Breaking down the 2026 U.S. Open Women's draw

Other notable draws

Rybakina beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final. Shnaider defeated Sabalenka in the French Open quarterfinals, which included a bagel in the third set. Sabalenka lost to Naomi Osaka in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Rybakina retired in her Cincinnati Open quarterfinal against Iga Swiatek with an ankle injury. Earlier this week, she stated she is doing everything she can to be healthy enough to compete in the U.S. Open. She doesn't have to defend many points after losing in the 2025 U.S. Open fourth round.

Americans Coco Gauff and Pegula, plus Rybakina and Sabalenka, all have the opportunity to be the No. 1-ranked WTA player after the U.S. Open, depending on the results. Rybakina will become the top-ranked WTA player if someone other than Gauff, Pegula or Sabalenka wins the title or if she advances to the semifinals. 

Rybakina begins the US Open against American wild card Thea Frodin. The seeds Rybakina is projected to play are No. 32 Maria Sakkari in the third round, 13th-seeded Osaka in the fourth, No. 8 Swiatek in the quarters and fifth-seeded French Open Champion Mirra Andreeva in the semis. 

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula's US Open paths

Pegula, Noskova and Sabalenka highlight the top half of the 2026 U.S. Open women's draw. Andreeva, Gauff, Rybakina and Swiatek give the bottom half of the draw three former Grand Slam champions. Pegula, as the third seed, is the highest-seeded American, and Gauff is fourth. 

Pegula begins her 2026 US Open against Elena-Gabriela Ruse. A blockbuster second-round match awaits against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin or Venus Williams. Pegula is projected to play 31st seed Leylah Fernandez in the third round, No. 16 Sorana Cirstea in the fourth and seventh seed Karolina Muchova in the quarters.

Gauff begins her U.S. Open run against Zeynep Sonmez from Turkey. A tough second-round match against Paula Badosa or Daria Kasatkina awaits before Gauff could start playing seeded players. Sara Bejlek, whom Gauff beat in the Cincinnati semifinals, is on a path for a rematch in the U.S. Open third round.

Gauff enters the U.S. Open as the hottest player on the WTA Tour. Before winning in Cincinnati, Gauff lost in the semifinals at Wimbledon, Washington and Toronto. Gauff is the second favorite at +450 to win the US Open, per DraftKings. Sabalenka is the favorite at +330. 

Either fellow American Iva Jovic or Filipino Alexandra Eala is the projected fourth-round opponent for Gauff, followed by Amanda Anisimova or Andreeva and Rybakina in the semifinals. Gauff and Pegula lead seven American women seeds in the 2026 U.S. Open.

Anisimova is the 10th seed, Jovic 14th, Madison Keys 22nd, Emma Navarro 25th and Ann Li 29th. An American woman has advanced to the U.S. Open Championship Match in the past three years. Gauff won in 2024, while Pegula and Anisimova have been the runner-up in the past two years.