Carlos Alcaraz’s comeback at this year’s US Open is already one of the defining storylines of the season. After months away from competition, the Spaniard arrives under a level of scrutiny that comes with both his reputation and the unusual shape of this Grand Slam draw.

Alcaraz has not played since April, when a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open forced him to miss Roland Garros and Wimbledon. It is the longest layoff of his career, yet he still remains among the leading names for the title, a reflection of the standard he can produce when fully fit.

With Jannik Sinner also absent from the tournament, the door has opened wider for the rest of the field. Speaking to ESPN, Patrick McEnroe said Alcaraz will need to navigate his opening matches before he can be viewed as the clear favorite. He also described the 2026 event as a “golden opportunity” for the chasing pack, including the likes of Ben Shelton.

McEnroe added: “Obviously if Alcaraz comes back and gets through a few matches, looks good, he’ll quickly become the favorite.

“I mean, he’s the favorite right now, but he’d quickly become a bigger favorite. There’s no doubt the fact he hasn’t played since the spring, with Sinner out, this is a monster opportunity.”

Alcaraz enters the event as the second seed, behind Alexander Zverev, and the pressure is immediate. He is defending the title he won in 2025, which means the full 2000 ranking points are on the line at Flushing Meadows. An early defeat would bring a sharp drop in the rankings and a difficult start to his return.

To help regain rhythm, Alcaraz has also entered the US Open Mixed Doubles with multi-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams. They are scheduled to face Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe in the evening session on Tuesday, 25th August. Alcaraz has limited mixed doubles experience, though he did play the inaugural event with Emma Raducanu in 2025. That partnership ended in a first-round loss to Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula, and he will be hoping for a longer run this time to gather more match practice before the main draw.

Joao Fonseca will not feature in the US Open main draw after an abdomen injury forced him to withdraw from the season-ending Grand Slam.

The 20-year-old had been set to arrive in New York as the 26th seed, but his plans changed after a difficult spell at the Cincinnati Open. Fonseca won his opening match there against Botic van de Zandschulp in the round of 64, then later withdrew from his third-round contest with Chris O’Connell because of injury.

He confirmed on Monday that he will miss Flushing Meadows, explaining that further recovery time is needed before he can return at full level. In his update, he said: “I wanted to give you all an update. After undergoing tests and starting treatment on my abdomen, it became clear to me and my team that I need more time to recover 100% and be able to compete at a high level,” he wrote on social media.

He added: “So, unfortunately, I won’t be able to play in the US Open. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, since it’s a very special tournament for me. We’re continuing to work to get back as soon as possible.”

Fonseca’s withdrawal makes him the eighth ATP player to leave the draw, with world No 1 Jannik Sinner the most significant absence as he continues to deal with a knee injury. World No 28 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is also out because of a back injury.

Fonseca will be replaced by a lucky loser when the main draw begins on Thursday.

The wider withdrawal lists also show several other changes on both the ATP and WTA sides. On the women’s side, Victoria Mboko remains the only seeded player to pull out, while Hailey Baptiste, Emma Raducanu and others are also absent. World No 2 Elena Rybakina remains under an injury cloud after struggling with a leg issue in Cincinnati, and she has withdrawn from the mixed doubles event.

Legendary coach Rick Macci believes Alex Eala is poised to draw attention at the US Open, while also noting the challenge that may await her in New York.

Interest around Eala has grown sharply after a strong North American summer on hard courts. The 21-year-old captured her first title at the Washington Open, then backed it up with a fourth-round run in Toronto and a third-round showing in Cincinnati.

Her progress has also been reflected in the rankings. Eala moved to a career-high No. 18 today and is projected to enter Flushing Meadows as the 17th seed, which would mark her highest Grand Slam seeding to date. It will also be only her second appearance in the US Open main draw, after she reached the second round on debut last year.

Macci, who once coached Serena and Venus Williams, turned to Twitter/X to outline his expectations for the Filipina player. “The Philippines is home to many diverse bees but none have the sting and will create more of a New York buzz than the Philippine machine (Eala) will on Ashe stadium,” Macci wrote.

He followed that with another upbeat assessment: “She is locked loaded and ready to soar, she is climbing fast and reaching for more.”

In a separate post, Macci said opponents are likely to focus more on Eala’s second serve. “Depending on her draw THE PHILIPPINE MACHINE has to be really ready to play ball,” the American said.

“Players now will attack her second serve even though it has a tricky slow lefty curve. Matchups mean a lot with a certain style but she plays the ball so her game is more opponent proof to go an extra mile.

“Her best surface is hard court so it is a snapshot for her career and but she has to always remember this is a game from ear to ear.”

Eala is also entered in the US Open mixed doubles event with Felix Auger-Aliassime, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday before singles main-draw play starts on Sunday.