**The wide-open 2026 US Open men's draw, reshaped by Jannik Sinner's pre-tournament withdrawal due to a right knee injury and Novak Djokovic's first-round upset loss, has elevated Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev as the clearest paths to the semifinals.** Alcaraz returns from a four-month wrist layoff as defending champion and is expected to leverage superior movement and shot-making on the hard courts despite limited recent match play, while top-seeded Zverev benefits from a relatively favorable section and strong 2026 results. Arthur Fils enters with momentum from his Cincinnati title, and American contenders Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz gain from home support and recent hard-court form. Several veterans face physical concerns or schedule demands, underscoring the importance of fitness, recovery between rounds, and draw positioning in best-of-five matches as the tournament progresses through its early stages.