2026 US Open Singles Main Draw Begins on August 30
The 2026 US Open singles main draw begins on Sunday, August 30. The main storylines include Carlos Alcaraz’s title defense after winning the 2025 US Open men’s singles title and Novak Djokovic’s bid for a 25th major championship.
Alcaraz will return at this year’s US Open after missing competition since April because of a right wrist injury. His first opponent is Roman Safiullin. After winning the 2026 Australian Open and becoming the youngest player of the Open Era to complete a career Grand Slam, Alcaraz now begins his defense of last year’s US Open title.
The early focus of the tournament will be Alcaraz’s comeback match, which also marks the start of his title defense.
Djokovic’s Bid for a 25th Major
Djokovic currently has 24 major singles titles and is pursuing a 25th. In the first round of the 2026 US Open men’s singles tournament, he will face Mariano Navone.
However, whether Djokovic will win his 25th major depends on the tournament’s results. Based on the currently verified material, it is not possible to determine the outcome or state his chances of winning with certainty.
Top Seed Zverev and Key Matchups
Alexander Zverev, the 2026 Roland Garros champion, has been listed as the top seed in the 2026 US Open men’s singles draw. Based on the draw, Alcaraz and Djokovic could meet in the semifinals. This is only a possibility suggested by the draw and does not mean that an actual semifinal meeting has been confirmed.
The key points to follow at this year’s tournament are:
- The singles main-draw schedule beginning August 30
- Alcaraz’s first match after returning from a wrist injury
- Djokovic’s pursuit of a 25th major title
- The competition among the leading players, including top seed Zverev
Match start times and schedules may change because of local conditions, rain, or other factors. The latest match schedule and results should be checked again before publication.
Sources
- [ATP Tour official preview](https://www.atptour.com/en/news/us-open-2026-scouting-report) — checked August 30, 2026, at 19:20 UTC
- [ATP Tour US Open official tournament overview](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/usopen/560/overview) — checked August 30, 2026, at 19:20 UTC
- [Official ATP Tour article on Djokovic](https://www.atptour.com/en/news/djokovic-australian-open-2026-final-reaction) — checked August 30, 2026, at 19:20 UTC