Wide-open men’s U.S. Open field may produce fresh champion
Sixteen of the last 17 Grand Slam tennis titles have been claimed by Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner.
But Italy’s Sinner, the 2024 U.S. Open champion, has withdrawn from the tournament due to right knee inflammation. The 39-year-old Djokovic has not won a hard-court match all summer, and Alcaraz, the defending champion, has been out of singles competition for more than four months, recovering from a right wrist injury.
As the men’s field descends upon Flushing Meadows, N.Y., a host of players must feel that they could raise their first U.S. Open trophy in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept. 13.
Questions swirl about the health and fitness of the second-seeded Alcaraz of Spain, but he remains a slight favorite to defend his crown. And Djokovic, who is still seeking his elusive 25th major title, was last seen struggling physically in a second-round loss to Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante at the Cincinnati Open.
Alcaraz had planned to return two weeks ago in Cincinnati, but withdrew from that tournament, heightening speculation that the final Grand Slam of the year would be without both players in the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry. He said on Friday that “it wasn’t an easy decision” to compete in New York, but he and his team had done everything possible to prepare for the biggest stage in the sport.
“I (am) just coming here with kind of that similar feelings of I need competition. I need to come here to practice with these guys, to feel the competition once again, and this is really testing,” Alcaraz said at Friday’s Media Day. “But I’m feeling great, and just I think that injury helped me a lot to know right now that it’s all in my head. I’ve got to trust my team, I’ve got to trust my people that tell me it’s going to be fine.
“I just have to go 100%, and right now I think with the practice I have made so far, it’s been all good. So, trying to stay away from that fear, and I’m playing normal.”
Top-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany, who finally broke through to win a major at Roland Garros in the spring, Americans Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz and 22-year-old Frenchman Arthur Fils are among those positioned to contend on tennis’ biggest stage.
The big-serving lefty and eighth-seeded Shelton recently won an ATP Masters 1000 event in Montreal, while Fritz reached the U.S. Open final two years ago. Fils returned from a hip injury that forced him out of Roland Garros to earn his second significant championship of the year Sunday in Cincinnati.
Shelton has flushed the memories of the left shoulder injury that knocked him out in the third round of the U.S. Open last year and the 2026 early exits in Paris and London. Despite the physical struggles of the aforementioned major winners, the charismatic 23-year-old does not let his mind race ahead.
“I’m focused on my first round, my first match,” said Shelton. “I don’t even look at the draw. I think that’s the only way for me to be able to kind of compartmentalize and stay in the moment.
“I think to discredit the level of play of the group that is playing high-level tennis right now would not be smart.”
Alcaraz, Serbia’s Djokovic, and former U.S. Open champions seventh-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev, unseeded Croatian Marin Cilic and Swiss wild-card Stan Wawrinka all reside on the bottom half of the draw along with Fils and Shelton. Other seeded Americans Frances Tiafoe (No. 11), Brandon Nakashima (No. 16) and Tommy Paul (No. 20) are also in the stacked grouping.
Zverev appears to have an easier run, but Italian No. 13 seed Lorenzo Musetti looms in the round of 16. Ninth-seeded Fritz could face fifth-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli in the fourth round.
As for any pressure that goes along with being the No. 1 seed, Zverev thinks the pressure is on all 128 players in the draw.
“I think seedings are nice and seedings are a great show that you’ve been playing well,” said Zverev. “But I think what’s the most important thing is whose name is at the end of the draw … and who’s still here in two weeks’ time.”
–Field Level Media
