Four months out, and a first-round draw that asks the question straight away
Carlos Alcaraz returns from a wrist injury to defend the US Open, and opens against Roman Safiullin. Jannik Sinner and Jack Draper have both withdrawn injured.
US Open
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Seventeen wins, seven losses and no final since April: Sabalenka defends a title in the worst form of her reign
The world number one has won the last two US Opens. She arrives at this one having lost from 5-1 up in a tie-break to Sára Bejlek in Cincinnati, and without a final in five months.
Serena and Venus Williams given a US Open doubles wildcard, four years on
The sisters will play a Grand Slam together for the first time since 2022. Stan Wawrinka was given a late singles wildcard for the last major of his career.
Ten matches, no sets dropped: the qualifier who won a major
Emma Raducanu came through three qualifying rounds and seven in the main draw at the 2021 US Open without losing a set. Nobody had done it before.