In tennis, there are four Grand Slam tournaments each year, and the US Open is the final one. Played on hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, it is the only Grand Slam to have been held continuously since its inception. Neither of the World Wars nor the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the US Open, which is now more than 140 years old.
As with the other Grand Slam events, seeding plays an important role in shaping the draw. Seeded players were introduced to the US Open for the first time in 1922, although the system initially covered only a small number of players. In 1968, seeding was increased to cover the top 16 players, before being expanded to 32 in 2001.
While the seeding system has changed in scope, its underlying principle has remained the same. It was introduced to spread the highest-ranked players throughout the draw, preventing the biggest names from meeting in the opening rounds. Players have always sought seeding because it typically provides an easier path to the latter stages of the tournament.
In this article, we explain how the US Open seeding system works today for both men’s and women’s singles.
How US Open Seeding Works
The US Open uses the ATP and WTA rankings to determine its singles seeds. The men’s seeds are based on the ATP rankings, while the women’s seeds are based on the WTA rankings published shortly before the tournament begins. The rankings to be used are usually posted around a week before the main draw begins.
The 32 highest-ranked eligible players in each singles draw receive a seed. Unlike Wimbledon, which previously used a separate formula that gave additional weight to grass-court results, the US Open does not make adjustments based on a player’s record on hard courts or previous performances at the tournament.
The top two seeds are placed at opposite ends of the draw, meaning they cannot meet before the final. Seeds three and four are then placed in separate halves, so they cannot meet before the semi-finals. Seeds from five to eight are placed in separate quarters of the draw, meaning they cannot meet before the quarter-finals. The remaining seeds are positioned so that no two seeded players can meet before the third round, meaning a top-32 player is guaranteed to avoid another seed in the opening two rounds.
Thanks to this, the benefits of being seeded extend beyond the very top of the rankings. A player who just misses out on the seedings can face any top player in the first couple of rounds, but finishing inside the top 32 removes this possibility. There is usually very little separating players around this position in the ATP and WTA rankings, so the tournaments in the build-up to the US Open can play a huge role.
Just be aware that the world rankings do not always exactly mirror the seedings. If a highly ranked player does not enter the tournament or withdraws before the draw is made, players below them can move up and take their place among the seeds. This means that a player ranked 33rd or 34th at the cut-off can still have a realistic chance of being seeded for the tournament.
Men’s Singles Seeds 2026
| Seed | Player | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Zverev | Germany |
| 2 | Carlos Alcaraz | Spain |
| 3 | Félix Auger-Aliassime | Canada |
| 4 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia |
| 5 | Flavio Cobolli | Italy |
| 6 | Alex de Minaur | Australia |
| 7 | Daniil Medvedev | Neutral |
| 8 | Ben Shelton | United States |
| 9 | Taylor Fritz | United States |
| 10 | Arthur Fils | France |
| 11 | Frances Tiafoe | United States |
| 12 | Rafael Jódar | Spain |
| 13 | Lorenzo Musetti | Italy |
| 14 | Learner Tien | United States |
| 15 | Alexander Bublik | Kazakhstan |
| 16 | Brandon Nakashima | United States |
| 17 | Jakub Menšík | Czech Republic |
| 18 | Jiří Lehečka | Czech Republic |
| 19 | Casper Ruud | Norway |
| 20 | Tommy Paul | United States |
| 21 | Luciano Darderi | Italy |
| 22 | Valentin Vacherot | Monaco |
| 23 | Andrey Rublev | Neutral |
| 24 | Francisco Cerúndolo | Argentina |
| 25 | Alejandro Tabilo | Chile |
| 26 | Arthur Rinderknech | France |
| 27 | Tomás Martín Etcheverry | Argentina |
| 28 | Alexander Blockx | Belgium |
| 29 | Cameron Norrie | United Kingdom |
| 30 | Matteo Arnaldi | Italy |
| 31 | Zizou Bergs | Belgium |
| 32 | Ignacio Buse | Peru |
World number one Jannik Sinner would have been top seed, but had to withdraw due to injury.
