The US Open stands out among the four Grand Slam tournaments as the most unpredictable event of the season. By the time the New York hard‑court swing arrives, players have been on tour for eight months and many are carrying the aches, niggles and fatigue that accumulate from a relentless schedule. This wear and tear often makes the outcome of the tournament harder to forecast than at Roland Garros, Wimbledon or the Australian Open. Hard courts are also the surface that most competitors feel most comfortable on.
While some players love or loathe the slower clay or the faster grass, the majority consider the medium‑pace, high‑bounce courts of Flushing Meadows their natural playing field. That broad familiarity levels the playing field and contributes to the tournament’s reputation for surprise results.
The US Open now stretches over three weeks. The opening week is essentially a fan‑festival, and this year it featured a number of headline‑making moments. Five‑time champion Roger Federer made a nostalgic appearance in an exhibition match, while Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik captured their first Grand Slam titles by winning the mixed‑doubles crown.
The event also welcomed back six‑time women’s champion Serena Williams for a brief return to the stadium. The qualifying draw was notable for the presence of fifteen British players vying for a spot in the main event. When the main draw kicked off on Sunday, nine British players were listed, a record five of whom earned their places through qualifying. On the men’s side the top seed is Sascha Zverev, who steps into the role vacated by the injured Jannik Sinner.
Zverev, a French Open champion earlier in the year, arrives with an impressive 18‑2 Grand Slam record for the season and will be the highest‑seeded male player in the tournament. The women’s draw is led by world No.
1 Aryna Sabalenka, who is looking to defend her ranking and chase historic milestones. If we examine the men’s draw, the top half is anchored by Zverev.
The German has benefited from a favorable path and will be eager to convert his strong form into a second major title. However, his recent early exits from both Masters 1000 events raise questions about how he will handle the pressure of being the top seed at a Slam. In the second quarter, Australian sixth seed Alex de Minaur is projected to meet Zverev in the quarters. De Minaur’s section does not contain the likes of Novak Djokovic or Carlos Alcaraz, but it does feature former finalist Taylor Fritz, French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli and last year’s semi‑finalist Félix Auger‑Aliassime, all of whom could pose significant challenges.
The bottom half of the men’s draw is stacked with former US Open champions: Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Stan Wawrinka and Marin Čilić. Djokovic’s quarter includes Medvedev, Cincinnati finalist Francis Tiafoe, Canada finalist Brandon Nakashima, and a possible second‑round clash with either Wawrinka or Matteo Berrettini. The final quarter is headed by defending champion Alcaraz, whose opponents include Canada champion Ben Shelton, Cincinnati champion Arthur Fils, Alexander Bublik, Tommy Paul and the heavy‑hitter Roman Safiullin, who has previously defeated Alcaraz and could be one of his toughest tests after a long singles hiatus since April.
On the women’s side, the primary storyline in the first quarter revolves around Aryna Sabalenka. She aims to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three straight US Open titles while also trying to protect her world No. 1 status.
On paper her draw looks manageable until the quarter‑finals, where she could encounter Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková. Yet Sabalenka’s recent form—17‑7 since April and no titles since March—has been shaky, and she has yet to capture a Grand Slam in 2026, leaving her vulnerable. The second quarter is dominated by Jessica Pegula, who is in contention for the world No.
1 ranking if she can capture the championship. Pegula’s path is littered with hazards, including Elina Svitolina, Karolina Muchova, Sorana Cîrstea, and a second‑round showdown with either former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin or two‑time US Open champion Venus Williams.
Former US Open champion and current Cincinnati title‑holder Coco Gauff leads the top of the bottom half. Like Pegula, Gauff could ascend to the top spot in the rankings, but only by winning the tournament. Awaiting her in the third quarter are last year’s finalist Amanda Anisimova, French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, Washington champion Alex Eala and a potentially tricky early match against Paula Badosa.
The toughest quarter appears to be the fourth, featuring Elena Rybakina, Iga Świątek, Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys and Belinda Bencic. Rybakina would claim the world No. 1 ranking by reaching the semifinals, but she is coping with 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 it remains to be seen whether she can stay healthy enough to chase that historic ranking. Turning to the British contingent, Arthur Fery, fresh from a semifinal run at Wimbledon and a runner‑up finish at the Winston‑Salem final, arrives as the British No. 1. He makes his US Open debut against 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti, who is returning from a back injury but has shown good form in Cincinnati.
Fery shares the top quarter with Zverev and Jan Choinski, who will face Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. Cameron Norrie, seeded 29th, lands in the bottom half alongside Alcaraz.
He opens against Frenchman Luca van Assche, with a possible second‑round clash against Miomir Kecmanović or Denis Shapovalov. In total, nine British players feature in the main draw, five of whom qualified—a first for the US Open. Among the qualifiers are Toby Samuel (world No. 110), who draws Czech Tomas Macháč (world No.
58), and Harry Wendleken, who endured nine sets and nine hours of qualifying to earn a match against 21st seed Luciano Darderi. Lucky‑loser Jacob Fearnley will meet Spaniard Martín Landaluce, while Katie Boulter is the sole direct‑entry British woman, slated to face American wildcard Carol Young‑Suh Lee (ranked 140) in round one. Should Boulter prevail, she is likely to meet mixed‑doubles champion Karolina Muchova in the second round.
Harriet Dart qualified by defeating Heather Watson and will meet American Peyton Stearns (world No. 54), a player she previously lost to in Cincinnati but beat in US Open qualifying back in 2021. Fran Jones, a repeat qualifier, will face Poland’s Magda Linette in what will be their first meeting.
Serena Williams will still make an appearance at the tournament, this time partnering with sister Venus in the women’s doubles after receiving a wild card. The duo last played together at a Grand Slam in 2022. Prize money has risen again for 2026: the singles champions in both men’s and women’s draws will each pocket $5.5 million (approximately £4.7 million), while first‑round losers are guaranteed $140,000 (about £120,000). Predicting a winner remains a challenge, but my personal projection is that Zverev will capture his second Grand Slam title, given his favorable draw.
On the women’s side, I look beyond the immediate title contenders and see Naomi Osaka lifting the trophy for her third US Open victory and first at Flushing Meadows since 2020. From Sunday onward, Sky Sports will deliver 15 days of nonstop tennis coverage, broadcasting every point from every court. Commentary will feature former greats such as Martina Navratilova, Tim Henman, Marion Bartoli, Laura Robson, Ryan Harrison and Naomi Broady.
The coverage begins at 3 pm local time on Sunday, August 30, and will be available on Sky Sports, the NOW streaming service (contract‑free) and the Sky Sports app. The Laver Cup will also be shown live from The O2 in London between 25‑27 September on Sky Sports.