Tennis

Australia’s Alex de Minaur will face a qualifier in the opening round of the 2026 US Open which begins next week in New York.

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The world No.7 will kick off his campaign against a yet-to-be-determined opponent at Flushing Meadows, as he aims to improve on his quarter-finals exit at the past two editions of the season’s final Grand Slam tournament.

Should de Minaur progress through the opening three rounds he faces a potential fourth-round clash with 19-year-old Spanish world No.13 Rafael Jódar who humbled de Minaur in straight sets in their only previous meeting at this year’s Madrid Open.

The winner of that match would likely then meet world No.2 and French Open Alexander Zverev in the quarter finals who enters this tournament as top seed due to the injury absence of world No.1 Jannik Sinner.

Jódar will first meet another Australian in the opening round, Thanasi Kokkinakis.

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In all, there are 13 Australians fully qualified for this year’s US Open across the men’s and women’s singles draws, with another three Aussies in the final rounds of qualifying.

Alex de Minaur is the highest ranked player in the men’s singles while Daria Katsatkina, Talia Gibson and Maya Joint are the top Aussies in the women’s draw.

Rinky Hijikata faces easily the hardest opening round assignment against Canadian world No.4 and third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

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US Open 2026 — Australian Men’s Singles Opening Round

• Alex de Minaur (6) vs. Qualifier
• Alexei Popyrin vs. Qualifier
• Adam Walton vs. Yibing Wu (China)
• Rinky Hijikata vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime (3) (Canada)
• Aleksandar Vukic vs. Qualifier
• James Duckworth vs. Matteo Arnaldi (30) (Italy)
• Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. Rafael Jódar (12) (Spain)
• Dane Sweeny (Wildcard) vs. Corentin Moutet (France)

US Open 2026 — Australian Women’s Singles Opening Round

• Maya Joint vs. Liudmila Samsonova (Russia)
• Daria Kasatkina vs. Paula Badosa (Spain)
• Kimberly Birrell vs. Petra Marcinko (Croatia)
• Talia Gibson vs. Donna Vekic (Croatia)
• Taylah Preston (Wildcard) vs. Alycia Parks (United States)