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The US Open draw has placed Novak Djokovic in Carlos Alcaraz’s half, setting up a possible semi-final between the defending champion and a 39-year-old chasing a record 25th Grand Slam. Ben Shelton is in Alcaraz’s quarter, Coco Gauff is on course to meet Amanda Anisimova, and Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula are projected to collide in the last four. Jannik Sinner misses the tournament injured.
New York, United States: Draw day is about the matches that might happen, and this one has produced several worth waiting for.
The most significant is the placement of Novak Djokovic in the same half as Carlos Alcaraz. If both come through, they meet in the semi-finals — the man chasing a record 25th Grand Slam against the champion returning from five months out with a wrist injury. Neither arrives in ideal condition. Alcaraz has not played a competitive singles match since April. Djokovic collapsed during the Cincinnati Open with what he described as a health issue worsened by heat and humidity, and cut a practice session short this week.
Before that, Alcaraz would likely have to get past Ben Shelton, drawn in his quarter and arriving off a successful Canadian Open defence. Shelton is one of two Americans seeded to end a wait that now stands at 23 years — no American man has won a major since Andy Roddick beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in the 2003 US Open final.
The Reintroduction Alcaraz Did Not Want
The Spaniard’s first task is unhelpfully awkward. He opens against Roman Safiullin, ranked 98th, who beat him on a hard court at the Paris Masters in 2023. Their head-to-head is 1-1.
Alcaraz beat Sinner in four sets to win here last year. Sinner is now absent altogether, withdrawn with a right knee problem, and his removal has reshaped the top of the draw. Alexander Zverev takes the top seeding, with Alcaraz second, Felix Auger-Aliassime third and Djokovic fourth. Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev, Shelton, Taylor Fritz and Arthur Fils complete the top ten.
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Zverev, the 2020 runner-up and beaten by Sinner in last month’s Wimbledon final, opens against Lorenzo Sonego. Auger-Aliassime, in his half, faces Rinky Hijikata. Djokovic starts against Mariano Navone. Fritz, the ninth seed and 2024 finalist here, plays 18-year-old wildcard Darwin Blanch; Shelton faces Tallon Griekspoor.
Gauff’s Route Runs Through Anisimova
The women’s draw has produced its own headline pairing. Coco Gauff, seeded fourth and arriving on the back of her Cincinnati title — her first of 2026, won against Pegula on Sunday — is projected to meet Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals.
Anisimova lost last year’s final here to Aryna Sabalenka, 6-3, 7-6 (3). Gauff won the title in 2023.
In the top half, Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula are on course for a semi-final. The two-time defending champion is bidding to become the first woman since Serena Williams, who won three in a row from 2012 to 2014, to take three consecutive US Open titles. She has four majors but none this year, and begins against Camila Osorio.
Getting out of her quarter may require going through Linda Noskova, the reigning Wimbledon champion, who won her maiden major at the All England Club this year and is seeded sixth. Diana Shnaider, seeded 16th, is the highest-ranked player Sabalenka could face before that.
Four Players, One Ranking
The subplot the men’s draw lacks is the race for world No. 1. Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Pegula and Gauff — the top four seeds — are all in contention for it.
Rybakina is seeded second having beaten Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open in January. She opens against wildcard Thea Frodin, with Iga Swiatek, seeded eighth, in her section after beating her to the Canadian Open title this month. Pegula, the 2024 finalist here, starts against Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Gauff begins against Zeynep Sonmez.
Mirra Andreeva is seeded fifth, with Karolina Muchova, Swiatek, Elina Svitolina and Anisimova completing the top ten. Alex Eala is seeded 17th.
The First Round Worth Watching
Several ties do not need a projection to be interesting: Stan Wawrinka against Matteo Berrettini, Arthur Fils against Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev against Marin Cilic, Venus Williams against Sofia Kenin, and Daria Kasatkina against Paula Badosa.
Williams and Wawrinka, both former champions here, received wildcards. Emma Raducanu, the 2021 winner, misses the tournament through injury.
Play begins on Sunday, the second year the tournament has run to 15 days.
US Open 2026 — projected collisions
Men’s semi-final: Alcaraz v Djokovic (same half)
Men’s quarter-final: Alcaraz v Shelton
Women’s semi-final: Sabalenka v Pegula
Women’s quarter-final: Gauff v Anisimova
Main draw begins: Sunday 30 August, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
Absentees: Jannik Sinner (knee), Emma Raducanu (injury)
