A Draw in Chaos at the US Open
The men's singles at the 2026 US Open is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, with six of the top 10 seeds already eliminated after the first week at Flushing Meadows. Among the most striking upsets was Belgium's Alexander Blockx, seeded 28th, dismantling fifth seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-0, 6-3. After Cobolli edged the opening set in a tie-break, his game collapsed entirely, with the Italian surrendering the third set in a mere 20 minutes without winning a game. Cobolli acknowledged afterward that his energy and physical freshness were not quite where they had been in earlier rounds, admitting he felt tighter and more fatigued. It was a painful exit for the French Open finalist, who had been seen as a genuine contender for a first Grand Slam title.
Fritz Falls Short Again as American Hopes Thin Out
Almost simultaneously, American ninth seed Taylor Fritz suffered a gut-wrenching collapse against Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo, the 24th seed. Fritz held a two-set lead and had even broken early in the third, only to watch Cerundolo battle back for a 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory. Fritz, who reached the US Open final in 2024, was visibly shattered afterward and said he simply could not explain how the match slipped away. With world number one Jannik Sinner sidelined by injury and Carlos Alcaraz only recently returning from a wrist problem, the door appeared open for an American champion for the first time since Andy Roddick in 2003. That dream now rests with Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Alex Michelsen, and Learner Tien. Top seed Alexander Zverev, meanwhile, cruised through and could potentially reach the final without facing a top-10 opponent. TennisDraw users will want to revisit their bracket picks heavily after this extraordinary week of upsets.
