Alexander Zverev Downplays Favorite Tag Ahead of US Open

Top seed Alexander Zverev has played down suggestions that he is the clear favorite for the US Open, saying the season’s final Grand Slam remains an open contest despite Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal and uncertainty over Carlos Alcaraz’s return from injury.

Zverev, who won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open this year before finishing runner-up to world number one Sinner at Wimbledon, said he viewed himself as only one contender in a 128-player field at Flushing Meadows. The German begins the tournament with the men’s draw missing Sinner, while defending champion Alcaraz returns after more than four months away from competition.

“I feel like I’m one of the 128 players that are favorites in the draw,” Zverev said as he prepared for the tournament’s start on Sunday. His assessment underlined the breadth of candidates in New York, where established champions, returning stars and emerging players all feature prominently.

Zverev sees Alcaraz as a major threat

Alcaraz’s Australian Open victory in January made him the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam, but the Spaniard missed both the French Open and Wimbledon because of a right wrist injury. Alcaraz has said the injury is fully healed, although his match fitness will be under scrutiny after his extended absence.

Zverev expects the defending champion to become a serious factor if he negotiates the opening stages. “I expect him to be maybe a bit rusty the first or second match, but once he gets through that, I think he’s going to be a contender for sure here,” he said.

The field also includes 39-year-old Novak Djokovic, seeded fourth as he pursues a record-setting 25th Grand Slam singles title. Djokovic’s Cincinnati Masters campaign ended early amid physical struggles, but he said the exit gave him an opportunity to train and prepare physically and mentally for the US Open.

Ben Shelton likewise declined to treat Sinner’s knee-injury withdrawal as a straightforward opening for the remaining contenders. Shelton pointed to Zverev, Alcaraz and Djokovic, while also highlighting France’s Arthur Fils, who won his first ATP Masters title in Cincinnati last week. Shelton added that American players were dangerous on the hard courts and said it would be unwise to overlook the quality across the draw.

The US Open is therefore set to test Zverev’s position at the top of the seedings against a field with no shortage of proven winners and recent form. His French Open breakthrough and Wimbledon run provide strong recent credentials, but his comments made clear that he does not see Sinner’s absence as settling the title picture.

Women’s draw carries its own uncertainty

The women’s tournament has a similarly competitive feel. World number one Aryna Sabalenka is seeking a third consecutive US Open title, a feat achieved previously only by Chris Evert and Serena Williams. However, Sabalenka has not reached a final since winning back-to-back hard-court titles at Indian Wells and Miami.

Second-ranked Elena Rybakina, who defeated Sabalenka to win the Australian Open in January, has been closing on the top ranking. Rybakina could take the number one spot by reaching the semi-finals regardless of Sabalenka’s results, although her US Open preparation has been affected by injury.

Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff arrive with encouraging recent results. Swiatek won her first title of the year in Toronto, while Pegula has won two titles this season and reached three other finals. Gauff beat Pegula in the Cincinnati final after a resurgence and returns to the site of her 2023 US Open triumph.

Two-time champion Naomi Osaka, Alexandra Eala and 20-year-old Czech seed Sara Bejlek are among the other names in the field. Bejlek reached the Cincinnati semi-finals during a breakout run that included a win over Sabalenka. With questions surrounding several leading players, Zverev’s refusal to embrace the favorite label reflects the central theme entering the US Open: opportunity is widespread, but certainty is scarce.