The last Grand Slam of 2026 begins at Flushing Meadows on August 30 with a men's draw that is wider open than any US Open in recent memory and a women's draw where a two-time defending champion is going for history.
Jannik Sinner, world number one, is absent with a knee injury. Carlos Alcaraz is back after four months away, defending his title on the hardcourt he won last year. Novak Djokovic is chasing a 25th Grand Slam that would extend his own all-time record. And on the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka is attempting to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open titles.
The 2026 US Open features an unpredictable men's draw after Jannik Sinner's withdrawal, with Carlos Alcaraz returning from injury, Alexander Zverev leading the seeds, and Novak Djokovic chasing a record 25th Grand Slam.
Bet on all US Open 2026 markets at Duelbits Tennis.
All odds from Duelbits Sportsbook, correct at time of writing and subject to change.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | US Open 2026 (146th edition) |
| Dates | August 30 – September 13, 2026 |
| Venue | USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York |
| Surface | Outdoor hard court (Laykold) |
| Prize pool | $90 million (record) |
| Singles prize | $5 million per champion |
| Men's defending champion | Carlos Alcaraz |
| Women's defending champion | Aryna Sabalenka |
| Top men's seed | Alexander Zverev (Sinner withdrew) |
| Top women's seed | Aryna Sabalenka |
| Player | Duelbits Odds |
|---|---|
| Alcaraz, Carlos | 3.20 |
| Zverev, Alexander | 3.75 |
| Djokovic, Novak | 7.50 |
| Fritz, Taylor | 11.00 |
| Shelton, Ben | 11.00 |
| Fils, Arthur | 12.00 |
| Jodar, Rafael | 13.00 |
| Auger-Aliassime, Felix | 26.00 |
| Cobolli, Flavio | 34.00 |
| Mensik, Jakub | 34.00 |
| Medvedev, Daniil | 34.00 |
| Paul, Tommy | 41.00 |
| Nakashima, Brandon | 51.00 |
| Tiafoe, Frances | 51.00 |
| Player | Duelbits Odds |
|---|---|
| Sabalenka, Aryna | 4.05 |
| Gauff, Coco | 5.55 |
| Swiatek, Iga | 6.05 |
| Osaka, Naomi | 11.00 |
| Pegula, Jessica | 11.80 |
| Rybakina, Elena | 14.70 |
| Andreeva, Mirra | 14.90 |
| Anisimova, Amanda | 18.80 |
| Kostyuk, Marta | 20.90 |
| Muchova, Karolina | 28.60 |
| Noskova, Linda | 28.70 |
| Eala, Alexandra | 32.00 |
| Svitolina, Elina | 40.00 |
| Keys, Madison | 40.00 |
The biggest story surrounding the men's draw is the absence of Sinner. The world number one has withdrawn with a right knee problem, fundamentally changing the picture. That absence changes the men's picture significantly, Alexander Zverev becomes the top seed, Alcaraz is seeded second, Felix Auger-Aliassime third and Novak Djokovic fourth.
Sinner's withdrawal removes the player who beat Alcaraz in both the Australian Open and Wimbledon finals this year. Without him, the two-man dominance that defined 2025-26 becomes a more fragmented contest.
The defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will be the favorite to win the title. He has been out injured for months, and he missed the French Open and Wimbledon, but he will be the top player to beat.
Alcaraz won his sixth Grand Slam title at last year's US Open and is now back from wrist tenosynovitis, he followed the victory up by reaching the Wimbledon final, where he lost to Sinner in four sets. His projected path through the draw gives him a favourable opener, with a potential blockbuster semifinal against Djokovic if both progress as expected.
The analytical question is whether Alcaraz's hardcourt game, which has always been his strongest Grand Slam surface, can fire at full capacity after four months away. His return timing is deliberate: skip the clay and grass seasons, arrive at Flushing Meadows fresh and motivated. The defending champion at 3.20 in a draw without the world number one is a rational market position.
Zverev inherits the top seed and with it the most favourable theoretical draw path. Alexander Zverev anchors the top half of the bracket. He won Wimbledon in 2026, a title that demonstrated his ability to close out a Grand Slam, and arrives in New York as the structurally best-positioned player in the draw.
Zverev on hardcourt has historically been strong. His serve, one of the biggest on tour, is a weapon that plays exceptionally well at Flushing Meadows' fast outdoor hard courts. At 3.75, slightly longer than Alcaraz despite being the top seed, he represents the clearest value in the men's market.
Novak Djokovic has once again the opportunity to pursue history and to win a record 25th major title. The four-time US Open champion has lost five of his last six Grand Slam meetings against either Sinner or Alcaraz, but neither player is in an ideal position heading into New York this time around. That makes Djokovic a genuine contender again.
At 39 years old, Djokovic's physical capacity to sustain five sets over seven rounds across a fortnight is the legitimate question. But his US Open pedigree, four titles, countless deep runs, and the specific draw opportunity (Alcaraz in the same half, Sinner absent) make 7.50 genuinely interesting.
