How do US Open seedings work?

What is seeding in tennis?

Seedings in tennis are the ranking a player receives before entering a tournament. Seedings are awarded to the highest-ranked WTA and ATP players and are crucial to ensuring a more balanced draw.

Seedings also prevent the top players from competing against each other until the later rounds of a tournament. For example, the top four seeds wouldn't meet each other until the semi-finals of a Grand Slam. 

How do US Open seedings work?

At the US Open, seedings are based directly on the ATP and WTA rankings published shortly before the tournament begins.

For the men's singles draw, players are seeded according to their ATP ranking, while the women's singles seedings are based on the WTA rankings. 

The 32 highest-ranked players entered into each singles draw receive a seed. These players are then placed throughout the draw to help ensure that the top-ranked players don't meet until the later stages of the tournament.

If a highly-ranked player withdraws before the draw is made, the seedings are adjusted accordingly, allowing the next eligible player to move up into a seeded position.

Seedings are also used across the men's, women's and mixed doubles events, as well as the wheelchair competitions.

Why are seedings important at the US Open?

Being seeded can offer a more favourable route through the opening rounds of the tournament.

A seeded player cannot face another seed in the first round, which reduces the chances of a blockbuster match-up taking place too early. The highest seeds are also strategically placed within the draw to ensure the tournament's leading players are spread evenly across both halves and quarters.

However, while seedings can influence the draw, they do not guarantee success. Every year, unseeded players and lower-ranked competitors cause upsets and make deep runs at Flushing Meadows.

How many players are seeded at the US Open?

There are 32 seeded players in both the men's and women's singles draws.

The seeds are numbered from one to 32 based on the latest ATP and WTA rankings used for the tournament. The No.1 seed is the highest-ranked player entered in the draw, while the No.32 seed is the lowest-ranked seeded player.

Who are the top seeds at the 2026 US Open?

The seedings for the 2026 US Open are still to be confirmed. Check back here closer to the tournament to find out more.