The top-ranked players have a good shot to win it all, but it is not certain. They are close, all of them, when in May through August, they took it, at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Canada, Cincinnati and more.

Here are 16 players to can advance into the second week at the US Open: 

The men, top 8:

Carlos Alcaraz has won it before, running side to side, and nailing it into the corners. However, he just came back, with his injury, but for sure. He will push it. Alcaraz is the favorite hands down.

Alexander Zverev finally won a Grand Slam at Roland Garros. He was very patient, and powerful. However, he could be tired, yet when he gets to Flushing Meadows, he will start be ready.

Felix Auger-Aliassime rose up in the summer, pushing it very deep and being creative. He can advance with a game that is working because he is more mature. 

Novak Djokovic is a four-time US Open champ. But now he is aging, slowly. He is thoughtful, and his backhand is the best ever, but now he is a little bit slow, so he will have to try to win matches quickly.

The American Ben Shelton won Canada, and he was totally. He went to Cincinnati, and lost, early, and he was very frustrated. However, he has improved so much, with his terrific first serve and his forehand. He really wants to play excellently in front of the crowd at night matches.

Taylor Fritz reached here in the final at 2024, and he looked good, but he could not win it against Sinner (who is injured, now). Fritz can be a blast, but he does get ticked off, and overhit.

Talk about Learner Tien, the American, who played amazing ball, in the summer, with some very fast feet and powerful strokes. He is rising quickly and challenging all comers.

Arthur Fils also had a fine summer, going deep with a variety of shots. He won in Canada. He really likes to mix it up, and return, too. He needs to put it away winners at the net.

The women, top 8:

Aryn Sabalenka is No. 1 and over the past three years and she can be so darn good. Her forehand and her backhand are so strong, deep, and she will go for it immediately. However, over the past couple months, she went down slightly, with a decent amount of errors. She still is the favored. 

Elena Rybakina believes that when she is close to the lines, then she will be ready to attack. There are times when she is trying to hit the ball to fool them, but she can also hit it short. This time, Rybakina will make an effort.

American Coco Gauff, who won Cincinnati over her friend, Jesse Pegula. Her backhand is tremendous, and she also likes to go and put it away. However, this year, she has been good, but not great, until now. If she wants to win the US Open, her forehand and her return have to be more harmonious.

Pegula is so fit with her forehand and her backhand. She reached the final last year, but it wasn’t good enough against Sabalenka. Pegula is very smart, but at times, it can be too short. She has never won a Slam, so in September, she will have another chance to slap it. 

The 19-year old Mirra Andreeva won Roland Garros, and she made everything, in seven matches. She was dogged, and she went for it all the time. But after that, she went down, and now, she has to regroup in New York.

Linda Noskova came up in the summer, winning Wimbledon, which was impressive and thoughtful. The Czech goes back and forth and needs to be more patient. She is young, so she is getting better each month.

Iga Swiatek has won with six Grand Slams, so clearly, she was tremendous. She is so fast, can clip it with her potent backhand and her forehand. But she can lose, when she isn’t hitting the ball where she wants too. Swiatek can be great, and then mediocre. 

Amanda Anisimova has gone into the third sets this year, many times, very close, or she can miss it a lot. However, she can be will go deep if she can balance winners with unforced errors.

“Yet it can happen, but when, or at all?”

The American, Frances Tiafoe beat Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 and won the title in Halle. His forehand and his backhand were so strong and showed a lot of variety. Tiafoe was so driven. Yet can he walk over into Wimbledon, and go very far? That is a big question, as the top players are very good, and while Tiafoe can nail it, but he can overhit.

But here comes Wimbledon. The U.S. men haven’t won it since 2000 when Pete Sampras took it. That is a long time, now.

Perhaps the current players have a shot with No. 5 Ben Shelton, No. 7 Fritz, No. 18 Learner Tien, No. 19 Tiafoe, No. 24 Tommy Paul and No. 31 Brandon Nakashima.

Will Nakashima make it super competitive at Wimbledon? He is pushing himself. 

“It’s just consistency throughout the last few years. Obviously hadn’t had any major results or anything or wins against top players, but I feel like I have been pretty consistent, with my tennis, being able to, make some deep runs at some tournaments,” Nakashima said. “I put a lot of hard work on the practice court and the gym, so wins like this make it feel all worth it… My goals and what I’m capable of, I can compete against all the top players in the world. I have won an ATP title in the past, but to take it to the next level is to do better at these higher levels. Hopefully I’ll be able to win another title.”

Really? Good luck.

