Let’s look at the contenders to win the men's and women's singles titles at the US Open 2026
Men’s Singles
Carlos Alcaraz
The defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will be the favorite to win the title. He has been out injured for months, and he missed the French Open and Wimbledon, but he will be the top player to beat. The tennis world has missed their star player. He will have the best Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic to deal with at the tournament. It will not be easy, as this will be his first high-profile tournament in more than 6 months.
Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev is having the best year of his professional life. He won his first Grand Slam at the French Open this year. He will look to prove that he can beat Carlos Alcaraz to win the title. He would like to play at his best and reach his third Grand Slam final in a row. He will be wary of Novak Djokovic as well because even though Novak is not at his best, he is the greatest of all time, and it takes a few matches to come back. Winning a second Grand Slam in the same year will cement his status as the best in the world.
Novak Djokovic
Father Time is slowly catching up to the greatest of all time. He has been reaching the semifinals but has not been able to win the big one for a number of years. He just wants to win number 25, and then he will retire from the sport. At close to 40 years, the fitness he is showing and the level he is playing at are remarkable. He will want to beat Carlos Alcaraz once again. Alexander Zverev will also be a tough opponent.
Women’s Singles
Aryna Sabalenka
The undisputed best female tennis player at hard courts is Aryna Sabalenka. She will be the absolute favorite to win the US Open this year. She will be furious at how her Wimbledon and French Open tournaments went earlier this year. All the other female tennis players should beware. She is coming for blood, and she will have tough competition from all over the field.
Coco Gauff
It would be unwise to not add the best American tennis player in the tournament to this list. Coco Gauff is one of the best female tennis players in the world. She has already beaten Aryna Sabalenka earlier in the year, which should give her confidence. The home fans will be cheering for her loudly. She has had to face disappointments through 2026 at the other Grand Slams.
Mirra Andreeva
Mirra Andreeva is having the year of her life. She will have already become a Grand Slam Champion in 2026. The hard courts should suit her, and she will be cheered because the USA crowd loves an underdog. Iga Swiatek didn’t make this list because she has not been playing high-quality tennis. Mirra Andreeva is young, and she would want to show that the French Open wasn’t a fluke. However, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff will be her main competition.
