John McEnroe has chosen Alexander Zverev as his pick for the 2026 US Open men’s singles title, bypassing both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

The field has already been reshaped by a series of setbacks. World No 1 Jannik Sinner will not compete in New York because of a knee injury. He has not played since winning his fifth major title at Wimbledon last month. Alcaraz arrives as the defending champion, but has not played a singles match in more than four months after a wrist injury in April. Djokovic, a 24-time major winner, has managed only one match since losing in the Wimbledon semi-finals to Sinner, with that outing ending in an opening-round defeat in Cincinnati.

Speaking to Eurosport, McEnroe made the case for Zverev despite the German’s recent results. “There are strong arguments that he (Zverev) is the favourite for the title,” said the seven-time Grand Slam champion.

“Even though things haven’t gone particularly well for him this summer, I believe he is more confident than ever.

“He played brilliantly at Wimbledon and seemed to be playing at almost his absolute best. Besides, he doesn’t have to play against Sinner.

“In best-of-five sets, he is simply harder to beat because he’s extremely fit.”

McEnroe also predicted that the draw could produce something unexpected. “I actually believe something unusual will happen.

“I’m not sure exactly what, but there are a handful of players who could surprise us in a similar way to how Flavio Cobolli surprised us at the French Open.

“That’s possible because there’s a certain amount of uncertainty surrounding Carlos and Novak. The door is open for about ten players.”

During an appearance on the TODAY show, McEnroe pointed to the possibility of an American breakthrough if Alcaraz does not go all the way.

“I am most excited about Carlos Alcaraz being back playing, he’s been hurt for four months. He had a wrist problem,” said the former world No 1.

“If he doesn’t go all the way, I think the door is more open for the American male players. I’d go with Ben Shelton. But there’s a couple of other guys, Frances Tiafoe.”

Carlos Alcaraz has answered growing doubts over his US Open singles status by revealing that he is scheduled to practice on Thursday at Flushing Meadows.

The defending champion in New York has not played a competitive singles match since the wrist injury he suffered at the Barcelona Open last April. That setback led him to withdraw from the French Open and Wimbledon, and he later had to scrap plans for a comeback appearance at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month.

Concern around his readiness has persisted because several observers have questioned whether his first match back should come in a best-of-five-set Grand Slam. Former US Open champion Andy Roddick and 1997 finalist Greg Rusedski have both pointed to the risks involved, while former British No 1 Laura Robson said it “would be difficult” for him to make a Grand Slam event his return.

Alcaraz is already in New York and featured in the mixed doubles event with fellow legend Serena Williams on Tuesday. But the outing also fueled fresh uncertainty, with his service speeds below the level he would want and his forehand misfiring at times. He has also lost heavily in practice sets in front of crowds this week, and when he did not reserve court time on Wednesday, speculation intensified that a decision on the singles draw might be near.

Thursday’s practice schedule lists him for 12 noon local time, the same time as the draw. It remains possible that he is still weighing his options and may use more practice before making a final call. Even so, any delay would not be without consequence, since his place at the top of the draw could leave the top half of the event unbalanced if he ultimately does not play.

Stan Wawrinka has issued a measured and emotional response after being left without a wildcard for the US Open, a decision that effectively ends his Grand Slam career.

The three-time major winner is set to finish his playing days on home soil at the Swiss Indoors in Basel in October, bringing down the curtain on a distinguished career that included his final Grand Slam triumph at Flushing Meadows in 2016. That title followed earlier successes at the 2015 French Open and the 2014 Australian Open.

Because of his ranking at the time of the 2026 US Open entry-list cutoff, Wawrinka needed a wildcard to reach the main draw directly. He had already received wildcards this year for the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, but US Open organisers did not extend the same opportunity in New York.

The choice has drawn criticism from many tennis fans, particularly because Wawrinka is a former champion and is in the final season of his career.

Rather than dwell on the omission, Wawrinka used Instagram to look back on the relationship he built with the city and the tournament over many years. His message underlined how far he has come since first arriving in New York from Switzerland.

“When I first arrived in New York from a small farming village in Switzerland, everything felt too big. The city. The noise. The energy. The crowds. The lights,” Wawrinka wrote.

He added that the experience of competing there became central to some of the most powerful moments of his career, finishing with gratitude for the tournament and the supporters who followed him through the years.

“Winning the US Open, in the city that never sleeps, will forever be one of the greatest moments of my life.”

“Thank you, New York. Thank you, @usopen. Thank you to every single fan who supported me, pushed me, believed in me and shared all these emotions with me over the years.

“Forever grateful. Forever New York.”