US Open 2026 Men’s Singles Entry List and Withdrawals

The summer season in New York City is heating up, and tennis fans around the world have something massive to look forward to. Tournament organizers officially released the entry lists for the 2026 US Open tennis tournament, revealing a starry lineup preparing to take the courts at Flushing Meadows.

The final Grand Slam tournament of the year will take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The excitement will build during Fan Week, and the main draw singles matches will start on Sunday, August 30, running through Sunday, September 13. However, high-profile injury updates and a wave of late withdrawals have dramatically reshaped the men’s singles field just days before the action kicks off.

Drama at the Top: Sinner Withdraws as Contenders Shift

The biggest headline hitting Flushing Meadows is the high-profile withdrawal of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The Italian star, who initially anchored the top spot on the entry list, was forced to pull out on Friday, August 21, due to a persistent right knee injury. Sinner’s absence creates a massive void at the top of the draw, interrupting a brilliant 2026 campaign during which he captured six titles, including Wimbledon.

With Sinner out, Germany’s Alexander Zverev—the reigning Roland Garros champion—and defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz move into the primary spotlight as top title contenders. Alcaraz confirmed his return to competitive play just hours before Sinner’s announcement, coming back from a four-month layoff caused by a right wrist injury suffered in April.

Rounding out the elite contenders near the top of the field are Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, Australia’s Alex de Minaur, and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. Djokovic, ranked No. 7 on the initial entry list, sees a clear path forward as he chases an unprecedented 25th major singles title. Overall, the initial field across both men’s and women’s events features 17 former Grand Slam singles champions and 10 former US Open singles champions.

Wave of Withdrawals Reshapes the Draw

Sinner is not the only high-profile player forced to skip the trip to New York. The updated entry list reflects several withdrawal (WD) announcements between August 19 and August 21 that have cleared room for alternates to step directly into the main draw.

Among the noteworthy withdrawals from the men’s singles draw:

• Jannik Sinner (Italy, Rank No. 1) – Withdrew on August 21 due to a right knee injury.
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (Spain, Rank No. 20) – Withdrew on August 20.
• Ethan Quinn (United States, Rank No. 45) – Withdrew on August 20.
• Sebastian Korda (United States, Rank No. 64) – Withdrew on August 20.
• Holger Rune (Denmark, Rank No. 80) – Withdrew on August 21.
• Gabriel Diallo (Canada, Rank No. 90) – Withdrew on August 20.
• Sho Shimabukuro (Japan, Rank No. 97) – Withdrew on August 19.
• Eliot Spizzirri (United States, Rank No. 107) – Withdrew on August 19.

These late pull-outs have opened up golden opportunities for players further down the list. Argentina’s Facundo Diaz Acosta (Rank No. 108) successfully moved into the main draw directly following the late August withdrawals.

Strong American Presence in the Main Draw

Tennis fans in the United States still have plenty of reasons to celebrate at Flushing Meadows. Even with injuries sidelining Sebastian Korda and Ethan Quinn, the host nation continues to boast incredible strength and representation.

The American men are anchored by two Top 10 stars: Ben Shelton at No. 6 and Taylor Fritz at No. 10. Both players have proven their pedigree on the fast hard courts of New York, with Shelton reaching the semifinals in 2023 and Fritz making a run to the final in 2024.

The host nation also features deep talent across established names and rising stars, including Learner Tien (No. 16), Frances Tiafoe (No. 17), and Tommy Paul (No. 24). Further down the direct entry list, American contenders like Brandon Nakashima (No. 32), Alex Michelsen (No. 44), Zachary Svajda (No. 73), Jenson Brooksby (No. 74), Marcos Giron (No. 85), Aleksandar Kovacevic (No. 93), and Emilio Nava (No. 100) ensure local crowds will have plenty of homegrown talent to support throughout the fortnight.

Protected Rankings and Entry Rules

The main draw entry lists for the 2026 US Open were originally set based on the official ATP and WTA world rankings from July 20, with the direct entry cutoff for men set at No. 101.

