The 146th edition of the US Open—tennis’s last Grand Slam of the season—started yesterday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. (We were there for the epic, heartbreaking, late-night first-round match where Novak Djokovic lost in five sets to Mariano Navone, though we left before Venus Williams’s defeat to Sofia Kenin, which wrapped up at 2:01 am.) The tournament picks back up today and runs for the next two weeks.
Ticket demand has never been higher, and expectations for the players on court have never been more unpredictable.
Remember when, with the shadow of the so-called Big Three—Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic—still hanging around, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner first rose to the top of the tennis rankings? For a while, there was a sense of hopelessness because Alcaraz and Sinner were so far ahead of everyone else. Tennis fans logically assumed that future finals would feature only those two, going all out in a world of their own making.
Well, things haven’t turned out that way, have they? The two haven’t faced each other since April, and with Sinner skipping New York due to a knee injury, we won’t see them meet in a Grand Slam this year. Alcaraz, the defending men’s champion, is finally back on tour after months away recovering from a complicated right-wrist injury, but his match fitness is far from certain—leaving the Open wide open with many possibilities.
Photo: Getty Images
Top-seeded Alexander Zverev has the most to gain: With Sinner out, Alcaraz just returning, and a favorable tournament draw, he seems to have the easiest path to a title on either the men’s or women’s side. But Grand Slams are complex, multi-layered events, so that outcome is anything but guaranteed.
Could an American man step up and end the 23-year title drought? (Andy Roddick was the last American man to win the US Open, back in 2003.) It’s definitely possible, with eighth-seeded Ben Shelton and ninth-seeded Taylor Fritz as the most obvious contenders. But there are also a few lower-seeded players capable of making deep, exciting runs.
Looking for a dark horse, a next-generation heir apparent who might just win it all? Keep an eye on the early-round matches of 10th-seeded Arthur Fils, who plays Stefanos Tsitsipas today at 11 a.m. Fils plays an exciting game, no matter the result—as does 12th-seeded Rafael Jodar, who starts his Open tomorrow. Neither is likely to win the whole thing, but either could.
On the women’s side, things are even more intriguing. The world number one ranking—after Aryna Sabalenka has held it for over 90 straight weeks—is very much up for grabs. Sabalenka hasn’t had a standout season, and while she’d gladly take a third straight title in New York, even that might not be enough to keep the top spot: It’s complicated, but if Elena Rybakina reaches the semifinals, she becomes the new number one; if she doesn’t, and Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, or Jessica Pegula wins the tournament, they take the top ranking.
Photo: Getty Images
That said—and with Sabalenka’s disappointing season as a caveat—she’s still the favorite. We know she’s capable of anything on court; the real question is whether she can shake off the mental struggles that have been holding her back lately.
Ready to strike, of course, are all the players mentioned above, plus the rest of the draw, with Rybakina, Gauff, and Iga Swiatek the most eager and able to make a move. The issue, especially for Gauff and Swiatek, is the luck of the draw—or lack of it. Both have tough paths to the finals, with Swiatek and Rybakina on track to meet in the quarterfinals, and fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva and 10th-seeded Amanda Anisimova standing in Gauff’s way.
As for the long shots,Here’s the revised version:
Her fifth seed doesn’t exactly make her a dark horse, but Andreeva is always capable of punching well above her weight if she can stay focused and composed. Meanwhile, 11th-seeded Marta Kostyuk is having the best season of her career and has already cruised through the first round.
As for the ever-popular Venus and Serena: Serena has chosen not to play singles at the Open, while Venus, as mentioned, is already out of singles. They’ve teamed up for doubles, but we won’t know who they’ll face in the opening rounds until tomorrow. Together, they’ve won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, including the US Open in 1999 and 2009. Can they pull off one more great run to cap off their historic careers? The odds are against them—but when have they ever played by the odds?
It’s going to be an amazing two weeks—hope to see you out in Flushing. Enjoy the tennis!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the 2026 US Open focusing on the key storylines you mentioned
General Main Storylines
Q Can Aryna Sabalenka actually win a third straight US Open title
A Yes she can Shes the twotime defending champion and the hardest hitter on hard courts If her serve is on and she stays healthy she is the heavy favorite to make it three in a row
Q Who is the biggest threat to stop Sabalenka from winning again
A Iga Swiatek is the obvious pick because shes beaten Sabalenka before on big stages Coco Gauff is also dangerous on home turf and Elena Rybakina has the power to match Sabalenka blowforblow
Q Can Carlos Alcaraz defend his 2025 US Open crown
A He can but its a tough ask Alcaraz loves the energy of New York but hes had a busy season His biggest problem will be staying consistent through two weeks of bestoffiveset matches
Q Who is the favorite to win the mens title if not Alcaraz
A Jannik Sinner Hes the world No 1 and the most consistent player on tour On a fast hard court like New York his clean hitting and improved movement make him the man to beat
Q Where do Serena and Venus Williams fit into the 2026 US Open
A They are both playing but as wildcards not favorites Serena is using her protected ranking to play a limited schedule and Venus is doing the same They are in the draw but realistically they are not expected to reach the second week They are there to compete and say goodbye to the fans on their own terms
Q Is this Serena Williams final tournament
A She hasnt said that officially but she has hinted that her playing days are very limited Every match she plays now is treated like it could be her last so fans are soaking it in
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q Im new to tennis What is the US Open