There are some terrific European players, such as the new Grand Slam winner Alexander Zverev, who won Roland Garros. While he recently lost to Fritz, he was tired, but he was close. On grass, it is totally different, from the clay versus in the slick grass. Now, he finally won a huge title, but can the 29-year-old change it up early? It is hard to say, but his serve and at the net has improved, a decent amount.

He is not the only one can win it in London, 

Mirra Andreeva, who won Roland Garros and now she is No. 5. She is so into it, and she can mash the ball.

Also, there are a lot of the top 32 American women right now. Jessica Pegula is No. 4, Amanda Anisimova is ranked No. 6 and Coco Gauff is No. 7. Talk about close! There are even more, such as Iva Jovic, Emma Navarro, Madison Keys, Ann Li and Hailey Baptiste. They will be so competitive.

The Russian played almost perfectly, dominating, with her huge forehand and her backhand. She returned pretty decent, and now at the net, she can put it away. To win Wimbledon, then you will have to play almost excellent, for two weeks. However, she won Roland Garros, and she didn’t lose a set. Her forehand and her backhand are unreal, and she focuses. But can she win Wimbledon, as last year, in the quarters, she went down against Belinda Bencic. Now, Andreeva has to be more stable.

“I was moving on the grass last year and the way I was reacting to a lot of shots, which is important on the grass, because you get a lot of tricky bounces. It’s kind of unpredictable tennis when you compare to the hard and clay.

So just to make sure I’m ready for every shot, make sure I’m really light on my feet,” Andreeva said. “That’s the most important thing. I try to keep it simple.”

Today, the talk is about former No. 1 Serena Williams, who decided to come back, even though she retired, but now she is 44 years old.

Will she really win Wimbledon again? She has been so great, but currently, she is a little bit slow, as the last time, she won a Slam, in 2017, winning the Aussie Open. Nine years ago. For her to do it again, at Wimbledon, that will be incredible, because a lot of the fine players, women and men, don’t go deep at the Slams. That is a fact. Yet it can happen, but when, if at all?

Jannik Sinner has won once again, always, now, beating Andrey Rubles 6-2, 6-4. Three years ago, he has very good, but not great, yet. But then, gradually, he improved his forehand and his backhand, down the line, and crosscourt, stable. His first serve is phenomenal, flat, and the No. 1 can also twist it in his second serve. He does have to improve at the net, yet he is pretty good, down low.

“This year [is] the first time I’ve won something big on clay. But this is also the confidence of the process what we are trying to produce year after year,” Sinner said. “Also, physically I’m getting stronger. I think it’s a mix of everything. Those experience, to play certain points in a better way, but mostly I feel like, physically, if you improve, it helps you a lot on clay.”

Daniil Medvedev had to grind it, a long day, when he edged Martin Landaluce 1-6, 6-4, 7-5. He does go way back on the court, but the tall man can run and sprint it, until he touches it, into the corners, or touch it. He is not terrific at the net, but his return is super, solid. The Russian can be running, all day. Can he upset Sinner? Maybe.

“There is always a chance to beat Sinner, more or less. But lately he rarely has a bad day. Carlos [Alcaraz] and Novak [Djokovic] can keep up with him,” Medvedev said. “I have played him at Indian Wells, but never on clay. If Jannik loses, don’t be surprised; that is sport.” 

They will play each other on Friday, including Casper Ruud against Luciano Darderi in the semis. The Italian won very late, but he stood there, and he ran until he had a shot to drive it, deep. 

“It was really a battle. After the second set, I never thought I’d win, but I just tried to take it game by game, ball by ball. I pushed a little bit more in the third set, and physically I won it there,” Darderi said. 

American Coco Gauff beat Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3, which was very solid. Her backhand is terrific, crosscourt, and down the line. Her first serve can nail it into the corners, and at the net, she can put it away. She has won two Slams, but she wants even more. However, she can be so-so this year, but she is trying, day after day.

“I think it’s like the first time in my career I feel like I’m really stable with that shot. It’s been an up-and-down process. I obviously don’t want to jinx anything, but I think we found the recipe to making it more consistent,” Gauff said. “Now it’s focusing on how to make it more of a weapon, how to serve smarter, things like that.”

Will Gauff win Roland Garros again? First, she has to win Rome. Yet in a couple weeks in Paris, she has to lock it, down, once again. 

“It definitely gives me a lot of confidence because I also played some players who are having great clay-court seasons and great seasons in general. I thought in Madrid I also felt like I was playing some good tennis, too.  There are moments that I still can fine-tune and do better at. I definitely think it’s in the right direction.”

