The US Open 2026 men's singles main draw begins August 30 at Flushing Meadows with Jannik Sinner absent due to a right knee injury, creating a more open field among the remaining contenders. Carlos Alcaraz returns as defending champion after four-plus months sidelined by a right wrist issue, entering with limited recent match play beyond mixed doubles and facing an early test against Roman Safiullin before potential Round of 16 clashes with players like Alexander Bublik. Top seed Alexander Zverev brings strong recent momentum from his French Open title, while 39-year-old Novak Djokovic seeks a record-extending 25th major but has struggled on hard courts this summer. Americans Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz, along with Arthur Fils and Flavio Cobolli, hold favorable positioning or form edges from the North American swing, with draw sections, rest, and early-round health proving decisive for advancement past the third round.