US Open 2026: Can Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka Defend their Titles?

In this 1xBet review, we look at the prospects of last year’s US Open champions ahead of the upcoming Grand Slam. 

Alcaraz has yet to find his form 

Carlos Alcaraz last took to the court four months ago. After defeating Otto Virtanen in the round of 32 at the ATP 500 Barcelona Open, Alcaraz withdrew from his match against Czech player Tomáš Macháč due to a serious wrist injury. The former ATP No. 1 was forced to miss Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and his recovery process is still not complete.

Meanwhile, the dual power of recent years in men's tennis has given way to Jannik Sinner’s dominance. The world No. 1 won Wimbledon, but in Paris the Italian exited early after suffering sudden dizziness caused by extreme heat. In the long-term betting market, Sinner is the clear favorite for the upcoming US Open at odds of 1.64. Alcaraz is second at 3.06.

In 2024-2025, these two players shared the Grand Slam trophies. Back then, the odds on both men winning were roughly equal, ranging from 2.50 to 2.65. Feel the difference?

Experts are skeptical about Carlos’s chances, as he has now gone 120 days without competitive match practice. Several hard-court “warm-up” tournaments in Washington, Montreal, and Cincinnati are held ahead of the American major. Players not only earn prize money and ranking points there, but also use these events to prepare for the more prestigious tournament. It was recently announced that Alcaraz will skip Cincinnati and return to action directly at the 2026 US Open.

At the moment, there is no 100% guarantee that the Spaniard will participate. He is listed as the No. 3 entry on the tournament’s official website, but everything will depend on his condition in the second half of August.

Andy Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion, does not recommend that Carlos return to competition in a best-of-five-set tournament, where even an early-round match can last three to four hours. Add to that the prospect of playing every day in the high temperatures and humidity typical of New York in early autumn.

An injured wrist poses a particular danger. The joint plays a crucial role when the racket makes contact with the ball, and it will be difficult for Alcaraz to produce his trademark shots.

The Spaniard is also set to lose the No. 2 spot in the ATP rankings to Alexander Zverev. This means that at the 2026 US Open, Jannik and Carlos will no longer be placed at opposite ends of the draw, making a clash between the fierce rivals possible as early as the semifinals. Sinner has beaten Alcaraz in their last two meetings, but both players were in optimal condition at the time. Now, everything has changed – the Italian has at least a physical advantage. There are also rumors about the Spaniard’s psychological state.

Sabalenka lacks consistency

Aryna is the undisputed favorite at all the 2026 Grand Slams, yet the world No. 1 has not won a single major this year. Sabalenka’s results have been declining: 

• Australian Open – runner-up;
• Roland Garros – quarterfinals;
• Wimbledon – round of 16.

  

The Belarusian has won prestigious tournaments in Miami and Indian Wells, but those successes came in the second half of March. On the downside, she suffered early exits in Madrid, Rome, Berlin, and Toronto. Moreover, Sabalenka consistently lost to significantly lower-ranked opponents.

At this point, any underdog could pose a serious challenge to the defending US Open champion. The history of women’s tennis over the past decade shows that Grand Slams can easily be won by players who are not even ranked in the world’s top five.

The 2026 US Open starts on August 30. Follow the thrilling battles on the courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center with 1xBet!

OPPO Technologies Empower Global Fans to Immerse Themselves in the Excitement of Sports

Sports fans around the world can already count themselves lucky after enjoying an

incredible start to the summer sports season. From the finale of the UEFA Champions
League to the instant last shot hit the grass inside Wimbledon’s Centre Court, every
exciting moment has been full of inspiration powered by the strength, optimism, and
greatness of the people who made them possible.

As a company that constantly focused on finding the ‘Inspiration Ahead’, OPPO has
been closely involved with the world of sport for almost a decade. Starting from its first
sporting partnership in 2015, the company has gone on to support the top tiers of tennis
through its partnerships with Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, as well as its partnership
with the UEFA Champions League. Through these tie-ins with prestigious international
sporting events, OPPO continues to empower global audiences to further immerse
themselves in the excitement and inspiration of sports using its technology and
innovation.