Women’s Singles Seeds 2026
| Seed | Player | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aryna Sabalenka | Neutral |
| 2 | Elena Rybakina | Kazakhstan |
| 3 | Jessica Pegula | United States |
| 4 | Coco Gauff | United States |
| 5 | Mirra Andreeva | Neutral |
| 6 | Linda Nosková | Czech Republic |
| 7 | Karolína Muchová | Czech Republic |
| 8 | Iga Świątek | Poland |
| 9 | Elina Svitolina | Ukraine |
| 10 | Amanda Anisimova | United States |
| 11 | Marta Kostyuk | Ukraine |
| 12 | Belinda Bencic | Switzerland |
| 13 | Naomi Osaka | Japan |
| 14 | Iva Jovic | United States |
| 15 | Diana Shnaider | Neutral |
| 16 | Sorana Cîrstea | Romania |
| 17 | Alexandra Eala | Philippines |
| 18 | Ekaterina Alexandrova | Neutral |
| 19 | Jasmine Paolini | Italy |
| 20 | Maja Chwalińska | Poland |
| 21 | Anna Kalinskaya | Neutral |
| 22 | Madison Keys | United States |
| 23 | Elise Mertens | Belgium |
| 24 | Anastasia Potapova | Austria |
| 25 | Marie Bouzková | Czech Republic |
| 26 | Emma Navarro | United States |
| 27 | Barbora Krejčíková | Czech Republic |
| 28 | Sára Bejlek | Czech Republic |
| 29 | Ann Li | United States |
| 30 | Jeļena Ostapenko | Latvia |
| 31 | Leylah Fernandez | Canada |
| 32 | Maria Sakkari | Greece |
Road to the US Open
The build-up to the US Open provides players with several opportunities to find form, gain confidence, and, perhaps more importantly, collect valuable world ranking points. The North American hard-court swing features several major tournaments, giving the leading players plenty of competitive action before the final Grand Slam of the season.
Players earn points at these tournaments based on their performance and the category of the event. An ATP or WTA 250 offers 250 points to the winner, with points then scaling down according to how far a player progresses. An ATP or WTA 500 is more valuable, with 500 points available to the winner. Players must therefore choose whether to test themselves at a stronger event with more points on offer, and risk an early exit or target a lower-category tournament where they may have a better chance of going deep and collecting points.
Los Cabos Open (ATP 250)
Held in Mexico, the Los Cabos Open provides an alternative to the most prestigious Washington Open, which runs during the same week. It was founded in 2016 and only features on the men’s circuit.
Memphis Classic (WTA 250)
The women’s lower-category alternative to the Washington Open is the newly created Memphis Classic. Created in 2026, it replaced the “Tennis in the Land” tournament in Cleveland.
Washington Open (ATP 500 & WTA 500)
The Washington Open is one of the first major tournaments of the North American hard-court swing. Held in late July and early August, it gives players an early chance to adjust to the conditions they will face later in the summer. Originally it was a clay-court tournament, but has been played on hard court since switching surfaces in 1986.
Canadian Open (ATP 1000 & WTA 1000)
The Canadian Open is one of the biggest non-Grand Slam tournaments and a major focus of preparation for many top players eyeing up the US Open. The event alternates between Toronto and Montreal, with both the men’s and women’s tournaments offering 1,000 ranking points. It is the world’s second-oldest active tennis tournament, having begun in 1881.
Cincinnati Open (ATP 1000 & WTA 1000)
Another major pre-US Open event is the Cincinnati Open, which typically takes place in mid-August. It is the last major tournament before the US Open and, like the Canadian Open, is an ATP/WTA 1000 event. Given its importance and timing, it regularly attracts many of the world’s top players. It is one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the United States and has been played on hard courts since 1979.