10 surprise names in the US Open 2026 draw — from former world No. 1s to stunning comeback stories
Tennis NewsMonday, 03 August 2026 at 23:30
Not every intriguing story at the US Open belongs to Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner or Aryna Sabalenka. This year's main draw includes former Grand Slam finalists, injury comeback stories, protected-ranking entries and players making stunning breakthroughs after climbing from obscurity. Some weren't expected to be here just a few months ago—but all have a chance to become one of the biggest stories of the tournament.
Some arrive after remarkable breakthrough runs that transformed their careers in a matter of weeks, while others have climbed back into the top 100 following long injury absences and difficult returns to the tour. A few are using protected rankings, and others have simply taken advantage of late withdrawals from the entry list.
Flushing Meadows has a long history of producing surprise stories, and the US Open often provides opportunities for players returning from injury, veterans extending their careers, and rising stars making their first appearance on one of tennis’ biggest stages. Several of the names on this list could become some of the tournament’s most intriguing early-round storylines.
What they all have in common is that they are not the names most fans immediately associate with the US Open main draw. Yet each could become one of the tournament’s most fascinating early-round stories in New York, whether through a comeback, a breakthrough, or the chance to upset one of the sport’s biggest stars.
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Why they're a surprise - US Open
| Player | Why they're a surprise | Biggest storyline |
| Maja Chwalinska | First US Open main draw | Roland Garros finalist now seeded |
| Karolina Pliskova | Returned from outside top 1000 | Former No. 1 chasing one more run |
| Paula Badosa | Back inside top 100 | Injury comeback continues |
| Eva Lys | Ranking slipping | Fighting to stay among tennis elite |
| Lois Boisson | Protected ranking | Roland Garros semi-finalist returns |
| Holger Rune | Returning after surgery | First major since long injury layoff |
| Hubert Hurkacz | Late return to top 100 | Dangerous floater nobody wants |
| Valentin Vacherot | Seeded after injury | Looking to restart breakthrough season |
| Arthur Fery | First US Open | Britain's newest star |
| Marin Cilic | Former champion | Veteran extending remarkable career |
Maja Chwalinska: From unknown qualifier to seeded Grand Slam player
Two months ago, Maja Chwalinska had never been inside the world's top 100. Now she arrives in New York as a seeded Grand Slam finalist preparing for her US Open main-draw debut. The 24-year-old Pole was virtually unknown on the tour until two months ago and had not even made her top-100 debut before her remarkable French Open campaign. Chwalinska stunned Paris by reaching her first Grand Slam final in just her third main-draw appearance at a major.
After her surge in the rankings, she will arrive at the US Open as a seeded player. She has three previous qualifying appearances in New York, but has never played the US Open main draw. Now knocking on the door of the top 20, Chwalinska has another opportunity to show the talent that carried her deep into Roland Garros.
She has played only once since that run, losing in the first round of Wimbledon to Mananchaya Sawangkaew. This time she gets a fresh opportunity in Flushing Meadows to show that she can handle a major as a top-level player and potentially produce another surprise.
Chwalinska has not won any matches since her Roland Garros run, and is preparing to make her US Open debut.
Karolina Pliskova: Former world No. 1 completes remarkable comeback
The former world No. 1 was away from the tour throughout 2025, and her return in 2026 was far from easy as she suffered further injuries after a dramatic fall in the rankings. However, it did not take long for the 34-year-old Czech to find her rhythm again, climbing from outside the top 1000 at the start of the year to world No. 63.
She recently competed at Wimbledon, reaching the second round, and has compiled a strong 20-10 record this season, including a run to the Nottingham Open semifinals and the Madrid Open quarterfinals. Back on hard courts, Pliskova will once again rely on her biggest weapon, her serve, and look for another strong showing in New York, where she reached the 2016 final and made four additional quarterfinal appearances. Few players in the draw have completed a comeback quite like Pliskova.
Former champions aren't the only comeback stories
Paula Badosa: Injury setbacks couldn't keep her away
Until a few weeks ago, Badosa’s participation in the US Open was in doubt after a drop in the rankings pushed her outside the top 100. The Spaniard, however, found inspiration in the weeks following Wimbledon, putting together a nine-match winning streak on clay by winning a WTA 125 title in Bastad and reaching the Iasi Open final.
Back inside the top 100, the former Indian Wells champion returns to Flushing Meadows after missing the 2025 edition and arrives with enough confidence to believe in a deep run. However, injuries resurfaced only a few weeks ago when she was forced to retire from the Iasi final, and perhaps her biggest challenge will be proving that she is physically ready to compete at the highest level again. She wasn't even expected to make the main draw so it is very much the case that it is a second lease of life. Albeit after her recent excellent form, she has had another injury so it makes her harder to predict.
Paula Badosa during the 2025 Australian Open
Eva Lys: Fighting to avoid another rankings slide
One year ago Eva Lys looked destined to become a permanent top-50 player, now she's fighting to stay in the top 100. After a strong 2025 season, the German has lost momentum this year, and her ranking has dropped to the edge of falling out of the top 100. She has won only two of her last eight matches and arrives on a three-match losing streak, with all three defeats coming in the first round. Lys has secured her place in the US Open main draw, but she is preparing to leave the top 100 if she cannot quickly return to winning during this North American hard-court swing.
