The US Open field is taking shape, and the names at the top carry the full weight of the sport’s current moment.
The U.S. Tennis Association released the direct entry lists on Tuesday for the final Grand Slam of the season, based on rankings as of July 20. The women’s field cut off at No. 102 on the WTA Tour while the men’s list closed at No. 101 on the ATP Tour. The main draw begins on Sunday, Aug. 30.
Aryna Sabalenka tops the women’s field as the top-ranked player in the world and the two-time defending champion at Flushing Meadows. Sabalenka will arrive in New York chasing something that has not been done since Serena Williams won three consecutive US Open titles from 2012 through 2014, a record Sabalenka now has within her grasp. A third straight title would cement Sabalenka’s name in historically significant company at a tournament Sabalenka has made her own in recent years.
Jannik Sinner leads the men’s field as the top-ranked player on tour, coming off his fifth major championship, a Wimbledon final victory over French Open champion Alexander Zverev. Sinner won the US Open in 2024 and is returning to Flushing Meadows looking to reclaim a title that Carlos Alcaraz took from him when the two met in last year’s final.
The Alcaraz question
Alcaraz adds a significant layer of intrigue to the men’s draw. The Spaniard is currently ranked No. 3 and has been entered into the field, but Alcaraz’s absence from the prior two majors due to a wrist injury means his participation in New York depends on his recovery during the North American hard-court swing leading into the Open. If healthy, Alcaraz would arrive as a former champion and one of the most dangerous players in the world on any surface.
The restoration of a healthy Alcaraz at the US Open would immediately revive the rivalry between the two as the central storyline of the tournament.
How the field was built
The US led all nations with 14 men and 14 women earning direct entry based on their rankings. Anastasia Zakharova entered as the final woman on the list at No. 102, while Filip Misolic rounded out the men’s field using a protected ranking at No. 101. Eight players total, five women and three men, used special or protected rankings to gain direct entry.
The remaining spots in each 128-player draw will be filled through wild card selections made by the USTA and through qualifying tournaments held the week before the main draw opens. Wild cards are typically awarded to high-profile names, returning players and promising American juniors.
Serena Williams is among the names most closely watched in the wild card conversation. The 44-year-old returned to competitive tennis but suffered a knee injury during a first-round loss at Wimbledon, and whether she is healthy enough to participate at the US Open remains to be seen. The USTA would be expected to offer her a wild card if she is ready to compete.
What to watch
The draw has not yet been made, but the top of each field offers a clear through-line for what this tournament is most likely to be about. In the women’s game, Sabalenka’s pursuit of a historic three-peat at Flushing Meadows is the defining story from the moment she arrives. Sabalenka has barely been troubled in the main draw across both title runs. Sabalenka, who has made Flushing Meadows her stage, history is directly within reach.
In the men’s game, the interplay between Sinner, Alcaraz and the rest of the field will shape every conversation from the first round forward. Sinner is coming in with momentum and a title to defend. Alcaraz, if present, carries the memory of having beaten Sinner in the last meeting on this court.
The US Open is the sport’s final Grand Slam of the year, and the draw reflects the full scale of what is at stake.
