Jannik Sinner enters the 2026 US Open as the clear men's favorite following consistent hard-court results and strong recent form, while Carlos Alcaraz's wrist injury has led to his withdrawal from Cincinnati and raised doubts about his participation or fitness in New York as defending champion. Other contenders including Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, and emerging talents like Ben Shelton face questions around consistency and draw position in a deep field. On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka leads betting markets ahead of Coco Gauff, Iga Świątek, and Elena Rybakina, with several top players managing injury recoveries or ranking drops that could alter the bracket. Late-August hard-court preparation, official entry lists, and pre-tournament fitness updates remain the key variables shaping implied probabilities for final appearances.