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  • Carlos Alcaraz believes he can win US Open, labels Jannik Sinner’s shock withdrawal ‘weird’

    Carlos Alcaraz believes he can win the US Open despite his four-month injury hiatus, as he labelled Jannik Sinner’s shock withdrawal from the New York major as ‘weird’.

    The Spaniard has been out of action for four months after picking up a wrist injury during his opening match at the Barcelona Open in April.

    Having opted out of both the French Open and Wimbledon, as well as the Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati, Alcaraz claims he is now ready to ‘give his all’ at the final Grand Slam of the season.

    As a result of his lengthy lay-off, he has dropped more than 5,000 ranking points, meaning he has slipped to world No 3 for the first time since the start of 2025, having been leapfrogged by Alexander Zverev.

    In recent weeks, the Spaniard has been ramping up his preparations, increasing his intensity during full practice sets, including sessions with Dane Holger Rune.

    Alcaraz is due to begin his title defence on Monday against Roman Safiullin – with the Russian winning their only previous meeting, at the Paris Masters in 2023.

    During his pre-tournament press conference, the world No 3 remained realistic but cautiously optimistic about his chances.

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    “Right now, honestly, I hate losing. It’s clear that I’m here to give my all,” stated the Spaniard.

    But for me the most important thing is to come out of this tournament healthy, to have been able to compete and train with players of this level and to see that my pulse and body are holding up.

    I don’t want to set any limits for myself. I don’t know if it will be the first round, the second round, or the final. I don’t want to think about the result, but about the journey we’ve taken and everything we’re doing.

    Above all, I want to get on the court, have fun, and feel good. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: feel good on a tennis court.”

    “It is possible [to win it],” he added.

    ”I think a lot of people have shown it. [Roger] Federer, [Rafael] Nadal, many people have shown that you can win a Grand Slam after having been injured for a long time or having had a very serious injury. So we’re going to try to hold on to that belief that I can too.”

    Alcaraz’s title hopes were no doubt boosted after world No 1 and reigning Wimbledon champion Sinner withdrew from the event due to lingering knee discomfort.

    The Italian has won five Masters 1000 titles and, more recently, lifted the Wimbledon trophy this season, but is set to lose 1,300 ranking points as a result of his withdrawal.

    Sinner is due to return to the tour at the Beijing Open, which begins on September 30.

    When asked about the decision, Alcaraz labelled the situation as ‘weird’, but pointed the finger firmly at the tight scheduling of the ATP Tour.

    “Well, it is the same for everybody, that someone like Jannik is missing this tournament, a Grand Slam,” commented the Spaniard.

    “But, you know, it’s kind of weird. We are not going to see each other for like six months now, seven months. It’s kind of a weird situation.

    “I wish him all the best. Hopefully he has a quick and really great recovery, and we see him back on court at his best once again.

    “But I’m going to see a lot of players are having problems with their bodies, and with the injuries I think that means how tight everything is in the calendar and in the year, but you know hopefully we’re going to see Jannik back on court better than ever.”

    Last season, Alcaraz defeated Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to win his second US Open title.

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  • Arthur Fils gets bold statement from Boris Becker after calling out ‘very bad’ criticism

    Tennis legend Boris Becker has asserted that Arthur Fils belongs in the same category as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner ahead of the 2026 US Open.

    Fils climbed to a career-high ranking of world No 11 on Monday after securing the biggest title of his career at the Cincinnati Masters last week.

    The 22-year-old Frenchman is the No 10 seed at the US Open, and he is seen by some as a genuine contender for the title.

    Following his Cincinnati victory, Fils made a strong statement by writing “Who’s gonna talk now?” on the camera lens.

    In his press conference, Fils explained why he wrote that message.

    “Because people were talking very bad. You know, in France, it’s very easy sometimes… to criticise,” Fils said.

    “It’s very easy to criticise, and I didn’t play the French Open. I lost early in Washington, and then people think that I’m done, and I don’t know how to play tennis.

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    “But here we are, I got the title, and I think no one’s going to talk now.”

    Speaking with former WTA star Andrea Petkovic on the Becker Petkovic podcast, Becker lauded Fils’ potential and expressed disbelief at the criticism he has faced in his home country.

    “Anyone who has some tennis sense sees him as a future superstar in the Sinner, Alcaraz category,” said the six-time Grand Slam winner.

    “For me, he’s so strong that he belongs in that category despite having had physical problems.

    “He had a back problem last year and was out of action for half a year, and it’s obvious that he’s finding his form again.

