{
  "id": 4184213,
  "title": "2026 US Open Men’s Singles Roundtable Predictions: Champions, Dark Horses and Early Exits",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/2026-us-open-mens-singles-roundtable-predictions-champions-dark",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-29T12:15:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/2026-us-open-men-singles-121530693.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "2026 US Open Men's Singles Roundtable Predictions: Champion, Dark Horses, and Early Exits\n\nAhead of the 2026 US Open, five Last Word on Tennis writers – Ilemona Onekutu, Shane Black, Amanda Bergman, Zain Mustafa, and Coby Spratte – shared their predictions. The champion is expected to be Arthur Fils (FRA), the youngest French Masters 1000 champion ever. His strong serve and athleticism make him a force to be reckoned with, even though he is 10-0 in deciding sets this year and 8-0 against Americans.\n\nAlexander Zverev (GER) is considered a heavy favorite, as he is healthy and injury-free. His Grand Slam success adds to his credibility, and with the pressure off, Zverev is likely to perform well in New York.\n\nBen Shelton (USA) is seen as a dark horse, having performed well at hard-court Grand Slams since his career began. He has already won the title in Montreal, and his strong performance there suggests he could bring that level of play to the US Open as well.\n\nOutside the Top 8 seeds, Hubert Hurkacz (POL) is predicted to advance the furthest. His missile serve and experience in reaching the second week of majors make him a dangerous opponent for anyone seeded ahead of him. If he can find his rhythm early, a quarterfinal is a realistic goal for him.\n\nBen Shelton from the USA is also considered a dark horse, with the potential to claim his first career Grand Slam title. His strong serve and explosive athleticism, combined with a favorable draw, could help him beat the top players in the tournament, including Novak Djokovic.",
  "summary": "Ahead of the 2026 US Open, five Last Word on Tennis writers – Ilemona Onekutu, Shane Black, Amanda Bergman, Zain Mustafa, Coby Spratte – made their US Open predictions. Let's dive in. US Open Men’s Singles Roundtable Predictions Champion – Who will win the US Open? Ilemona: [10] Arthur Fils (FRA) I know picking a guy whose …",
  "key_points": [
    "Arthur Fils (FRA) predicted as 2026 US Open champion",
    "Alexander Zverev (GER) considered heavy favorite",
    "Ben Shelton (USA) named dark horse with title potential"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}