With Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner sidelined from the contention line, the men’s singles title at the 2026 US Open is wide open and top WTA stars are rallying behind a new generation of champions.

Amanda Anisimova and Leylah Fernandez, both making deep noise in the women’s draw, recently revealed their top picks for the men’s crown in a Tennis Channel feature on September 1. For both players, the ultimate favorite comes down to two explosive American fan favorites: Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe.

“I would really want to see Frances or Ben win the title, so I’m rooting for them,” Anisimova shared.

Fernandez echoed that exact sentiment. “Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe,” the Canadian star said. “I think one of those two is going to win the US Open this year.”

Both players in the men’s singles category have proven their mettle on the court before. As of the time of writing, Shelton is officially set to play his second round against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. Meanwhile, Tiafoe has recently won his first round against fellow American Martin Damm Jr.

Other WTA icons also went over their own picks. WTA No. 8, Emma Navaro picked last year’s champion, saying, “I’ll go with Carlos Alcaraz. He’s got a pretty good forehand, pretty good serve, his backhand’s not bad, so I think he’s going to win.” If her prediction comes true, this would be Alcaraz’s third US Open win. On the other hand, Iva Jovic picked Novak Djokovic, who is unfortunately already out of the competition.

Who Could Really Win the 2026 US Open?

The 2026 US Open’s men’s singles category has its fair share of hard hitters. Tiafoe is coming off a brilliant run at the 2026 Cincinnati Open, where he finished as a runner-up. In 2022, he even made it to the US Open semifinals, ultimately losing to Carlos Alcaraz, who would go on to win the tournament. Tiafoe has proven himself on hard courts, and his victory against Damm Jr. was a thoroughly dominant win. The player is currently ranked No. 12.

On the other side of the spectrum is the No. 9-ranked Ben Shelton. He just won the 2026 National Bank Open, his second time in a row after winning the tournament in 2025 as well. The 23-year-old is one of the strongest prospects given his recent form. He is also exceptional on the hard court, just like Tiafoe. One might argue he’s in even better form for this tournament.

Apart from them, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is an obvious choice. However, he is coming back to the Grand Slam championship after spending four months with right wrist tenosynovitis. The injury was bad enough to force him out of the French Open and Wimbledon. So some may have their doubts about his form this season. What works in his favor is the absence of his greatest rival, Jannik Sinner, who is out of the tournament due to his right knee injury.

If Alcaraz doesn’t take the victory, others like Alexander Zverev may also clinch the title. He’s currently ranked world No. 2 and is the No. 1 seed in the US Open. The 29-year-old is coming fresh off a victory at the 2026 French Open. He also just cleared the first round at the US Open against Lorenzo Sonego. However, it wasn’t an easy victory for the veteran of the sport. Sonego was able to take Zverev through five sets before ultimately losing.

This may be an indication of his form this season, but perhaps it’s too soon to count him out just yet.

Finally, Russian Daniil Medvedev is also likely a top contender. He just defeated Sebastian Gorzny, who received a Wildcard entry in the tournament. This sends Medvedev straight to Round 2. One mustn’t forget that the powerhouse won the 2021 title by defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Overall, these contenders have a great shot at taking the title home this year.