    “There will still be setbacks — it makes sense. But he played the clay-court season before, got injured there, didn’t pay in Paris.

    “He played excellently in Washington and Canada, and now he’s won the title [in Cincinnati]. He’s currently fifth in the Race to Turin, despite having played very few tournaments.

    “Who is the next Frenchman to even come close? What do I know? I don’t understand the French. I mean, if I have such a talented guy with charisma, he plays great shots, he looks good and so on, then I carry him on my hands and find every reason to support him.

    “But if the French don’t want him, I think I speak on behalf of German tennis when I say we will get him a German passport next week (laughs).”

    READ NEXT: US Open: Former world No 1 names American favourite to win title – ‘He fights until the end’

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  • Roger Federer mentions Carlos Alcaraz & Novak Djokovic as he is asked to pick US Open winner

    Roger Federer mentioned both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic as he gave a telling answer when discussing the favourites to win the 2026 US Open men’s title.

    The men’s singles event at this year’s US Open promises to be one of the most difficult Grand Slam tournaments to predict in recent memory.

    World No 1 Jannik Sinner, who would likely have been a firm favourite, pulled out of the US Open due to a knee injury,

    Second-ranked Alexander Zverev, who is the top seed in the absence of Sinner, won his maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open in June.

    Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning champion, enters the tournament having not played a match in over four months due to a right wrist injury.

    At the age of 39, No 4 seed Novak Djokovic is aiming to become the oldest player to win a major, having secured his most recent Slam at the 2023 US Open.

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    In an interview with ESPN ahead of the US Open, Federer was asked if he could pick the men’s winner.

    “Tough one, it’s a really tricky one… I mean, obviously, I would pick Alcaraz and Novak if Sinner’s not here,” said the legendary Swiss.

    “But then, Carlito, we don’t know. And Novak, we just don’t know, as well, right now.”

    The 20-time Grand Slam champion also addressed the challenge Alcaraz faces in New York following his lengthy absence.

    “I think it depends, and only he knows, how much he’s been practising,” said Federer.

    “Has he been able to go all out in practice? For how long? Has it been a week? Has it been a month? And I think that’s the difference maker.

    “If it’s only been a week, I think it’s going to be very tricky. And if it’s a month, I give him a good chance to find his groove early on.

    “So, he just needs to make sure he get’s through the first, let’s say, three rounds, to get rolling.

    “I don’t know, I don’t know the insights of how his practice schedule has looked like.”

    READ NEXT: Alexander Zverev told ‘Christmas has come early’ as Carlos Alcaraz is ‘not the favourite’

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  • Carlos Alcaraz opens up about wrist recovery ahead of ‘really difficult’ US Open first round

    Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about his preparations for the 2026 US Open and also looked ahead to a first round match he described as “really difficult.”

    The world No 3 has not played a singles match in over four months due to a right wrist injury he suffered at the Barcelona Open in April.

    Earlier this week, Alcaraz made his return to the match court to play the US Open mixed doubles event, where he partnered Serena Williams. The star-studded duo won their first match before falling in the quarter-finals.

    Alcaraz, who is the reigning US Open champion, will begin his title defence in New York against world No 98 Roman Safiullin.

    The Spaniard appeared on a live episode of Andy Roddick’s Served podcast, which was recorded at Flushing Meadows during the US Open Media Day.

    Former world No 1 Roddick asked Alcaraz how his wrist was, and how his preparations for the tournament were going.

    “Well, it’s going really well, to be honest,” Alcaraz said. “At home, it was a great week of practice before coming here, which was a real test for me. Long practices, intense practices, just to see how the wrist is going to react.

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    “Here, [practising] with those guys, with the mixed doubles, helped me a lot. Everything. So, right now I’m just excited, and obviously can’t wait until the tournament begins.”

    The seven-time Grand Slam champion was also asked about facing Safiullin — a player he holds a 1-1 record against.

    “Well, I think it’s going to be a really difficult first round, seeing that [it’s going to be] my first match since April,” said the 23-year-old.

    “He’s a really talented player, because I think as much rhythm as you put in the match, he feels more comfortable. So, it’s going to be a really interesting one.

    “I think it’s going to be a really great match to play. I’m really excited. I’ve got to be good, I gotta be good. What else I can say?

    “But I’m going to practise these days just really focused on that first match, and let’s see how it’s going to be.”

    Alcaraz also revealed what has he missed about being on tour.

