Carlos Alcaraz has been put forward as a contender for a major haul in the coming years after returning to competition at the US Open following more than four months away with a wrist issue.

His decision to come back at Flushing Meadows raised questions because he had also skipped Cincinnati, and there was clear concern that heading straight into best-of-five-set tennis might prove too much. Instead, the early signs suggest the Spaniard is fit again and already moving toward his best form before the 2026 season is over.

Although Ben Shelton’s New York run ended in the quarter-finals, the seven-time major winner has still drawn strong backing from Rick Macci. Serena Williams’ former coach believes Alcaraz can lift at least two Grand Slams, and possibly three, in 2027. Macci also feels the 23-year-old will be even stronger mentally, a prospect that would not be welcome for world No 1 Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and the rest of the field.

Macci wrote, ” The Spanish Magician, barring injury in 2027, will take another step towards rare air and bag at least 2, maybe 3 Grand Slams. What I saw mentally from him at the U.S. WIDE OPEN was another level of you cannot make this up.

“From adversity and fear, you find another gear from ear to ear. He showed me and the world more superpowers after not being in combat for 139 days.

“Most observers do not understand or appreciate what he did and how he did it. Forget the winning and losing as that to me is a by product. Next year he will be match tougher and even better mentally and locked in deeper and rougher.”

Alcaraz’s absence has pushed him down to third in the ATP Tour rankings and fourth in the Race. He sits more than 4,500 points behind US Open champion Zverev in the rankings, while Zverev and Sinner are expected to battle for year-end No 1.

Zverev has won two majors this year, helped by the fact that Sinner and Alcaraz were either missing or did not reach the final. Novak Djokovic remains a factor, but with the Serbian now down to 11 in the rankings, turning 40 next year and facing increasing health concerns, his major prospects are in question.

Sinner is scheduled to return after a knee injury that ruled him out of this year’s US Open. If Macci’s forecast proves accurate and Alcaraz collects three majors in 2027, the remainder of the tour will have a major challenge on its hands.

Ben Shelton has been projected as a future multiple Grand Slam winner, even with Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev occupying much of the sport’s top tier.

The 23-year-old reached his first major final at the US Open before falling to Zverev in four sets. Along the way, though, he defeated the returning Alcaraz, a result that underlined his ability to trouble the best players on the biggest occasions.

With Sinner due back from a knee injury, Alcaraz expected to return to full rhythm after recovering from a wrist issue, and Zverev already a two-time Grand Slam champion, the road for the rest of the field remains difficult. Even so, Shelton’s serve and raw power continue to mark him out as a player capable of changing that picture, with hopes also attached to his chance of ending his country’s 23-year wait for a men’s major winner.

Tennis commentator and analyst Gill Gross believes Shelton can win several majors, and tennis historian Steve Flink shares that view. Gross argued that the left-hander, who is 0-6 against Zverev, 1-3 versus Alcaraz, and 1-9 against Sinner, still has significant room to improve across his game.

Gross said on his YouTube channel, “I still think he profiles as someone who can win one to four majors. I don’t think he’s close to his ceiling yet. The serve, I think, will get better. The volleys, I believe, will get better. And the return, based on what we’ve seen in the last couple of months, is actually on a pretty good trajectory.

“I still think he’s raw. There’s still room to improve. The mentality has always been really good. So I come out of this not with a drastically different opinion on Shelton than what I had before, but for me, he’s like a one-to-four major kind of guy.”

Flink pointed to Shelton’s post-final remark that he was “just getting started” and noted his rise to a career-high No 4 in the world, with third place in the ATP Tour Race. In Flink’s view, greater serving accuracy could push Shelton toward two to four major titles, with location a key area for growth.

The final stretch of the 2026 season still has plenty to offer, even with the Grand Slam calendar complete. The battle for year-end No. 1 in both tours promises to shape the closing weeks, while the progress of emerging names and returning players will also draw attention.

On the ATP side, Alexander Zverev has moved into pole position to finish the year at No. 1 after adding the US Open title to the French Open crown he collected in June. That result has opened a healthy gap over Jannik Sinner, but the story is far from over. Zverev has committed to a demanding schedule as he pursues the top ranking for the first time in his career, while Sinner has points to defend and is expected back from the knee injury that ruled him out of the US Open. His position will depend heavily on how well he recovers.

In the WTA standings, Elena Rybakina has emerged as the leading candidate to end the season at No. 1. The newly crowned US Open champion has now beaten Aryna Sabalenka in two Grand Slam finals in 2026, having also defeated her at the Australian Open in January. Rybakina now faces the task of maintaining that level through the finish, with a strong chance to defend the WTA Finals title she won last year.

Alex Eala is set for a major run of attention during the Asian swing. She will represent the Philippines at the Asian Games and compete in several tournaments across the region, where her popularity is expected to grow even further.

There is also interest in the comebacks of Holger Rune and Emma Raducanu. Rune returned to action in Davis Cup after a torn Achilles tendon last November, while Raducanu continues to recover from a stress fracture in her foot and is targeting a return in 2026.

The closing weeks of the season may already be underway, but several important storylines are still waiting to unfold.