The men’s field at the 2026 U.S. Open has a new shape — and no obvious favorite — after Jannik Sinner withdrew because of a lingering right knee injury.
Sinner, the world’s top-ranked player and reigning Wimbledon champion, announced Friday that he would miss the season’s final Grand Slam after failing to recover in time. His absence moves every leading player behind him up one spot in the seedings and significantly changes the potential paths through New York.
According to the revised order shared by tennis journalist José Morgado, Alexander Zverev will be the No. 1 seed, followed by Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Novak Djokovic.
1. Alexander Zverev 2. Carlos Alcaraz 3. Felix Auger-Aliassime 4. Novak Djokovic 5. Flavio Cobolli 6. Alex De Minuar 7. Daniil Medvedev 8. Ben Shelton
Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev and Ben Shelton complete the top eight, although the final order remained subject to results from the Cincinnati Open.
The top-eight placement matters because those players cannot face one another before the quarterfinals. The four highest seeds also avoid each other until at least the semifinals.
Alcaraz and Djokovic Benefit From Sinner’s Exit
GettyWinner Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and runner-up Novak Djokovic of Serbia pose at the presentation ceremony after the Men’s Singles Final during day 15 of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on February 01, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia.
Alcaraz becomes the No. 2 seed and will be placed on the opposite side of the bracket from Zverev. That guarantees the two can meet only in the championship match.
The Spaniard’s return is one of the tournament’s biggest storylines. Alcaraz has not competed since suffering a right wrist injury in April, which forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon. He returns to defend the U.S. Open title he won last year by defeating Sinner in four sets.
Djokovic also receives a meaningful lift. As the projected No. 4 seed, the 24-time Grand Slam champion cannot encounter Zverev, Alcaraz or Auger-Aliassime before the semifinals. Sinner’s withdrawal also removes the player who had become arguably Djokovic’s most difficult opponent from the field.
The 39-year-old Serbian is pursuing a record-extending 25th major singles championship. His last U.S. Open title came in 2023.
Zverev, meanwhile, inherits the top line of the draw. The German reached his first Grand Slam final in New York in 2020 and entered this year’s event as one of the few players considered capable of challenging the Alcaraz-Sinner hierarchy.
Sinner’s Withdrawal Opens the Draw
Sinner’s absence creates opportunities beyond the leading four.
Medvedev, the 2021 champion, remains one of the most dangerous hard-court players in the field despite falling to the No. 7 position. Shelton, a semifinalist in New York in 2023, will receive another opportunity to make a deep run in front of a home crowd.
Cobolli’s rise into the top eight represents one of the season’s most striking developments, while de Minaur’s speed and consistency make him a difficult quarterfinal assignment for any contender.
Sinner won the U.S. Open in 2024 and finished runner-up to Alcaraz last season. He has not played since winning Wimbledon in July and also missed the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open because of his knee.
The U.S. Open confirmed Sinner’s withdrawal, removing a centerpiece of the rivalry that has defined recent men’s tennis.
The singles tournament begins Aug. 30 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows. Without Sinner, the draw no longer runs through the world No. 1. It now appears open enough for several contenders to believe New York could belong to them.
US Open Men’s Top 8 Seeds Revealed After Jannik Sinner Decision