US Open auditions begin: Taylor Fritz, Naomi Osaka and eight players with everything to prove at the DC Open
ATP
The DC Open begins on Monday in Washington, officially opening the North American hard-court swing with the first combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 event of the season. The tournament features a strong field of stars and will provide the first major opportunity to evaluate where the top names stand after returning to hard courts, with two Masters 1000 events and the US Open arriving over the next month.
On both the men’s and women’s sides, the local players will attract much of the attention. Taylor Fritz, Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton are among the biggest American names in Washington, and their performances will be closely followed as they look to build confidence and position themselves as potential contenders at Flushing Meadows in a few weeks.
There are also several players arriving with question marks. Jack Draper, who has spent most of the last year away from competition due to injuries, has already shown that he can perform at the highest level in North America and will look to regain confidence in the United States.
On the women’s side, Alexandra Eala stands out after an impressive rise over the last year, but the Filipina will now have to prove that she can maintain that level across different tournaments, weeks and surfaces. She is one of the names to watch — although certainly not the only one — as the season enters a crucial stage.
ATP players
1. Taylor Fritz
After missing several months due to injury, Taylor Fritz (No. 9) quickly found his rhythm during the grass-court swing, reaching consecutive finals at the Stuttgart Open and Halle Open before advancing to the Wimbledon quarterfinals. The American posted an 11-3 record on grass, showing his ability to adapt and reminding everyone that when he is physically healthy, he remains one of the most dangerous players on Tour.
Fritz will be one of the main favorites during the North American swing, where he has produced some of the best results of his career. His résumé includes a US Open final appearance in 2024 and multiple deep runs at both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open.
He is the only American in the field who knows what it feels like to reach a Grand Slam final, and expectations will be high after several strong performances at Flushing Meadows in recent years.
Taylor Fritz is the only active American men’s player to have reached a Grand Slam singles final, finishing runner-up to Jannik Sinner at the 2024 US Open.
2. Ben Shelton
Shelton represents a similar case to Fritz, as one of the leaders of the new generation of American tennis. The 23-year-old already reached the US Open semifinals in 2023 and captured his first Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open last year, where he went on a nine-match winning streak and finished the North American swing with a 14-3 record.
An injury prevented him from competing at the 2025 US Open after his loss against Adrian Mannarino, but if he remains healthy this time, the North American swing provides the perfect stage for Shelton to establish himself as a genuine threat to the Sinner-Zverev-Alcaraz dominance.
Playing at home has always brought extra energy from Shelton, and a strong run in DC could help him emerge as one of the few players capable of challenging the top three — especially with New York approaching.
3. Jack Draper
Outside the top 100 and without direct entry into the US Open main draw, Draper remains one of the biggest unknowns heading into Washington. When healthy, the Brit has shown that he can produce elite results quickly. After returning from a three-month absence, Draper reached the semifinals at Eastbourne, although another injury setback later forced him to miss Wimbledon.
Still waiting for a potential wildcard into Flushing Meadows, the former world No. 4 received a wildcard for the DC Open and has already demonstrated that he does not need much time to find his best level. The 2024 US Open semifinalist will also play a Challenger event in the coming weeks to increase his match preparation before the final Grand Slam of the year.
After another spell away from competition, Draper is looking for quick wins that can help him return to the biggest tournaments and recover the ranking points needed for direct entry into major events.
Jack Draper reached his first Grand Slam semifinals back in 2024 US Open - and lost against next champion Jannik Sinner.
4. Stefanos Tsitsipas
After several inconsistent seasons, Tsitsipas recently ended a 16-month title drought at the Gstaad Open and showed signs that he can rebuild confidence. Back inside the top 50, the Greek remains an intriguing player on hard courts given his status as a former world No. 3 and finalist at both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open.
The six-time ATP hard-court champion will open his DC Open campaign against top seed Alex de Minaur in what could be one of the most interesting first-round matches on the men’s side. Tsitsipas leads their head-to-head record 12-1.
5. Rafael Jodar
Perhaps the biggest question mark on the men’s side, but also one of the most exciting names to follow. Jodar’s meteoric rise has turned him into one of the breakout players of the season.
The Spaniard has already shown that he is comfortable competing on big stages after reaching the quarterfinals at Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros. His Wimbledon campaign ended earlier than expected in the third round, but his overall progress remains one of the biggest stories of 2026.
Jodar still has plenty to prove on hard courts, but he is one of the players established names would prefer to avoid early in tournaments. Already seeded at the Canadian Open, Cincinnati and the US Open, the Spaniard now faces the challenge of transitioning from an underdog into a player expected to make deep runs.