Elina Svitolina has also found the right solution, upsetting Iga Swiatek 6-4, 2-6 6-2. In the third set, instead to sit there, softly, she decided to hit it as hard as she could. She saw that Swiatek began to be erratic, so she jumped on it, and it worked. Svitolina has been there for years, but this week, she found it. There it is.

“I still feel like I’m more experienced player in the team because we have, I don’t know what is the gap, maybe 10 years’ or nine years’ difference with other girls. I’ve been on tour a bit more,” Svitolina said. “Sometimes I just try to not be the competitor with them because they are just the beginning of their career. Me, I’m almost going towards the end of my career.”

The last time that Aryna Sabalenka against Coco Gauff played each other at the 2024 WTA Finals in Wuhan, as Sabalenka took it, and now they will go it again. This moment, it will be the 13th time, which is a lot. It is 6-6, anything means that it really close, with there decisions, and they can changed it up, depending who they feel.

Both of them can nail their terrific backhand, crosscourt, and down the line. Sabalenka is better with his muscular forehand, but Gauff is certainly elite at the net. They’re first serve is very good, swishing it, in the corner, or in the middle, into the chest. The second serve is marginal, but to run, both  of them are damn fast, and pick it up. In Miami, they are barred in.

“It couldn’t be a better final,” Sabalenka said. “I’m excited to play her, maybe not the best level right now, but her trying and (getting) back on the best level. It’s always a fight.”

In the fall, she was tired, but now she is refreshed.   In the past 10 days,  Gauff  she was calm, and aggressive. Now she can attack, when it is right, there.

The good thing is at Gauff won Roland Garros in the final, on clay, edging Sabalenka

6-4 in the third. That was a huge win. But this time? Who, knows.

“We played — I think it was WTA Finals — and I started that match off great,” Gauff said. “At the end of day, I just felt like I was entering that tournament maybe a little bit low in confidence, and I just didn’t trust my shots. [But] Ww’ve played so many matches, and it’s physical when I play her every time, it’s going to be tough. And she’s playing great tennis. It’s going to be a great challenge.”

INDIAN WELLS – March 4 – People can really talk, on the court, and yell, or smile. Or, if they cannot play well, then they can be ticked off. 

Each year, in California, it can be mild in March, or, it can be hot in the desert. The players, the coaches and the fans like it a lot. Or, they want to leave and go to a different tournament.

A number of the players have won a Grand Slam, and they also have taken a title at Indian Wells, such as Jim Courier, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and now, Carlos Alcaraz. 

The women have also won a Slam, or more, such as like Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and they retired. Others are still active, like Victoria Azarenka, Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina.

Last year, Mirra Andreeva won it, beating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3. Maybe she can do it again.

Russian Vera Zvonareva made it to No. 2 in 2010 in singles and now she is back at 41 years old.  Her singles play was excellent, but she was unable to win a Slam. However, she did win at Indian Wells, sprinting, with her strong forehand and her backhand. 

Zvonareva could be very emotional, and when she was playing, She would let it all hang out.

“Most people think that sometimes I cry on the court,” she said. “I just let the emotions out and let yourself relax.  It can happen when you’re happy, when you’re upset, any time. Most people take it as frustration, and I think it’s a big mistake.  It helps you to be better in the next hour or next moment. People think when you break a racquet, you’re frustrated and you can’t play after that. I don’t think it’s right.  Maybe some players, they can’t, but some players let their emotions out, feel much better and are able to concentrate on what they have to do.”

Zvonareva once wept in anguish, but then she can shed tears of joy. Her singles is decent, but her doubles are very, very good.

More and more, Belinda Bencic is becoming much more confident and knowledgeable.  The Swiss is always trying to belt the ball, but she can back off. The No. 12 can go deep, yet she can also back off.

“Definitely a big opportunity.  I always like to play on the big courts, I like to play the big players,” Bencic said. “I really enjoy that, and that’s what I work for. We try to push each other. One is doing well, so you’re motivated to do well again.”

No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is winning all the time, as he is totally locked in. A few days ago, he won in Doha. He does everything, from the backcourt, with the forehand, the backhand, and at the net. He can crush it, and mix it up, too.

“I came this year hungry for more. I think after every tournament, we just have to set new goals. It’s been a really strong start to the year.”

Novak Djokovic will play, but the former No. 1 is declining steadily.  Of course he has won 101 titles, and he might be the best player, ever, yet when you are 38 years old, your legs can be very sore. The good thing is that at the Australian Open, he reached the final, beating Jannik Sinner in the semis, yet in the final, Djokovic lost to Alcaraz.

Each year, at the start of January, many of them wants to win a Grand Slam. Or even that, to win it title, not in the majors, but good ones. 