    “Well, the first two months, it was okay. I was having fun with my family, friends. I just did some stuff that I wasn’t able to do on the tour, but after that, I miss it,” Alcaraz explained.

    “At the beginning, I thought that I’m not going to watch any tennis match, but at the end… French Open, Wimbledon, so’ I couldn’t miss it (smiles). So, I’ve been watching those guys competing.

    “I’ve been missing the players, seeing the faces, seeing the teams, everyone around. So, I miss that feeling.”

    READ NEXT: Alexander Zverev told ‘Christmas has come early’ as Carlos Alcaraz is ‘not the favourite’

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  • Incredible Alex Eala YouTube numbers confirm she is the most watched superstar in women’s tennis

    Alex Eala’s superstar status is set to go to the next level at the US Open, with the numbers she is serving up on social media platforms confirming she is the most watched player in tennis.

    Eala’s rise up the rankings has seen her claim a huge army of supporters, with fans of the most popular sports person in Philippines packing tennis stadiums around the world over the last couple of years.

    The 21-year-old broke into the top 20 of the WTA Rankings when she won her first tour level title in Washington last month and she is set to be given A-list status at this year’s US Open.

    That looks set to include appearances on the main show courts and maybe even the night sessions on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

    Eala confirmed her pulling power is big in New York as a packed crowd watched her play American Iva Jovic in an exhibition match on the biggest tennis stage of them all, with Eala event getting her Dad out on court to create a magical social media moment.

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    The YouTube numbers for her big night on Arthur Ashe Stadium make for remarkable viewing, with the official US Open channel confirming Eala’s match was by far the most watched upload so far.

    Videos of warm up matches this year have been attracting relatively modest views on YouTube, with last year’s men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner attracting 439K views a full year later.

    Yet Eala’s one set exhibition against Jovic has already pulled in over one million views in less than 24 hours, which means it is already climbing the chart of the most watched YouTube videos posted by the US Open account.

    “Of course, I want to give back as much as they give to me, but the obligation first and foremost is to myself. It’s my journey,” said Eala, when she spoke about her fanbase.

    “I am really super grateful that all of these supporters want to follow in that journey that I have, but I owe it to myself first and foremost and to my family and team to give it everything that I have. The rest will follow.”

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    Eala spoke to Tennis365 in an exclusive interview last year and highlighted how proud she is to represent the Philippines on the biggest stages in tennis.

    “It just warms my heart that people in my country are looking at what I am doing and might try tennis,” she added.

    “I’m travelling all the time, so I don’t get to see what is happening with tennis in the Philippines, but I get sent a lot of videos and pictures of young people saying I am inspiring them and that is so exciting for me.

    “The youth and especially the young girls who are inspired by me and that makes everything so warm for me. In terms of the scale of my impact back home, I don’t have a big idea about it and I just focus on what is important and that is my tennis and trying to improve.”

    Roger Federer’s exhibition set against Andy Roddick on Tuesday night has also been got well over one million views on YouTube, confirming the Swiss maestro still has huge pulling power four years after his retirement.

    READ NEXT: Alex Eala gets bold prediction from former US Open finalist ahead of potential Coco Gauff clash

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  • Alex Eala gets bold prediction from former US Open finalist ahead of potential Coco Gauff clash

    Alex Eala has been backed to achieve her best result at a Grand Slam, even though she may need to beat the in-form Coco Gauff to reach the quarter-finals in New York.

    The hero of the Philippines has been making waves in New York, with her appearance in a warm-up match on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday night creating another viral social media moment as she was joined on court by her father.

    The social media numbers on Eala’s first appearance on Arthur Ashe Stadium suggest she will be one of the star attractions at this year’s US Open and now she has been given a glowing endorsement to enjoy a deep run in New York by 1997 finalist Greg Rusedski.

    Eala’s best run at a Grand Slam came at Wimbledon last month, when she reached the last-16 and beat defending champion Iga Swiatek to confirm her star status.

    She backed that up by winning her first title in Washington and heads to the US Open as one of the dark horses to have a strong run into the second week.

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    The draw has not been kind to Eala, as she could face the in-form Coco Gauff in the fourth round, but Rusedski believes she has a chance to shine.

    “If Eala gets into that Coco Gauff match, I like her chances,” declared Rusedski on his podcast. “That could be a blockbuster match in round four.

    “Gauff is one of my favourites, but I still kinda feel Eala would have a chance in that match.

    “How is she gonna handle that American crowd? And will she have the Filipinos come into New York to spend their money to cheer her on?

