2026 US Open Men’s Singles Draw Overview
The 2026 US Open main draw is packed with incredible storylines right from day one. From legendary veterans playing their final matches to rising prodigies and dangerous floating threats, the opening round in New York promises drama before the tournament even reaches its second week.
Winning a Grand Slam requires surviving seven brutal matches, and nobody gets to lift the trophy without taking care of business in round one. Here is an in-depth guide to the key opening-round blockbusters and the overall landscape of the men’s singles draw at Flushing Meadows.
Unmissable First-Round Battles
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Roman Safiullin
Whenever Carlos Alcaraz steps onto a tennis court, it is automatically a must-watch event. The two-time US Open champion and seven-time Grand Slam winner brings unmatched energy, whether he is competing in a high-stakes final against his main rival Jannik Sinner or casually hitting against a public wall in New York. While much of the pre-tournament focus has been on Alcaraz’s status as defending champion and his recovery from a wrist injury that sidelined him for nearly five months, his first-round opponent deserves serious attention.
Roman Safiullin is one of the trickiest floating unseeded players in the entire draw. Like Alcaraz, Safiullin missed significant playing time in 2026 due to injuries. However, the former world No. 36 routinely delivers his best tennis on the biggest stages. Most recently at Wimbledon, Safiullin put together a run to the Round of 16, knocking off Andrey Rublev, Botic van de Zandschulp, and Joao Fonseca before falling to Novak Djokovic in a competitive four-set clash.
Importantly, Safiullin holds something very few active tour players possess: a head-to-head victory over Alcaraz. Their lifetime series is tied at 1-1, with Safiullin famously defeating the Spaniard in straight sets at the 2023 Paris Masters. With additional big wins over top players like Alexander Zverev, Alexander Bublik, and Frances Tiafoe, Safiullin is a dangerous heavy hitter. Having played very little competitive tennis since April, Alcaraz faces a stern physical test right out of the gate.
Matteo Berrettini vs. Stan Wawrinka
Stan Wawrinka’s legendary career is coming to a close, and the 2016 US Open champion is taking his final bow at Flushing Meadows after receiving a main-draw wild card. By a twist of fate, the draw paired the Swiss icon with the exact same player who ended his Wimbledon run just weeks ago: Matteo Berrettini.
Their battle in London was an instant classic, with all four sets going to tiebreaks before Berrettini ultimately prevailed. Even at age 41, Wawrinka continues to compete with tremendous heart and dynamic shot-making. While fans will give Wawrinka a warm, standing-ovation sendoff regardless of the result, an upset win remains within his reach.
Adding further drama to this matchup is the reward waiting in the next round. The winner of Berrettini versus Wawrinka is on track to clash with world No. 4 Novak Djokovic in round two. Djokovic has significant Grand Slam history against both men, having defeated Berrettini in the 2021 Wimbledon final while suffering famous title-match defeats to Wawrinka at the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open.
Adolfo Daniel Vallejo vs. Gael Monfils
Gael Monfils is another iconic veteran playing his final US Open before hanging up his racquets at the end of the year. The electrifying Frenchman has already delighted New York crowds by competing in mixed doubles alongside Elina Svitolina, showcasing his trademark athleticism, court coverage, and crowd engagement. A decade ago, Monfils reached his career-high ranking of No. 6 and made a memorable run to the US Open semifinals.
Trying to extend his final Grand Slam appearance won’t be easy against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo. The 22-year-old Paraguayan is enjoying a breakout season, surging to No. 61 in the world rankings. Vallejo made history as only the fourth player from Paraguay to break into the ATP Top 100, earning attention earlier this year by defeating Grigor Dimitrov and Learner Tien at the Madrid Masters.
Arthur Fery vs. Lorenzo Musetti
Italian men’s tennis has experienced a massive boom in recent years, with an Italian contesting eight of the last 11 Grand Slam singles finals. While top-tier contenders like Flavio Cobolli—who reached the French Open final earlier this season—lead the charge, No. 13 seed Lorenzo Musetti remains a huge threat. Musetti has established incredible consistency across majors, reaching at least the quarterfinals of all four Grand Slams since 2024, including back-to-back semifinal appearances at Wimbledon (2024) and Roland Garros (2025).
Musetti opens against Arthur Fery, a British player who authored one of the biggest stories of the summer. Fery became just the second wild card in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon semifinals, a run that vaulted his ranking from No. 114 to No. 36. Having followed that up with a quarterfinal run in Winston-Salem, Fery enters New York full of belief.