In the WTA Race, which measures only the points earned during the 2026 season, she is currently ranked No. 97. That means she is on the verge of falling out of the 2027 Australian Open main draw, making the final stretch of the hard-court season crucial if she wants to avoid having to play qualifying at the biggest tournaments next year.
Also Lys has the conundrum that she hasn't been fully fit all season and given the young German has received flack for being so active on social media, it has garnered criticism her way that she cares more about photoshoots and Instagram stories than being on court. No doubt Lys will want to shut up the doubters.
Lois Boisson: Protected ranking offers another chance
The 23-year-old Frenchwoman produced one of last season’s biggest stories by reaching the Roland Garros semifinals and winning her first WTA title in Hamburg. However, she has spent much of 2026 away from competition, making only a handful of appearances and currently sitting at No. 292 in the rankings. She is still there despite being No.292 due to a protected ranking.
Boisson benefited from the injury withdrawals and entered the US Open main draw using her protected ranking despite her current position. She does not arrive with much confidence, carrying a poor 2-7 record this season, although she earned a significant win over Emiliana Arango during Canadian Open qualifying. That victory could provide an important boost for one of the tour’s most talented players, whose progress has repeatedly been interrupted by injuries. A huge contrast from her incredible French Open run to now being only just in the top 300.
Boisson will be looking for his first victory in a Grand Slam tournament outside of Roland Garros.
The ATP draw contains just as many intriguing returns
Holger Rune: Finally ready after months on the sidelines
One of the biggest names missing for almost a year is finally back. Holger Rune’s long-awaited return is set to take place at the Cincinnati Open in less than two weeks. The Dane suffered an injury in October 2025 that required surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process. His comeback has been delayed several times, but he is finally ready to return during the North American swing.
The US Open will be his main objective, along with staying physically healthy. One year ago he arrived as the 11th seed at the season’s fourth Grand Slam, only to be upset in the second round by Jan-Lennard Struff. This time Rune will be looking to collect victories and ranking points quickly, with the immediate goal of remaining inside the top 100 through the end of the season.
Hubert Hurkacz: The unseeded danger nobody wants
The Pole has been away from the front line of the ATP Tour over the past two seasons, but he remains one of the most respected names on tour. Injuries have repeatedly sidelined him, and last year he missed both Wimbledon and the US Open, along with several Masters 1000 events.
This season he has been trying to return to his previous level, but without major results so far. A series of early defeats in big tournaments has shown that Hurkacz still needs another step forward to become a contender again. However, several recent wins pushed him back into the top 100 and earned him a place in the US Open main draw at the last moment. The 29-year-old could become one of the most dangerous unseeded players in the field and an opponent no top player will want to face in the early rounds. He is a potential nightmare first-round opponent and no seed will want to draw him.
Hubert Hurkacz at the ATP Finals in 2023
Valentin Vacherot: Can he rediscover his breakthrough form?
The Monegasque was forced to retire from the French Open before his second-round match against Alejandro Tabilo and spent several weeks away from competition, including missing Wimbledon in order to protect his physical condition. Now back on hard courts, Vacherot will arrive as a seeded player looking to regain the level he showed during the first half of the season.
Rising into the top 20 and attaining seeded status gains expectations. But injury halted his momentum to the point that the Shanghai win is very much a distant memory by now. He is almost an afterthought and will look to regain that status before he falls away.
Arthur Fery: Britain's newest star reaches New York
The new British No. 1 enjoyed a dream run at Wimbledon, where he reached the semifinals despite not being ranked inside the top 100, becoming the British player to go the furthest at the tournament since Andy Murray won the title in 2016. Fery showcased his quality on home grass courts and made a significant jump in the ATP rankings.
At 24 years old, he has made only five Grand Slam appearances, four of them at Wimbledon thanks to local wildcards. He has not produced notable results on hard courts and has never played the US Open, not even in qualifying. This time he will make his debut in Flushing Meadows and look to build confidence during the final part of the season, where he is defending very few ranking points. He has never played the US Open and now arrives as British No.1, pretty crazy.
Arthur Fery of Great Britain celebrates winning the opening set during his Gentlemen's Singles match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy on day ten of the 2026 Wimbledon
Experience also has its place in this year's field
Marin Cilic: The former champion still refusing to fade away
The former US Open champion is one of the oldest players still competing at the highest level, one of only six players over the age of 35 currently inside the top 100. In fact, only Novak Djokovic and Adrian Mannarino are older than the Croatian, who continues to prove that he can remain competitive despite being in the later stages of his career.
His serve remains a major weapon that allows him to dictate play, and he has already recorded several impressive wins over top players in recent months. Cilic owns a 41-14 career record at the US Open, including the 2014 title and a semifinal run in 2015. Since the beginning of 2023, he has played only six of the last 15 Grand Slam tournaments, and in four of those appearances he exited in the first round.
While the biggest headlines will inevitably surround the title favourites, the US Open's history has repeatedly shown that some of its best stories come from unexpected places. Whether it's Chwalinska's astonishing rise, Rune's long-awaited comeback, Pliskova's resurgence or Cilic's enduring longevity, this year's draw is packed with players capable of producing the tournament's biggest surprise.
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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