With its ‘Inspiration Ahead’ proposition, OPPO champions a belief in overcoming
challenges and adversity with determination and positivity — two traits which lie at the
heart of every athlete’s ambitions. Through this belief, OPPO hopes to bring more
passion and inspiration to sports with its world-leading smart devices and technologies
while empowering global fans to better capture, enjoy, and share moments from their
favorite sports.

Unparalleled experiences for tennis fans powered by OPPO imaging technologies
This year marks the 5th consecutive year of OPPO’s partnerships with Wimbledon and
Roland-Garros — partnerships that have brought to life the powerful connection
between technology and tennis.

Throughout the partnerships, OPPO has continued to use its professional imaging
technologies to capture inspiring moments from the tournaments and bring them to
tennis fans worldwide. In 2021, to celebrate its third year as a premium partner of
Roland-Garros, OPPO launched the ‘Play with Heart’ campaign to encourage fans to
share their passion for tennis on social media. As part of the campaign, OPPO created
the ‘Wall of Heart’, a series of refurbished tennis walls in Paris and London designed to
inspire fans to take up tennis.

During Roland-Garros 2022, OPPO made creative use of the low-light photography
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In partnership with The Championships, Wimbledon, OPPO also created a set of
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throughout the tournament. Together with Getty Images, OPPO launched the ‘Courting
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Beyond that, OPPO has also partnered with The All England Lawn Tennis Club for the
OPPO Breakthrough Inspiration Award since 2019, recognizing young players who
have made breakthroughs at Wimbledon and further encouraging them to reach new
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Immerse yourself in the excitement of Wimbledon 2023 with OPPO

OPPO’s commitment to giving fans unparalleled access to their favorite sporting events
continued at this year’s Wimbledon. To celebrate its fifth consecutive year as the Official
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Centre Court to capture inspirational moments and share them to tennis fans around the
world.

At this year’s event, the flagship OPPO Find N2 Flip served up an ace by helping fans
create and share stories with other tennis fans around the world. Using the Find N2
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and easy panning. With the support of the phone’s large vertical cover screen, fans
could also record themselves and their friends in the mid-rally excitement using cover
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With so much action to capture at Wimbledon, OPPO Find N2 Flip users also benefited
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By capturing the energy of the game and enhancing fan access through ground-
breaking technology, OPPO is inspiring and engaging consumers through sports and
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Looking forward, OPPO will continue to evolve its mobile photography to create the best
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About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS operating system and internet services like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+.

OPPO operates in more than 40 countries and regions, with 6 Research Institutes and 5 R&D Centers worldwide, as well as an International Design Center in London.
More than 40,000 of OPPO's employees are dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world

US NCAA Division I Coaches zero in on young talent at DreamBig Gold Tennis Camp

Manila, Philippines – Junior tennis players who joined the DreamBig Gold Series Tennis Camp at Manila Polo Club, Makati on January 11 and 12, 2020 caught the eye of U.S. NCAA Division I coaches.  

Ezequiel Gils of Rice University, Rob Raines of Cornell University and Jesse Frieder from Boston University were more than pleasantly surprised by the Philippine tennis landscape when they watched the tennis players participate in the extremely intensive tennis training camp.

Twenty young tennis players were given the rare opportunity to be trained by the Division I Tennis coaches and underwent extensive, hands-on training that gave them an insight on of how US colleges run their athletic programs.

“Talent is everywhere. I’ve seen a lot of players who can play at a really high level if they just commit to spending time on the court and practicing. I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on the Philippines in terms of tennis. It’s a place a lot of coaches are missing out on and it’s certainly a place that I’ll keep in mind as I’m recruiting,” added Cornell University Coach Rob Raines.

The coaches were impressed with the campers and their eagerness to learn, with Boston U coach, Jesse Frieder specifically praising the student-athletes for their coachability. “The players here are very coachable, which leads me to believe that if they to end up in any of our teams, we could help them reach for the sky because they’re open to learning and improving.”

