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Everything is ready at Flushing Meadows Park for the US Open, the fourth and final Grand Slam round of the season, starting tomorrow on the hard courts in New York. The 2026 edition will start without Jannik Sinner: the world number one withdrew from the tournament due to inflammation in his right knee. A heavy absence that changes the balance of the men’s draw and gives Alexander Zverev the top seed.
The German will make his debut against Lorenzo Sonego, but much of the attention will be on Carlos Alcaraz. The reigning champion, number 2 in the seeding, returns to singles after more than four months of stopping and practically non-existent preparation on American hard courts. The Spaniard will start against Roman Safiullin, with Matteo Arnaldi a possible opponent in the third round, Arthur Fils or Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals and Novak Djokovic on the way to the final. Physical condition and wrist strength represent the main unknowns of the Murciano.
Cobolli number 5, Musetti returns to a Major
Italy, despite lacking its best player, presents several interesting cards. Flavio Cobolli arrives in New York as number 5 on the scoreboard, the best placement on the starting board in his career in a Slam. The Roman will make his debut against Francisco Comesana and could find Taylor Fritz in the round of 16 and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals. A derby with Lorenzo Musetti could also materialize in the semi-final.
The Carrarino, thirteenth seeded, returns to a Major after missing Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The debut against Arthur Fery precedes a possible derby in the third round with Luciano Darderi, making his debut against the British Wendelken, while in the round of 16 the obstacle could be Zverev.
For Matteo Berrettini, however, the return to Flushing Meadows after two years will begin against Stan Wawrinka. The scoreboard doesn’t give him time to settle in: Novak Djokovic could already be in the second round. Once past the Serbian, the road would lead to Rublev or Nakashima in the round of 16, Medvedev in the quarterfinals and Alcaraz in the semifinals.
The men’s blue patrol is very large. In addition to Sonego, Arnaldi, Cobolli, Musetti, Darderi and Berrettini, there are Mattia Bellucci at the starting line, who will play against the Hungarian qualifier Zsombor Piros, and three Italians promoted from the cadet draw, who have brought the Italian team to ten units. They are Andrea Guerrieri, who will challenge the Australian Alex De Minaur, sixth seeded player, on his absolute debut in a Major, the Umbrian Francesco Passaro, against the Dutch Jesper De Jong, and the Sicilian Federico Cinà, who will face the American Alex Michelsen.
Paolini leads the Italians, Sabalenka looks for a hat trick
Great balance also in the women’s tournament. Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff present themselves with title ambitions and with the possibility of returning home as world number one. For the Belarusian, in addition to defending the WTA summit, there is also that of the trophy won a year ago and in 2024. In the event of three consecutive successes, she would join Serena Williams and Chris Evert in the special company of players capable of making a hat trick in New York.
The women’s Italy team relies above all on Jasmine Paolini, seeded number 19 and returning after the problem with her left foot that kept her away from the courts after Wimbledon. The Italian will debut against the Slovenian Veronika Erjavec: her potential path includes Sorana Cirstea in the third round, Jessica Pegula in the round of 16 and Karolina Muchova or Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.
Two other Italians are competing: Elisabetta Cocciaretto challenges the Czech Katerina Siniakova on her debut, while the qualified Lucrezia Stefanini faces the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska on her debut.