Arthur Fils vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas
Number 10 seed Arthur Fils arrives in Flushing Meadows carrying tremendous momentum. The 22-year-old Frenchman captured his first Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati, defeating Frances Tiafoe in a historic final. After a back injury disrupted his 2025 campaign, Fils has returned healthier and stronger, climbing to a career-high world No. 11.
In round one, Fils meets Stefanos Tsitsipas, a player once considered the top prospect to break through for a major title. Tsitsipas reached two Grand Slam finals earlier in his career, but a combination of injuries, coaching changes, and inconsistent play saw his ranking dip dramatically to No. 88 earlier this season. Now working with veteran coach Patrick Mouratoglou, Tsitsipas showed signs of recovery by winning a title in Gstaad. However, New York has historically been his toughest venue, as he has repeatedly struggled to advance past the early rounds at the US Open.
The Seeded American Army
American men experienced a phenomenal summer hard-court swing. With Taylor Fritz winning in Washington, Ben Shelton repeating in Montreal, and both Brandon Nakashima and Frances Tiafoe reaching major finals, home expectations are higher than they have been in two decades. Six seeded American men are aiming to become the first home player to win the men’s singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003.
| Player | Seed | Best US Open Result | First Round Opponent | Key Potential Matchups |
| Ben Shelton | 8 | Semifinals (2023) | Tallon Griekspoor | R2: Hurkacz; QF: Alcaraz |
| Taylor Fritz | 9 | Runner-up (2024) | Darwin Blanch | R4: Cobolli; QF: Auger-Aliassime |
| Frances Tiafoe | 11 | Semifinals (2022, 2024) | Martin Damm | R4: Medvedev; QF: Djokovic |
| Learner Tien | 14 | First Round (2022–25) | Nuno Borges | R2: Monfils; R3: Mensik |
| Brandon Nakashima | 16 | Fourth Round (2024) | Sebastian Baez | R3: Rublev/Cilic; R4: Djokovic |
| Tommy Paul | 20 | Fourth Round (2023–24) | Qualifier / Lucky Loser | R3: Bublik; R4: Alcaraz |
- Ben Shelton (Seed 8): Shelton successfully defended his title in Montreal, becoming the first player to repeat at that event since Rafael Nadal. Despite his high seed, Shelton faces a difficult path. He opens against dangerous Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, with Hubert Hurkacz, Arthur Fils, and Jiri Lehecka positioned in his section before a potential quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz.
- Taylor Fritz (Seed 9): The 2024 US Open finalist won in Washington and played solid tennis in Cincinnati. Fritz starts his campaign against fellow American Darwin Blanch and has a manageable draw through the early rounds, though higher-seeded threats like Flavio Cobolli and Felix Auger-Aliassime lurk deeper in his quarter.
- Frances Tiafoe (Seed 11): Tiafoe feeds off the New York energy better than almost anyone, holding 24 main-draw wins at Arthur Ashe Stadium and surrounding courts. Coming off a runner-up finish in Cincinnati, Tiafoe starts against big-serving Martin Damm, with potential encounters against Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round and Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.
- Learner Tien (Seed 14): The 20-year-old rising star made his first major quarterfinal at the Australian Open earlier this year. Though yet to win a main-draw match in New York, Tien opens against Nuno Borges, whom he defeated handily in Melbourne. A second-round clash against Gael Monfils could follow.
- Brandon Nakashima (Seed 16): Nakashima was one of the most consistent performers on hard courts this summer, pushing his ranking to a personal-best No. 17. He starts against Sebastian Baez, with possible matches against Andrey Rublev or Marin Cilic in the third round and Novak Djokovic in the Round of 16.
- Tommy Paul (Seed 20): Paul put together strong summer results, including a win over top seed Alexander Zverev in Cincinnati. He opens against a qualifier, with Alexander Bublik targeted for round three and Carlos Alcaraz waiting as a potential fourth-round opponent.
Upper Half Structure & Early Favoritism
At the very top of the bracket, No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev leads the field, opening his tournament against Lorenzo Sonego. Zverev’s quarter contains several dangerous floaters, including Alexei Popyrin and Alejandro Tabilo. Elsewhere in the top section, sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur begins against a qualifier, aiming to navigate past tricky baseliners like Botic van de Zandschulp and Zizou Bergs.
With multi-time champions returning from injuries, legendary veterans preparing for emotional farewells, and a deep group of American contenders aiming for glory, the 2026 US Open promises two weeks of relentless excitement starting with these high-stakes opening encounters.
