Jannik Sinner headlines US Open seeding as defending champ Alcaraz eyes return

Jannik Sinner headlines the men’s singles draw for the 2026 US Open after his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

The Italian world No. 1 will arrive in New York as the top seed, one spot above defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who missed the last two majors with a wrist injury. The US Tennis Association released the direct-entry lists on July 22 based on the July 20 rankings, with the main draw set to begin on August 30 at Flushing Meadows.

What’s the seeding picture for Jannik Sinner?

Sinner, 25, enters the final Slam of the season as the ATP’s top-ranked player after beating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final on July 13. The Italian will carry that momentum into the US Open, where he’ll attempt to become the first man to successfully defend a major title since Novak Djokovic at the 2023 Australian Open.

Alcaraz, who dethroned Sinner in last year’s US Open final, is seeded third and is expected to return during the North American hard-court swing. The Spaniard has not played since his second-round exit at Roland Garros in late May.

How does the draw shape up beyond the top seeds?

The ATP cutoff for direct entry sat at No. 101, with Filip Misolic-using a protected ranking-filling the final spot. Misolic was one of eight players (five women, three men) who gained entry via special or protected rankings. The remaining 120 spots will be filled by wild cards and qualifiers ahead of the August 30 start.

The USTA handed out 14 direct-entry berths to American men and 14 to American women, the largest national contingent in both draws. Anastasia Zakharova, ranked 102, claimed the final women’s spot, while the WTA’s cutoff stood at No. 102.

What’s at stake for Jannik Sinner in New York?

Sinner will chase his first back-to-back majors since Djokovic’s 2021 run and could become the first Italian man to win multiple Slams in a calendar year since Adriano Panatta in 1976. His route includes a potential quarterfinal rematch with Zverev and a possible semifinal against Alcaraz if both advance.

The US Open will also mark the first major since Wimbledon where Sinner hasn’t faced pressure as the defending champion. His Wimbledon victory came just five weeks after he lost to Alcaraz in the Roland Garros semifinals, leaving the Italian with a 1-2 record against the Spaniard in their last three meetings.

What’s next for the field?

Qualifying begins on August 22, with wild cards expected to be announced later this week. Serena Williams, 44, remains a wildcard candidate if she recovers from her first-round Wimbledon exit and a subsequent knee injury. The draw will be finalized on August 28, two days before the main draw’s Sunday start.

The US Open will run from August 30 to September 14, with the men’s final scheduled for September 14 and the women’s final on September 13.