Thursday's draw placed Alcaraz in the same half as Novak Djokovic, setting up a potential blockbuster semifinal. If both reach it, that semifinal is the match of the tournament.
Both Fritz and Shelton are priced at 11.00, a market acknowledgment that home court at Arthur Ashe Stadium matters, that both have deep US Open pedigree, and that the absence of Sinner creates a real opening for a first-time Grand Slam champion.
Shelton's serve is among the fastest on tour. Fritz's hardcourt consistency has been building year by year. At 11.00 each, they represent each-way value in a tournament where the favourite's return-from-injury caveat is real.
In terms of recent form it wouldn't be far-fetched to pick between Ben Shelton or Arthur Fils. The French 22-year-old has been in exceptional form on hardcourt and at 12.00 is the longest of the genuine top-tier picks. His explosive baseline game is well-suited to the Flushing Meadows conditions.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka returns as the two-time defending champion and will attempt to become the first woman since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014 to win three successive US Open singles titles.
Sabalenka has been too good this year to not win a Slam, she's 67-13 for the year, and she's 41-5 in her last seven Slams overall. That combination of consistency and depth of form is the most compelling argument for any player in the entire draw.
Two-time defending champion Sabalenka remains atop the futures market despite landing in a section that could eventually include Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. Her draw is not straightforward, Sabalenka's draw has potential matches against Leylah Fernandez (2021 finalist), Clara Tauson (the only player to beat Swiatek in the past two months) and Elena Rybakina (who beat her in straight sets in Cincinnati) all awaiting before the semifinals. Sabalenka will need to find fifth gear pretty quickly.
At 4.05, the two-time defending champion in superb form is arguably the most compelling single bet in the entire US Open market.
Coco Gauff has been the single biggest mover in the betting markets since Thursday's draw, jumping from 11% to 16% and passing Iga Swiatek into outright second place.
Gauff won the 2023 US Open on this court in front of this crowd. She knows the stadium, the atmosphere, and the weight of home expectation, and has delivered under it before. Gauff's projected path sets up a semifinal against Jessica Pegula, a matchup she would enter with confidence given her strong recent form on American soil.
At 5.55, she is generously priced for a defending-surface champion with home support and a favourable projected draw path.
Swiatek arrives as the player who won Wimbledon and appears to have solved the riddle of faster courts. Her Cincinnati Open win in the week before the US Open, her second consecutive title there, is the most relevant recent form data. Winners of Cincinnati the week before the US Open have a strong conversion rate at Flushing Meadows.
Rybakina and Swiatek are positioned for a potential quarterfinal meeting. Getting through that potential quarterfinal is Swiatek's primary obstacle to the final. At 6.05, longer than her form warrants, she is the clearest value pick in the women's draw.
Osaka's return to the top tier of women's tennis has been one of the stories of 2026. At 11.00, a price that reflects uncertainty about her consistency across five rounds, she has sufficient upside for small each-way positions. Her ball-striking on hardcourt at its best is as good as anyone in the draw.
The US number one and home favourite. Pegula has been knocking on the door of Grand Slam glory for several years and arrives at her home tournament with the form and support to go deep. At 11.80, she is the most accessible American each-way pick in the women's draw.
| Market | Selection | Odds | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's winner | Alcaraz | 3.20 | Defending champion, hardcourt native, no Sinner, favourable return timing |
| Men's each-way | Zverev | 3.75 | Top seed, won Wimbledon 2026, best draw position, underpriced vs Alcaraz |
| Men's each-way | Djokovic | 7.50 | 25th Slam quest, US Open pedigree, draws on same half create SF opportunity |
| Women's winner | Sabalenka | 4.05 | Two-time defending champion, 67-13 for the year, strongest form profile in either draw |
| Women's each-way | Swiatek | 6.05 | Wimbledon champion, Cincinnati winner, longer price than current form justifies |
| Women's each-way | Gauff | 5.55 | Home court, won 2023 US Open here, biggest post-draw market mover |
Bet on all US Open 2026 markets at Duelbits Tennis.
When is the US Open 2026?
August 30 - September 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York. $90 million prize pool, $5 million per singles champion.
Who is favourite for the men's US Open 2026?
Carlos Alcaraz at 3.20, defending champion returning from a wrist injury. Alexander Zverev is top seed at 3.75 after Sinner's withdrawal.
Why is Sinner not playing?
Jannik Sinner withdrew with a right knee injury. His absence as world number one significantly changes the men's draw, Zverev becomes top seed, Alcaraz second.
Can Sabalenka win three US Opens in a row?
A 2026 title would make her the first woman since Serena Williams (2012-2014) to win three consecutive US Opens. She is the top seed at 4.05, with a 67-13 record for the year.
What record is Djokovic chasing?
His 25th Grand Slam singles title, which would extend his own all-time record. He is seeded fourth and priced at 7.50 on Duelbits.