    “As Jess Pagula said when she played her in Washington, she felt like she wasn’t playing in America. She felt like the crowd was totally for Eala.

    “She’s going to be a big star at this year’s US Open and I’m sure she can handle the attention that will come her way. Her section of the draw tough, but I’ve been so impressed by her.”

    Rusedski went on to suggest Eala has everything required in her game to hit the heights, as he suggested her schooling at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca has been a big help.

    “She is working the Rafael Nadal Academy, so she’s got people to sound off who’ve been to the very top of the game to learn from. And this is something that feels like it’s destined for her to get into the top ten and get to the top of the game,” he added.

    “We talked about her serve. If her serve gets better, she gets to No 1 in the world because her mentality is brilliant.

    “She takes the ball so early, returns are magnificent, attitudes great. She just has it. You know, in the men’s tour, I mean, this is reminiscent, kind of like when Agassi or Nadal or Alcaraz showed up, these kind of superstars.

    “In the women’s game, if you’re comparing, it’s probably Chrissy Everett, Serena and Venus Williams when they showed up, maybe Maria Sharapova. They’re just like bang, here we are. And then everybody gets excited. But you’ve got to remember in the Philippines, you get into this status.

    “In the Philippines, she is obviously the biggest superstar. Yes, they have other legends in Olympic sports who’ve won gold medals and so forth. But she just has that little extra. You can’t explain what it is. You just can’t stop watching her. When she’s on TV, when she does her interviews, she speaks exceptionally well. So from my point of view, it’s just a matter of time.

    “She is the absolute perfect tonic for the WTA. They needed a big name superstar and if she can get quarters, semis, finals, and win majors, their tour’s just gonna keep on growing. I think she’s gonna have a deep run in the Open.”

    READ NEXT: US Open: Points Sabalenka, Rybakina, Gauff, Swiatek, Anisimova, Osaka, Eala will drop

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  • Serena Williams makes top three as women outnumber men for ‘first time’ in tennis’ highest-paid top 10

    Tennis’ top-10 highest-paid players over the past 12 months have been revealed, with more women than men making up the majority of the list for the ‘first time ever’.

    According to Forbes, the sport’s biggest earners raked in a combined $333m (£245m) over the last year – 17% up from 2025’s $285m (£210m) and just behind 2020’s $343m (£252.5m) haul.

    Even though Jannik Sinner is missing the 2026 US Open and Carlos Alcaraz was injured for the French Open and Wimbledon, the dominant duo still top the pile when it comes to financial supremacy.

    And despite being out of tennis for nearly four years, 44-year-old Serena Williams still is in the top three, ahead of the likes of 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic, due to her off-court deals.

    World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and two-time Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff round off the top five, with the latter, in particular, being hugely marketable off the court.

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    Incidentally, 23-time major winner Serena reportedly has a net worth of $400m (£295m) – making her the world’s richest woman who made her fortune primarily as an athlete.

    She has been sponsored by Nike for 23 years and has partnerships with Heineken, Factor, and Ro, as well as becoming the face of latter’s campaign around GLP-1 weight loss medications.

    As a result, she tops the list for off-court earnings at $40m (£29.5m), with Alcaraz second on $38m (£28m), and Sinner third on $35m (£26m). In this category, Djokovic is behind those three and Gauff as well.

    On the flip side, Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina and French Open winner Alexander Zverev are more modest off-court earners at $6m (£4.4m) and $5m (£3.7m) respectively.

    Another player who relies heavily on off-court endorsements is Chinese star Qinwen Zheng. Despite dropping outside the world’s top 100 since having surgery on her elbow just over a year ago, she rakes in the cash through partnerships with Alipay, tea chain Chagee, and dairy producer Yili Group.

    Former top 10er and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka does not feature and although Alex Eala is arguably the hottest property in tennis right now, the Filipina still has a way to go to crack this rich list.

    The 21-year-old is fast approaching $2m for on-court winnings this year but for now, she will have to bide her time. Below is a full breakdown of the top 10.

    Tennis’ top 10 highest-paid players 

    1. Jannik Sinner – $58m – off court $35m
    2. Carlos Alcaraz – $53.7m – off court $38m
    3. Serena Williams – $40.1m – off court $40m
    4. Aryna Sabalenka – $36.1m – off court $23m
    5. Coco Gauff – $35.5m – off court $28m
    6. Novak Djokovic – $30.2m – off court $25m
    7. Qinwen Zheng – $22.6m – off court $22m
    8. Iga Swiatek – $20.5m – off court $15m
    9. Alexander Zverev – $18.7m – off court $5m
    10. Elena Rybakina – $17.4m – off court $6m

    WHAT NEXT? US Open: How many points will Sabalenka, Rybakina, Gauff, Swiatek, Anisimova, Osaka, Eala drop?

