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The ATP and WTA tour calendars feel like a blur. Daily tennis action distracts you from the fact that the schedule is flying by. The North American hard-court swing has not even begun yet, but plans are already being made for the final Grand Slam of the season.
Earlier today, tournament organizers for the U.S. Open shared the entry list for this year's event. Surprisingly, five star players were left off the list. Below is a breakdown of each player's scenario.
Jack Draper
Last summer, Jack Draper hit a career-high World No. 4 ranking. However, he suffered a complex bone bruise on his left arm, which caused him to miss last year's U.S. Open and large swaths of this season. Now, the British star is ranked No. 147 and must get a wildcard or advance through qualifiers (if he is healthy enough to compete).
Grigor Dimitrov
Grigor Dimitrov has had to battle back from a torn pectoral muscle sustained in the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. Since then, Dimitrov has sunk to No. 142. The 35-year-old does not have many opportunities remaining to play at Flushing Meadows and would need a stroke of luck to get there this year.
Victoria Mboko
Canadian star and Gen-Z sensation Victoria Mboko's incredible season was derailed with a slip-and-fall at the Queen's Club Championships. Mboko suffered an MCL tear in her left knee and missed the remainder of the grass court season. Now, the North American hard court swing is in doubt for the No. 12.
Hailey Baptiste
Hailey Baptiste was enjoying a very strong spring before tearing the ACL and meniscus in her left knee at Roland-Garros. The No. 34 will likely miss the rest of the season. However, the 24-year-old showed what she is capable of this year.
Qinwen Zheng
Qinwen Zheng missed the second half of last season with an elbow injury and hasn't been the same this year. The Chinese gold medalist plummeted in the WTA Rankings, and has slowly climbed back up to No. 123. Unfortunately, that means Zheng will need a bit of luck if she is to play the final Grand Slam of the year.
The 2026 US Open singles main draw starts on Sunday, August 30, and runs through Sunday, September 13. Fans can expect more changes to the entry list as we get closer to the main draw. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis news from the court and beyond.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/serve as 5 Stars Left Off 2026 U.S. Open Entry List.
