fifteen British players entering the draw and five of them eventually earning spots in the main field. The main draw kicks off on Sunday and includes nine British competitors, a record number of qualifiers from the UK. On the men’s side, the top seed is Alexander Zverev, who steps into the spotlight in the absence of Jannik Sinner, sidelined by a knee injury.
Zverev, now the highest‑ranked male player in the tournament, arrives fresh from a French Open victory earlier in the year and boasts an impressive 18‑2 record at Grand Slam events for the season. The women’s draw is led by world No.
1 Aryna Sabalenka, who is not only aiming for another major title but also fighting to retain her top ranking. Looking at the men’s bracket, the top half is anchored by Zverev. The draw has been kind to the German, who will likely encounter opponents he has a good chance of beating, given his recent form.
However, the pressure of being the top seed looms large, especially after early exits in both Masters 1000 events leading up to the Open. The second quarter of the draw is dominated by Australia’s Alex de Minaur, the sixth seed, who could meet Zverev in the quarter‑finals if both progress. De Minaur’s path includes potential clashes with former finalist Taylor Fritz, French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli, and last year’s semi‑finalist Félix Auger‑Aliassime. The bottom half of the men’s draw is exceptionally deep, featuring all five former US Open champions still active: Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Stan Wawrinka and Marin Čilić.
Djokovic’s quarter contains Medvedev, American Francis Tiafoe (Cincinnati finalist), Canadian Brandon Nakashima (Canada final‑ist), and a possible second‑round showdown with either Wawrinka or Matteo Berrettini. Further down, Alcaraz heads the final quarter, defending his title.
His section includes Canada champion Ben Shelton, Cincinnati champion Arthur Fils, Alexander Bublik, Tommy Paul and the hard‑hitting Roman Safiullin, who has previously beaten Alcaraz and presents a stern test for the Spaniard, who has not played a singles match since April. On the women’s side, Sabalenka occupies the first quarter. She is chasing a historic three‑peat at the US Open, a feat not achieved since Serena Williams, while also trying to preserve her world No.
1 status. On paper her draw looks manageable until the quarter‑finals, where she could encounter Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. Nonetheless, Sabalenka’s recent form raises concerns; she has a 17‑7 record since April and has not captured a title since March, leaving her vulnerable in a tournament where she has yet to win a Grand Slam in 2026.
The second quarter is led by Jessica Pegula, who is in contention for the world No. 1 ranking if she can capture the title. Pegula’s road is littered with hazards, including Elina Svitolina, Karolina Muchova, Sorana Cîrstea, and a second‑round match against either former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin or two‑time US Open champion Venus Williams. Coco Gauff, a former US Open champion and the reigning Cincinnati champion, anchors the top of the bottom half.
Gauff also has a shot at the world No. 1 spot, but only by winning the tournament outright.
In her quarter she could meet last year’s finalist Amanda Anisimova, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, Washington champion Alex Eala, and possibly a tricky early clash with Paula Badosa. The final quarter is arguably the toughest, featuring Elena Rybakina, Iga Świątek, Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys and Belinda Bencic. Rybakina stands to become the new world No. 1 if she reaches the semi‑finals, but she is managing a lingering left‑ankle/Achilles issue that flared up in Cincinnati and forced her to withdraw from a match against Świątek.
Her recent practice sessions have looked tentative, so her ability to stay healthy will be a key factor in her quest for the top ranking. British players also have several storylines. Arthur Fery, fresh off a semi‑final run at Wimbledon and a runner‑up finish at the Winston‑Salem final, arrives as the British No.
1 and makes his US Open debut against 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti, who is returning from a back injury but has found form in Cincinnati. Fery shares a section with top seed Zverev and fellow Brit Jan Choinski, who will face Dutchman Botic Van De Zandschulp. Cameron Norrie, seeded 29th, lands in the bottom half with Alcaraz and opens against Frenchman Luca van Assche, with a possible second‑round encounter against Miomir Kecmanović or Dennis Shapovalov.
In total, nine British men are in the main draw, five of them having qualified—a first for the US Open. Among the qualifiers are Toby Samuel (world No. 110), making his debut against Czech Tomas Macháč (world No. 58); Harry Wendleken, who fought through nine sets and nine hours of qualifying to earn a spot against 21st seed Luciano Darderi; and Jacob Fearnley, a lucky loser returning for his second US Open, who will meet Spaniard Martín Landaluce.
On the women’s side, Katie Boulter is the sole direct entrant from the UK and opens against American wildcard Carol Young‑Suh Lee, a 24‑year‑old ranked 140th making her Grand Slam debut. A win would likely set up a second‑round clash with mixed‑doubles champion and Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova.
Harriet Dart qualified by defeating Heather Watson in the final round and will face American Peyton Stearns (world No. 54), a player she has a recent history with from Cincinnati and US Open qualifying in 2021.
Fran Jones also secured qualification for a second consecutive year and will meet Poland’s Magda Linette in her first meeting with the opponent. Serena Williams will still be visible at the tournament, having partnered with her sister Venus in the doubles draw after receiving a wildcard. The pair last played together at a Grand Slam in 2022 at Flushing Meadows, and their return adds a nostalgic storyline for fans.
Prize money has risen again this year: the singles champions on both the men’s and women’s sides will each receive $5.5 million (approximately £4.7 million), while even first‑round losers are guaranteed $140,000 (about £120,000). The financial stakes underscore the tournament’s prestige and the intense competition for both titles and earnings. Predicting a winner remains challenging, but personal speculation leans toward Zverev capturing his second Grand Slam title after a favourable draw, while on the women’s side Naomi Osaka appears poised to claim her third US Open crown and her first at Flushing Meadows since 2020, potentially ending the tournament as world No. 1.
From Sunday onward, Sky Sports will broadcast 15 days of continuous tennis action, offering live coverage of every match on every court. Viewers can also enjoy commentary from former champions and notable personalities such as Martina Navratilova, Tim Henman, Marion Bartoli, Laura Robson, Ryan Harrison and Naomi Broady. The tournament will be streamed contract‑free on NOW and via the Sky Sports app, with additional events like the Laver Cup also available on Sky Sports later in September.