Amanda Anisimova reached into the final at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2025, but she couldn’t do it. However, she was close, on the hardcourts. At the 2026 Australia Open, she lost against Jessica Pegula at the quarters, yet last year, she began to climb. She played terrific on grass, beating some terrific players, but in the final in London, she froze up. Not winning a game versus Iga Swiatek, 0-6, 0-6. She must have cried, but in a month later, she started to bring higher again, in the final at the US Open, she upset Swiatek in the quarters on the hardcourts,  and also she beat Naomi Osaka in the semis. She was so close in the final, but the No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka won 7-6 in the second set. At least Anisimova was almost there. Now her goals is maybe to win a Grand Slam, but when?

“I think we all share, is to win a Grand Slam. I’m doing everything I can in my capacity to try and get there, to try and achieve my goals.

But I’d say it’s obviously a process,” Anisimova said. “You have to really try to tie in all the things together. I feel like I’m really trying to figure out everything I need to do to give myself the best possible chance.

I’m more focused on just the overall process of getting there instead of the outcome. Hopefully one day I can achieve it.”

The 23 Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, started early, winning for the first time at the 1999 US Open, and then she took off, with her amazing forehand and her backhand, her huge return and millions of aces, plus her darn good second serves.

For the most part, Williams was focused, almost all the time.

“I feel like Serena was such an icon and a legend. To be able to try to follow in her footsteps, obviously that’s almost impossible to be able to achieve for the majority of us,” Anisimova said. “But it is the goal. It is that motivation. She’s been an inspiration to each one of us Americans as well as everyone else from other countries. You also have a lot of youngsters coming in like Iva Jovic, who are performing well [she won Dubai]. Their attitude is great. I feel like there’s a really good group of us right now that’s really strong. It’s really exciting.”

A couple years ago, she was struggling, and she stopped for a while. She was slow, and she missed so many balls, losing a lot. Yet eventually, the American became more smarter, and older, too. Her confidence flew up.

“I feel like I’m actually feeling a lot less pressure and stress than when I compare it to Australia. I feel like I was able to reflect and kind of reset my goals, focus more on the process. I feel a lot better now that I have kind of let go of a lot of that stuff. I’ve just redirected things that I’m paying my attention to and putting my energy into.”

After you lose, and you get on the plane, will you breath, and think about some other things, with music, or different sports? Anything to have fun? A lot of people don’t do it, much. She is playing Dubai.

“I’d say the biggest thing is probably being self-aware. I don’t think you’re really able to figure things out or get to the root problem if you don’t kind of sit with yourself and reflect on what’s actually going on. I think it just takes time, kind of figuring out where my problem is stemming from, my emotions and feelings,” she said. “Sometimes I feel like it’s confusing. In the moment it’s really hard.The more time you take, like the easier it is to figure out, reflecting on the last few weeks, what has been kind of going in the wrong way. That’s the thing I do, is try to look back at everything, piece together certain things, see patterns. So it’s something I do personally.”

Ben Shelton takes Dallas over Taylor Fritz

Ben Shelton lost to Jannik Sinner  in the quarters at the 2026 Australian Open in three sets, and he nailed the ball, here and there, but the Italian was more consistent. Plus, Sinner cracked it with his gigantic forehand and his backhand. Shelton can be enthusiastic, but he can  miss it, short. However, he  last week, he won Dallas, beating Taylor Fritz 7-5 in the third. A very tough, match.

 “I think my level is better, becoming a lot less limited. This game takes time, and the results don’t always come when you want them,” he said. “I’m getting to the point now where I’m getting stopped up by the toughest challenge. I think my level is better a lot less limited. This game takes time, and the results don’t always come when you want them. It’s just going to take that one time where I do do it to kind of get me over the hump.” 

There are a lot of good players now, the men, but not great, yet. Yes, each day, you can play amazing, but other times, you can play mediocre, you just have to fight, and change it up. No one, with the exception for Andy Roddick, who won the 2003 US Open title, and then, that was it for the Americans in the Slams, to grad, it. Can somewhat do it in 2026? At least Fritz reached into the 2024 US Open, yet he lost against — guess who? — Sinner . 

The No. 9 Shelton is pushing himself, now.

“It’s always been that way for me. Certainly not discouraged from a performance like this, but I want to see myself get out in front and see what I can do from there in a match rather than falling behind just because I know how I feel when I get out in front at Slams. I’m untouchable. I guarantee the other guys at the top feel the exact same.

It’s a matter of time and work just trying to put all the pieces together, because I’m not complete yet, but I feel myself becoming more complete.”