The coaches were particularly impressed with several of the country’s up and coming tennis sensations including, the 16-year old son of former Olympian Bea Lucero - Sebastien Lhuillier - who participated in the camp. According to the coaches, almost all the players showed potential to play at the Division I level. 

“Physicality and fitness are so important. It’s so easy to lose to somebody when they hit the ball harder than you because they’re bigger than you are. But if you consistently beat higher-ranked players while winning 3-set matches, you prove to us that you are really tough and gritty. We want to see you in more and more matches because it makes your UTR more accurate and it makes you a tougher tennis player. We want players in our team who are tough; who are not scared of pressure and not scared of the moment.” Coach Frieder said. 

Overall, however, the coaches said it will take more than talent to compete at the world level. With resources becoming readily available, it will take proper mindset, grit, and support from the country for young players to dream big and achieve big.

“It’s more mindset than perhaps even resources. Having someone who is hungry as a child—and I mean hungry to learn— is crucial. We need somebody who wants to be better today than they were yesterday regardless of what their floor is, in terms of talent and athletic ability,” said Rice University Coach Ezequiel Gils

“People who work the hardest, who are disciplined, who go to the gym, who consistently practice buckets of serves, are generally the most confident. You gain confidence from preparation. The more confident the player — the more he or she  is likely to win,” said Coach Jesse Frieder.

“Manila has the facilities, and the weather. You can work on having good fitness. This country surely has the possibility of having a champion someday,” Rice University Coach Ezequiel Gils said.

Akshay Maliwal, Founder and CEO of DreamBig Events said DreamBig is bringing in more camps and tournaments for tennis, golf and soccer this year, to give local junior athletes the opportunity to be discovered by Division I US universities coaches who can help them reach their personal goals and the country’s dream to have Filipino players compete at the international stage.

Big boost for Junior Tennis as Elite US NCAA Division 1 coaches visit Manila at the DreamBig Gold Series Tennis Tournament and Camp in January 2020

Here’s a unique opportunity for junior tennis players to hone their skills and train under top-notch college coaches right here in Manila.

DreamBig Events will stage the “Gold Series College Exposure Tennis Camp”, a two-day tennis camp preceded by a two-day UTR tournament, at the Manila Polo Club on January 9-12, 2020. The sports events company stages tournaments and camp experiences to junior athletes so they can improve their skills and tournament performances.

Touted as the “Road to College Tennis”, the Event will give young athletes in the Philippines the all-important training and opportunity to network with world-class coaches – putting them in a good position to potentially get recruited to top U.S. University/ College tennis teams.

The event aims to provide young tennis players with play level-based competitions with an opportunity to build up their Universal Tennis Rating (UTR). The UTR is the world’s only results–based rating system in tennis that provides an accurate measurement of a player’s level – from newbie to pro to the world’s top tennis players. Armed with a UTR, tennis players get a higher chance of being recruited by top U.S. College coaches who use the rating for their rosters.

Three top collegiate coaches – Alex Wong from Brown University, Rob Raines from Cornell University in New York and Jessie Frieder from Boston University -- will run the camp. They will evaluate each player carefully, with advice and guidance for improvement in specific areas of their game while assessing their readiness to move on to the next level on their journey to possible career as a tennis professional or as a top collegiate tennis player.

Why the need to go through the US collegiate system to excel in tennis? “Because US universities are the gateway to international competition and recognition. The schools are equipped with the newest technology and uphold the highest game standards. Coaches there work extremely hard, not just on individual fitness and skill levels, but also on the athlete’s mental, psychological and competitive outlook to give them the best opportunity to maximize their talents and reach new heights,” said Akshay Maliwal, Founder and CEO of DreamBig.

“Ambitions have to start somewhere – and for many of our participants, their ambition is to study and play their sport in the US. DreamBig Events enables student-athletes to experience the life of a US collegiate that takes them to the edge of world class competition,” Maliwal added.

Previous DreamBig Gold Series Camps have produced top local athletes like Stefan Lhuiller, Nik Gatmaytan, Jerome Romualdez and Tomi Arejola, among others, who have successfully pursued their US collegiate athletic dreams

Interested participants may register now at https://dreambig.events/gold-series-tennnis-camp/