WTA ATP US Open 2026 Grigor Dimitrov Kei Nishikori bernard tomic Qinwen Zheng

The 5 major questions to resolve in the preliminary stages of the 2026 US Open

Diego Jiménez Rubio - 24 Aug 2026
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Grigor Dimitrov, US Open qualifying round. Photo: Getty Images

This Monday, August 24, the individual preliminary rounds of the US Open 2026 kick off, featuring a high volume and quality of competing tennis players. There will be a mix of old legends, young promises, and stars past their prime all vying for a spot in the final draw, which is worth reviewing and establishing the main points of interest.

Points of Interest in the Preliminary Round of the US Open 2026

1. What will major figures like Dimitrov and Nishikori do?

Much of the fans' attention will be on a likely farewell to Kei Nishikori, whose tennis and physical level make it hard to imagine he can win three matches. He will strive for this to give himself the deserved tribute of saying goodbye to the tournament where he was a finalist in 2014 by competing in the final draw. Additionally, Dimitrov will aim to regain the level he showed at Wimbledon to continue believing that he can become competitive regularly again.

2. Bernard Tomic and his great opportunity to return to a Grand Slam final

Many had already written him off, but the Australian is having a good season that led him to compete in the final draw of Los Cabos and win a Challenger. This could be his grand chance to be present in a Grand Slam.

3. Young Americans seeking their breakthrough

There is a promising future in local tennis, with names like Jordan Lee or Michael Antonius showcasing enormous potential and looking to make an impact in this edition.

4. Bianca Andreescu and Qinwen Zheng, notable names in the women's draw

It is surprising to see the Chinese player in a preliminary round two years after being an Olympic champion and being settled in the top 10. Her decline has been total, and she seeks to rebuild herself, something Andreescu, once a champion in this tournament, is struggling to achieve as she now occupies a tertiary role.

5. Many Spanish players seeking a spot in the final draw

A total of 15 Spaniards will participate in the preliminary rounds, with 9 men and 6 women in competition. Names like Sara Sorribes, Marina Bassols, Pedro Martínez, Roberto Carballés, or Pablo Llamas stand out as they try to leverage their experience in these matches to survive the cut.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Las 5 grandes incógnitas a resolver en las fases previas del US Open 2026