To support players returning from long-term injury layoffs, standard entry rules allow athletes to utilize Protected Rankings (P). On the men’s side, four players secured direct entry or top alternate positioning via protected rankings:

• Shang Juncheng of China (Protected Rank No. 56)
• Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain (Protected Rank No. 65)
• Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia (Protected Rank No. 84)
• Filip Misolic of Austria (Protected Rank No. 101)
• Carlos Taberner of Spain (Protected Rank No. 107)

Next-Gen Stars Ready for the Grand Stage

Beyond the established veterans, the 2026 field highlights a dramatic youth movement in professional tennis. A talented group of young stars has stormed up the rankings over the past year to secure seeded territory or direct entry.

Breakout names like Learner Tien (No. 16), Jakub Mensik (No. 18), Arthur Fils (No. 23), Rafael Jodar (No. 25), and Joao Fonseca (No. 28) enter Flushing Meadows with high expectations. Additionally, dynamic prospects such as Alexander Blockx (No. 38), Martin Landaluce (No. 62), and Adolfo Daniel Vallejo (No. 63) are poised to make serious noise as the next generation takes over.

The Alternate List and Standby Stars

With withdrawals already altering the initial sheet, the alternate list remains on high alert for any further last-minute changes before qualifying completes.

Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic (No. 102), France’s Benjamin Bonzi (No. 103), Australia’s Alexei Popyrin (No. 104), and America’s Martin Damm (No. 105) sat near the top of the standby queue, with Popyrin and Damm already earning main draw entry following recent withdrawals. Experienced multi-Grand Slam champions like Marin Cilic (No. 86) made direct entry, while fan favorites like Stan Wawrinka (No. 118) and Grigor Dimitrov (No. 142) remain in the mix as potential main-draw wildcards or alternates as the final countdown to New York begins.

With three full weeks of world-class tennis, vibrant fan events, and high-stakes matches ahead, the 2026 US Open is set to deliver an incredible end to the Grand Slam calendar.

Official Top 32 Men’s Singles Entry List

Below is the official top 32 entry list for the 2026 US Open Men’s Singles draw, updated as of August 21, 2026:

Entry Rank	Player Name	Country	Status / Notes
1	Sinner, Jannik	Italy	Withdrawn (Knee – 8/21)
2	Zverev, Alexander	Germany	Active
3	Alcaraz, Carlos	Spain	Active (Defending Champion)
4	Auger-Aliassime, Felix	Canada	Active
5	de Minaur, Alex	Australia	Active
6	Shelton, Ben	United States of America	Active
7	Djokovic, Novak	Serbia	Active
8	Medvedev, Daniil	Neutral	Active
9	Cobolli, Flavio	Italy	Active
10	Fritz, Taylor	United States of America	Active
11	Bublik, Alexander	Kazakhstan	Active
12	Lehecka, Jiri	Czech Republic	Active
13	Ruud, Casper	Norway	Active
14	Rublev, Andrey	Neutral	Active
15	Musetti, Lorenzo	Italy	Active
16	Tien, Learner	United States of America	Active
17	Tiafoe, Frances	United States of America	Active
18	Mensik, Jakub	Czech Republic	Active
19	Vacherot, Valentin	Monaco	Active
20	Davidovich Fokina, Alejandro	Spain	Withdrawn (8/20)
21	Darderi, Luciano	Italy	Active
22	Cerundolo, Francisco	Argentina	Active
23	Fils, Arthur	France	Active
24	Paul, Tommy	United States of America	Active
25	Jodar, Rafael	Spain	Active
26	Khachanov, Karen	Neutral	Active
27	Rinderknech, Arthur	France	Active
28	Fonseca, Joao	Brazil	Active
29	Humbert, Ugo	France	Active
30	Tabilo, Alejandro	Chile	Active
31	Etcheverry, Tomas Martin	Argentina	Active
32	Nakashima, Brandon	United States of America	Active

=> View the full entry list