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  • Alex Eala adds ‘exciting’ event to schedule as father joins her in US Open exhibition

    Alex Eala has added an “exciting” event to her busy tennis schedule, hot on the heels of playing with her father in an exhibition match at the US Open.

    The 21-year-old has had a busy 2026, recording a win-loss record of 38/20, in addition to claiming her first WTA Tour title in Washington earlier this summer.

    The Filipina is up to a career-high ranking of 18 and is seeded 17th in Flushing Meadows, where she will face a qualifier in the first round.

    Eala will play a host of other tournaments over the coming months before the season comes to an end in Indian Wells, where the top eight players in the world will duke it out at the WTA Finals.

    The left-hander will be something of a long shot to make it to that prestigious tournament, which runs from 8-15 November, and in a period where most stars would be enjoying their off-season, the youngster has just announced an exhibition in her native Philippines.

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    In early December, Eala will be taking to the court at Philippine Arena, Bulacan, to take on world no 35 Janice Tjen in what she hopes will inspire the “next generation” of Filipino tennis players.

    She told her fans in an Instagram post, “I’ve got exciting news, I’m coming home on December 8th. I’ll be playing in the Philippine Arena against Indonesia’s Janice Tjen.

    “Get ready for an unforgettable day of world-class tennis and the celebration of national pride designed to inspire the next generation of Filipino tennis players. I can’t wait to share this moment with you and celebrate our culture together.”

    She added that tickets are now on sale and, “Thank you so much for all your support going into the US Open.”

    Meanwhile, on Thursday, Eala took on close friend Iva Jovic in a lighthearted exhibition match on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

    The American won 6-3 in a contest where both players brought their fathers onto the court for a brief mixed doubles match.

    Dad Mike Eala clearly relished his time in the spotlight but perhaps needs to work on his tennis skills after being aced and then dumping a volley into the net.

    Eala and 14th seed Jovic could face each other in the third round of the US Open. The 18-year-old has beaten the Filipina twice this year, once in the first round of the French Open and the other for the loss of just four games at Queen’s Club.

    WHAT NEXT? Most WTA top 10 wins in 2026: Featuring Aryna Sabalenka, Alex Eala, Elena Rybakina

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  • Carlos Alcaraz warned over ‘low level’ as Patrick Mouratoglou reveals US Open worry

    Patrick Mouratoglou is intrigued to see what Carlos Alcaraz’s “low level” is as he prepares to defend his US Open title after more than four months out injured.

    The 23-year-old has not played on the ATP Tour since injuring his wrist in mid-April at the Barcelona Open. Many felt he would not feature at Flushing Meadows after pulling out of Cincinnati, but sure enough, the Spaniard is in the draw in New York.

    The seven-time major winner eased back into competitive action earlier this week when he partnered Serena Williams in the mixed doubles event, and after two abridged matches in that revamped format, Alcaraz seems to be fit and ready for a title defence.

    However, due to his lack of match practice and time out injured, question marks over his fitness will not go away. Indeed, Serena’s former coach Mouratoglou has outlined what indicators will make him “worry” about the third seed.

    He said on Instagram, “Is he ready to win the US Open? 99% of players cannot play consistently at the very high level throughout a five-set match. The question that I will ask myself while watching Carlos Alcaraz’s first round is: how low is his low level?

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    “Because his high will always be crazy high. The question is, how low is his low, but also how long does the low last? Is it going to be one full set or just one game and then, right after, he’s going to break back, for example?

    “So that will be very important. If he checks out for long periods and is very much up and down, then we can worry.”

    Alcaraz won’t have much time to ease into the tournament as he faces the dangerous Roman Safiullin in the first round. This year, the Russian has risen more than 100 places in the rankings to 99 after returning from injury.

    He made the fourth round at Wimbledon this year, where he took Novak Djokovic to four sets, and the former world No 36 beat Alcaraz in straight sets at the 2023 Paris Masters.

    Either way, Alcaraz – who is at 1-1 in his head-to-head with Safiullin – is delighted to be back.