Rafael Jodar at Roland Garros 2026
DC Open (Washington) — Men’s Singles Finals (2015–2025)
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Final Result |
| 2025 | Alex de Minaur | Alejandro Davidovich Fokina | 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(3) |
| 2024 | Sebastian Korda | Flavio Cobolli | 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 |
| 2023 | Dan Evans | Tallon Griekspoor | 7-5, 6-3 |
| 2022 | Nick Kyrgios | Yoshihito Nishioka | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2021 | Jannik Sinner | Mackenzie McDonald | 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 |
| 2020 | — | — | Tournament cancelled (COVID-19) |
| 2019 | Nick Kyrgios | Daniil Medvedev | 7-6(8), 7-6(4) |
| 2018 | Alexander Zverev | Alex de Minaur | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 2017 | Alexander Zverev | Kevin Anderson | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2016 | Gaël Monfils | Ivo Karlović | 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-4 |
WTA players
6. Jessica Pegula
The two-time DC Open champion (2019, 2021) continues searching for her first Grand Slam title. Despite her remarkable consistency, Pegula has often fallen short in the biggest matches.
She reached the US Open final in 2024 and followed it with a semifinal appearance in 2025, while collecting 10 Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances — including her most recent one at Wimbledon a few weeks ago.
North America has historically been a favorable environment for Pegula, and home support could once again turn her into a serious contender heading toward New York. She already has two titles this season and a runner-up finish in Berlin, while remaining one of the most consistent players on Tour.
Currently positioned inside the WTA Race top six, Pegula will look to maintain her momentum during the part of the season where she has traditionally played some of her best tennis.
7. Naomi Osaka
The four-time Grand Slam champion took another step forward during the European summer, producing her best campaigns at Roland Garros and Wimbledon so far. She proved that she can compete at the highest level away from hard courts, but returning to the surface where she has achieved her greatest success could provide the perfect opportunity for another major run.
A year ago, Osaka reached the Canadian Open final and the US Open semifinals — her best results at tournaments of that level in the last five years. Back in North America and carrying confidence after reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals, Osaka could become one of the most dangerous contenders heading into Flushing Meadows.
Naomi Osaka at the 2025 US Open. She reached the semifinals, but lost to Amanda Anisimova.
8. Elina Svitolina
Svitolina has rediscovered remarkable consistency this season, showing flashes of the form that once lifted her to world No. 3 and helped her win the WTA Finals in 2018. The 31-year-old Ukrainian was a US Open semifinalist in 2019 and has built a reputation for producing deep Grand Slam runs throughout her career, reaching at least the quarterfinal stage 15 times — including seven appearances since returning from her pregnancy absence.
She recently won the Rome Open — her fifth WTA 1000 title — renewing her confidence at this stage of her career. Her biggest remaining goal is winning a Grand Slam title, and Svitolina enters the North American swing ranked No. 5 in the WTA Race after winning seven of her 10 matches against top-10 opponents in 2026.
9. Alexandra Eala
Eala was one of the biggest revelations of the grass-court season, winning her second WTA 125 title and reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon. Already inside the top 30, the Filipina has limited points to defend during the final part of the year and has earned growing respect across the Tour.
In North America, the Filipino crowd will be expected to provide strong support, especially as Eala continues building her profile.
She has shown that she can compete against elite opponents, collecting four victories in six matches against top-10 players on hard courts. While she may not yet be viewed as a realistic Grand Slam title contender, she has proven she can challenge the best players on any stage. The US Open will carry extra meaning for Eala, as it is the tournament she won during her junior career.
Alexandra Eala (PHI) celebrates winning the Womens Singles against Nikola Bartunkova (CZE) 5-7 6-3 7-5 as she holds the Maud Watson trophy aloft
10. Leylah Fernandez
The defending DC Open champion enters the hard-court swing under pressure after dropping in the rankings while defending the biggest title of her career. In 2025, Fernandez produced a flashback to her 2021 US Open breakthrough, delivering a remarkable run in Washington where she defeated players such as Pegula and Rybakina before winning the biggest title of her career.
However, she struggled to maintain that momentum afterward and suffered disappointing losses during the Grand Slam tournaments. A deep run in DC will be important if she wants to remain seeded at the US Open, especially after failing to win a Grand Slam main-draw match this season, with first-round exits at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
DC Open (Washington) — Women’s Singles Finals (2015–2025)
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Final Result |
| 2025 | Leylah Fernandez | Anna Kalinskaya | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2024 | Paula Badosa | Marie Bouzková | 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 2023 | Coco Gauff | Maria Sakkari | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 2022 | Liudmila Samsonova | Kaia Kanepi | 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 2021 | — | — | Tournament cancelled (COVID-19) |
| 2020 | — | — | Tournament cancelled (COVID-19) |
| 2019 | Jessica Pegula | Camila Giorgi | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2018 | Svetlana Kuznetsova | Donna Vekić | 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 |
| 2017 | Ekaterina Makarova | Julia Görges | 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-0 |
| 2016 | Yanina Wickmayer | Lauren Davis | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 2015 | Sloane Stephens | Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova | 6-1, 6-2 |
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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