US Open 2026 Women’s Draw: Eala Faces Stoiana as Sabalenka Targets Historic Three-Peat
The 2026 US Open women’s singles draw is complete, with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka leading the field and Alexandra Eala beginning her first seeded campaign against American qualifier Mary Stoiana.
Sabalenka will attempt to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open singles titles. Elena Rybakina, meanwhile, arrives with an opportunity to claim the world No. 1 ranking—but she has been placed in a difficult quarter containing Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys.
Other notable opening matches include Keys against teenage prospect Alina Korneeva, Venus Williams against Sofia Kenin and Leylah Fernandez against Zhang Shuai.
Eala Begins Against Mary Stoiana
Alexandra Eala will face Mary Stoiana in the opening round after the American secured her place through qualifying.
Stoiana is a former collegiate world No. 1 who played for Texas A&M University. The 22-year-old earned her US Open place by winning three qualifying matches, but Eala represents a considerable step up in opposition.
The No. 17 seed enters the tournament ranked inside the world’s Top 20 following a breakthrough season that included her first WTA title in Washington.
New York also holds special significance for the Filipina. She won the US Open girls’ singles title in 2022 and returned in 2025 to record the first Grand Slam main-draw victory by a Filipino player in the Open Era.
Eala defeated Clara Tauson in that memorable opening match, recovering from 5–1 down in the deciding set before winning a dramatic tiebreak.
Her 2026 opening assignment appears manageable on paper, but qualifiers often arrive with greater familiarity with the courts and competitive conditions. Stoiana will already have played three matches at Flushing Meadows before meeting Eala.
If Eala advances, she will face either Oleksandra Oliynykova or American wild card Reese Brantmeier in the second round.
A potential third-round meeting with fellow rising star Iva Jovic is one of the more intriguing possibilities in this section. Eala and Jovic recently shared the court during the Stars of the Open exhibition and have emerged as two of the most closely watched young players in the draw.
Sabalenka Pursues Third Consecutive US Open Title
Aryna Sabalenka begins her title defence against Camila Osorio.
The world No. 1 won the 2024 and 2025 titles in New York and is now seeking to complete a three-peat last achieved in the women’s tournament by Serena Williams between 2012 and 2014.
Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova in the 2025 final and returns as the player to beat in the upper half of the draw.
Her projected path includes a possible fourth-round meeting with Anastasia Potapova, followed by a quarterfinal against Linda Noskova if the leading seeds advance.
Osorio, however, should not be treated as a ceremonial opening opponent. The Colombian’s movement and defensive skills can complicate matches, particularly if Sabalenka struggles to control her power early in the tournament.
The first week may test Sabalenka’s consistency more than her reputation suggests, but the draw has kept her away from several of the most dangerous former champions until the final.
Pegula Receives an Opportunity in the Top Half
Jessica Pegula opens against Elena-Gabriela Ruse and occupies the second quarter of the draw.
The American’s projected quarterfinal opponent is Karolina Muchova, the newly crowned US Open mixed-doubles champion. Muchova begins her singles campaign against Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Pegula’s section lacks the concentration of former major champions found in the bottom quarter, but describing it as easy would be misleading. Muchova’s variety and ability at Grand Slam tournaments make her a dangerous potential opponent, while former champion Venus Williams is another prominent name in this part of the draw.
Williams received a main-draw wild card and will face fellow American Sofia Kenin in one of the opening round’s most compelling matches.
Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, received the eighth and final women’s singles wild card. Their meeting guarantees that one former Grand Slam champion will exit immediately.
Andreeva and Gauff Could Meet in Quarterfinals
Mirra Andreeva begins against Janice Tjen, while Coco Gauff leads the third quarter of the draw.
Andreeva arrives after an impressive run in the revamped mixed-doubles competition alongside Andrey Rublev. The pair reached the semifinals and held two match points before losing to eventual champions Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.
That experience gave Andreeva several competitive matches on the US Open courts before the singles tournament, although the mixed format and shortened sets provide limited evidence about her readiness for best-of-three-set singles.
Tjen presents an interesting opening test. The Indonesian has continued to establish herself on tour after making her breakthrough at the 2025 US Open.