    He said earlier this week, “After a couple of months recovering from my injury, I miss everything. I miss this place, I miss the crowd, I miss the ball kids. I think I couldn’t have started at a better place than here, so I feel very grateful. I’m just happy.”

    GO DEEPER: ‘Roger Federer was pissed off’ – The John McEnroe prodigy who won junior Wimbledon but felt like a ‘failure’

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  • US Open: Points Sabalenka, Rybakina, Gauff, Swiatek, Anisimova, Osaka, Eala will drop

    Aryna Sabalenka will be a woman under pressure at the 2026 US Open as she has a lot of points to defend, while there is better news for Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Alex Eala.

    World No 1 Sabalenka won her fourth Grand Slam when she defeated Amanda Anisimova in the final at Flushing Meadows in 2025, but now, 12 months later, she will drop the points she won or face the possibility of losing top spot in the WTA Rankings.

    The rankings are determined by a rolling 52-week, cumulative system and players drop points from the corresponding period 12 months ago at the start of the event and can then earn points again for their round-by-round progression at the current tournament.

    Example: If a player earned 200 points in 2025, those points will be removed from their tally in the Live WTA Rankings at the start of the event.

    If said player then loses early and earns only 100 points this time around, they go home with a deficit of -100.

    Points The Big Names Will Drop At US Open

    Aryna Sabalenka – 2,000

    A Grand Slam win is worth 2,000 points and Sabalenka earned the full quota when she defeated Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the 2025 final to win her second US Open crown.

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    The four-time major champion has 8,575 points in the official WTA Rankings, but will effectively be on 6,575 once those 2,000 points are removed, slipping to No 2 in the Live Rankings with Elena Rybakina moving ahead of her.

    She can only regain the No 1 spot in the rankings after the US Open by winning the title, but even then it is out of her hands (see below for Rybakina).

    Amanda Anisimova – 1,300

    The American followed up her Wimbledon runners-up finish with another finalist appearance at the US Open, earning 1,300 points, and she will struggle to remain in the top 10 after the season-ending Grand Slam.

    Anisimova has already slipped to No 10 in the rankings as she is on 4,533 points and will drop out of the top 10 once those points are removed.

    Jessica Pegula and Naomi Osaka – 780

    The duo are under pressure as they reached the semi-final last year, but there is a nice carrot dangling in front of world No 3 Pegula as she has the chance to become world No 1 by winning the title. However, she needs a few results to go her way.

    Four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka sits at No 13 and she will likely only move up by reaching the final at Flushing Meadows for a third time.

    Iga Swiatek/Marketa Vondrousova/Barbora Krejcikova/Karolina Muchova – 430

    A trio of Czechs and Swiatek exited in the quarter-final stage 12 months ago.

    Swiatek has slipped to No 8 in the rankings, but will move up if she reaches the last four or better, while Muchova sits at No 7 following her Wimbledon runners-up finish.

    Krejcikova is down at No 28 and Vondrousova is currently banned.

    Elena Rybakina/Coco Gauff/Marta Kostyuk – 240

    Rybakina, who lost in the fourth round last year, has top spot in the rankings in her own hands as a semi-final appearance will see her move ahead of Sabalenka and become world No 1 for the first time. She can also become No 1 if she loses earlier and others also fall by the wayside.

    Gauff is also in the conversation to become No 1, but she needs to win the title and hope Rybakina loses before the semi-final while world No 11 Kostyuk is poised to crack the top 10 for the first time.

    Iva Jovic – 570

    Even though Jovic lost in the second round last year, she will drop 570 points as players are also defending points from the 2025 Guadalajara and SP Open events.

    The American won the Guadalajara Open and earned 500 points.

    Alex Eala – 135

    World No 17 Eala won her maiden Grand Slam match at the US Open in 2025 before losing in the second round to leave New York with 70 points. But she then signed up for the SP Open and reached the quarter-final (125).

    However, it gets a little more complicated as some of her points (60) from Brazil is considered non-countable so she will technically only drop 65 points from that WTA 250 event.

    The Filipina has 2,281 points, and once the 135 points are removed, she sits on 2,166 with an opportunity to move into the top 15 waving at her.

    Emma Raducanu – 130

    The 2021 US Open winner won’t play in New York this year, but she will drop 130 points after reaching the third round last year.

    Raducanu currently sits at No 68 in the rankings and will slip further down the list after the season-ending Grand Slam.

    The post US Open: Points Sabalenka, Rybakina, Gauff, Swiatek, Anisimova, Osaka, Eala will drop appeared first on Tennis365.