Novak Djokovic has declared himself as well-prepared as possible for the US Open, where he will attempt to capture a 25th grand slam title while navigating a men's draw significantly weakened by the absence of key rivals. The Serb arrives in New York having played only once since his semi-final exit at Wimbledon, a loss to Thiago Agustín Tirante that he now views as beneficial preparation time rather than a setback.
I don't like early losses anywhere, to be honest, but it gave me time to be prepared for US Open in a most adequate way. I had almost a few weeks, actually two weeks, to really train and get my body and mind into the right state, prepared for what's coming up.
Djokovic acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with transitioning from training to competition, particularly in best-of-five matches on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
So it remains to be seen. If you ask me if I'm prepared, I feel like I am as best as I can be, but it's different training and then getting out on the Arthur Ashe Stadium and playing best-of-five.
According to the official tournament draw, Djokovic will face Mariano Navone in his opening match, with a potential fourth-round encounter against Daniil Medvedev looming in his section of the bracket.
Why is the men's draw so wide open?
Over the past two years, only Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have matched Djokovic's consistency at grand slam tournaments. The 39-year-old has reached the semi-finals or better in six of his last seven major championships, though Sinner and Alcaraz account for five of those defeats, along with a retirement loss at the Australian Open last year. However, Sinner is currently sidelined by injury, and Alcaraz is competing for the first time since being out of action for four and a half months due to a right wrist problem.
This convergence of circumstances creates an opportunity that would have made Djokovic the overwhelming favourite a year ago. Yet at 39, each tournament presents fresh physical challenges to manage, and the passage of time inevitably takes its toll even on players maintaining elite performance levels.
Can Rybakina reach the world No. 1 ranking?
Elena Rybakina has declared herself fit for the US Open following recovery from a foot injury sustained at the Cincinnati Open. The Australian Open champion and second seed is positioned to claim the world No. 1 ranking for the first time, a scenario that hinges on specific results across the draw.
Rybakina can ascend to the top ranking only if Aryna Sabalenka—who has held the position for 97 consecutive weeks—Coco Gauff, or Jessica Pegula wins the title while Rybakina fails to reach the semi-finals.
I didn't play for exactly a week, and we consulted with different doctors. I have been doing the recovery. Slowly started to go on the court. Just a lot of gym.
The Kazakhstan player detailed the severity of her injury and the recovery process.
It wasn't easy, because we didn't know exactly how the foot was gonna react, since it was very painful for me to go and serve in that match in Cincinnati, because I wanted to try once more. Then for a couple of days, it was painful to even walk. Afterwards we managed to do everything possible for it to get better, and I'm glad how the process is going for now.
According to recent reports, Rybakina has eased injury concerns by resuming practice and declaring she feels ready for the tournament, with only a couple more practice sessions needed before competition begins.
After a difficult summer period, Rybakina regained form during the North American hard-court swing, reaching the final in the Canadian Open before advancing to the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open. Her early exit from Cincinnati came when she was forced to retire from her quarter-final match against Iga Swiatek due to the foot injury.
When asked about her ranking prospects, Rybakina emphasised her focus on health and taking matches one at a time rather than monitoring the complex scenarios that could determine her ascent to No. 1.
I don't check the rankings [for] the point situation, but from the media mostly I know where I should get, how the others should play. It's all the different scenarios. But for me, especially now when I had this injury last week, I feel like the most important thing is to just try to stay healthy, play one match at a time, because this is not the last tournament of the year. Of course it's a grand slam, and you want to do well. But you have plenty of opportunities after if you're healthy and you keep on playing. I'm trying not to think about it at all, and just play one match at a time.
What happens next?
The US Open main draw begins on 30 August 2026. According to the tournament draw, Djokovic will open against Navone, while Rybakina is scheduled to face Swiatek in the women's singles draw. Notably, Djokovic and Sabalenka were paired together in the US Open mixed doubles main draw, though Rybakina withdrew from the mixed doubles event, with Jessica Pegula taking her place alongside Taylor Fritz.