Gauff enters New York with renewed momentum after winning the Cincinnati title. If the seeds hold, the American and Andreeva would meet in the quarterfinals.
Eala is also positioned in this quarter. A deeper run could therefore eventually place her against Gauff, but she would first need to negotiate the Stoiana match and a section containing Jovic and several experienced opponents.
Rybakina, Swiatek, Osaka and Keys Share Loaded Quarter
The bottom quarter is the most crowded section of the women’s draw.
It contains:
- Elena Rybakina
- Iga Swiatek
- Naomi Osaka
- Madison Keys
Rybakina begins against American wild card Thea Frodin, while Swiatek faces Polina Iatcenko.
Osaka opens against Anastasia Zakharova, and Keys faces Alina Korneeva in one of the tournament’s most interesting generational mashups.
Korneeva is already a direct main-draw entrant rather than a qualifier. The teenager has been regarded as one of the strongest prospects of her generation, but facing an experienced Grand Slam champion immediately will provide a far more demanding test.
Keys possesses the power to take control of the match quickly. Korneeva’s opportunity may depend on extending rallies, absorbing that pace and exposing any inconsistency from the American.
The quarter is projected to produce a Rybakina–Swiatek quarterfinal, but Osaka and Keys are capable of disrupting that expectation.
Rybakina Chases the World No. 1 Ranking
Rybakina enters the US Open with both a major title and the No. 1 ranking within reach.
According to the WTA’s draw analysis, she can guarantee herself the top ranking by reaching the semifinals. The scenario gives her tournament an additional dimension beyond the pursuit of a second Grand Slam singles title.
There is, however, an important question surrounding her physical condition.
Rybakina retired during the Cincinnati tournament and subsequently withdrew from the US Open mixed-doubles competition. Her withdrawal from mixed doubles did not remove her from singles, but it reduced the opportunity to assess her condition before the main draw.
Her first match against Frodin should reveal more about her movement and durability. If healthy, Rybakina has the serve and first-strike tennis needed to threaten every player in her quarter.
The difficulty is that she may need to navigate Osaka, Keys or Swiatek before even reaching the semifinals required to secure No. 1.
Fernandez Meets Zhang Shuai
Leylah Fernandez begins her singles campaign against Zhang Shuai.
The Canadian was initially scheduled to compete in mixed doubles with Frances Tiafoe, but their team withdrew after Tiafoe suffered an injury. That withdrawal did not affect Fernandez’s singles participation.
Fernandez remains closely associated with Flushing Meadows following her run to the 2021 final. Although she has not repeated that result, the New York conditions and energetic atmosphere continue to suit her competitive style.
Zhang brings extensive Grand Slam experience and should not be underestimated despite Fernandez entering as the seeded player.
Zheng Qualifies, Andreescu Falls Short
Former US Open quarterfinalist Zheng Qinwen successfully came through qualifying to return to the main draw.
Zheng had to win three matches after injuries and a ranking drop left her outside the direct-entry field. Her qualification makes her one of the most dangerous unseeded players in the tournament.
Former champion Bianca Andreescu, however, fell one victory short of qualifying. The Canadian won her first two matches comfortably before losing to Tamara Zidansek in the final round.
Their contrasting results illustrate the risk of Grand Slam qualifying: previous achievements offer no protection, and even former champions must win three consecutive matches to enter the main draw.
Projected Women’s Quarterfinals
Based strictly on seedings, the projected quarterfinals are:
- Aryna Sabalenka vs. Linda Noskova
- Jessica Pegula vs. Karolina Muchova
- Mirra Andreeva vs. Coco Gauff
- Iga Swiatek vs. Elena Rybakina
The projections help identify the structure of the draw, but the bottom quarter appears particularly unlikely to proceed without disruption.
Osaka, Keys and qualified players such as Zheng are among the unseeded or lower-seeded opponents capable of changing the expected path.
When Does the Women’s Tournament Begin?
The US Open singles main draw begins on Sunday, August 30, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
The women’s singles final is scheduled for Saturday, September 12.
Tennis Roundup will cover the women’s singles and doubles competitions throughout the tournament, including daily results, major upsets and the stories shaping each stage of the draw.
Sources: Official US Open women’s draw analysis, WTA US Open draw analysis, official US Open draw.