The last tennis major of 2025 is almost upon us – and there’s storylines galore as the superstars of the ATP and WTA descend on New York’s Flushing Meadows for the 145th edition of the US Open.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz appear to be on another grand slam final collision course, while a similar two-horse race is materialising between Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek – but dark horses abound in both draws.
Aussie contenders are firmly in the bolter category after several players from Down Under were handed tough draws, limiting their likelihood of making into the second week.
Read on for our complete 2025 US Open preview and tournament tips.
Sinner v Alcaraz III?
World No.1 Jannik Sinner ($2.10) and world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz ($2.70) are red-hot favourites to become the first pair since Novak Djokovic and Rafael in 2011-12 to contest three straight grand slam finals.
Alcaraz retained the French Open title with an epic five-set victory over the Italian, while reigning US Open and Australian Open champ Sinner claimed his maiden Wimbledon title with a four-set win over his Spanish rival.
The superstar duo were set to engage in another duel in the Cincinnati Masters final, but Sinner retired during the first set with illness.
With defending champion Alcaraz getting rolled by Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round, Sinner took the 2024 US Open for the loss of just two sets. He beat Jack Draper in the semis and Taylor Fritz in the final, both in straight sets.
Four-time champion (most recently in 2023) Novak Djokovic can’t be counted out at 38 years of age after making the semis of all three majors so far in 2025 – and he’s duly on the third line of betting at $13. He has a favourable section before a possible quarter-final against Fritz and semi against Alcaraz.
Alexander Zverev ($19), the 2020 runner-up and an Australian Open finalist earlier this year, Toronto Masters champ Ben Shelton ($19), Draper ($21), Fritz ($29) and, looking to defy a form trough, 2021 champ Daniil Medvedev ($41) are on the next tier of contenders at Flushing Meadows.
Swiatek strives to reclaim the crown
After a largely indifferent 12 months – including surrendering her stranglehold on the French Open and enduring the longest WTA title drought of her career – Iga Swiatek ($3.60) has leapfrogged world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka ($4.00) as the 2025 US Open women’s favourite.
An unexpected charge to a maiden Wimbledon title sparked Swiatek’s renaissance. She lost just two games in total across her semi-final and final wins over Belinda Bencic and Amanda Anisimova, respectively.
Looking to add to the US Open title she won in 2022, Swiatek warmed up in ideal fashion by taking out the Cincinnati Masters – finishing off that tournament with straight-sets wins over Elena Rbyakina and Jasmine Paolini.
Defending US Open champ Sabalenka lost the Australian and French Open finals, and was rolled in the Wimbledon semis by Anisimova. In her only foray since, the Belarusian powerhouse made the quarters in Cincinnati before going down to Rybakina, who is on the fourth line of betting at $13.
Coco Gauff – who took out the French Open before dipping out in the first round at Wimbledon – is third favourite at $10, having won the US Open in 2023.
Teenage whiz Mirra Andreeva ($13), reigning Australian Open champ Madison Keys ($17) and resurgent 2018 and 2020 winner Naomi Osaka ($21) are also in the top bracket of women’s contenders.
Mboko rockets into contention
Ten different players have won the last 11 US Open women’s titles, with first-time grand slam winners including shock champions Flavia Pennetta (2014), Bianca Andreescu (2019) and Emma Raducanu (2021).
If there’s young dark horse in the mix this year, it’s Canadian 18-year-old Victoria Mboko, who has stormed into the top 25 and into $21 in the US Open title market.
Dominating on the ITF circuit earlier this year, Mboko reached the third round at Roland Garros on grand slam debut and beat major winners Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka on her way to the WTA 1000 Montreal Masters title.
Mboko has been dealt a tricky draw, however, taking on two-time slam champion Barbora Krejcikova first up, while 10th seed and 2024 semi-finalist Emma Navarro looms as a third-round opponent in a section that also includes fifth seed Mirra Andreeva.
Jessica Pegula and Belinda Bencic shape as Mboko’s most likely quarter-final opponents if she can navigate that minefield.
Tough draw for Aussies
A quarter-finalist in 2020 and 2024, world No.8 Alex de Minaur is far and away the best Australian prospect of a deep run in New York – and he’s on the ninth line of outright US Open betting at $67.
The 26-year-old won the Citi Open in impressive style then made the Canadian Masters quarters – losing to Ben Shelton – before being upset first up at the Cincinnati Masters by Reilly Opelka.
De Minaur will meet compatriot Christopher O’Connell in the first round, after O’Connell pulled out of what would have been their maiden clash in Toronto three weeks ago.
‘Demon’s’ path could potentially include a third-round date with out-of-sorts Stefanos Tsitsipas and a daunting quarter-final against Alexander Zverev.
World No.37 Alexei Popyrin ($251), who reached the Round of 16 last year after a breakthrough Canadian Masters triumph, will be favoured to beat Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round but then faces a second-round nightmare in the shape of Jannik Sinner.
Jordan Thompson, who has dropped to No.57 in the rankings, lines up against Corentin Moutet in the first round and could face Shelton in the third round. After shocking Daniil Medvedev in Cincinnati, Adam Walton will be full of confidence ahead of his clash with 22nd seed Ugo Humbert.
Meanwhile, veteran Ajla Tomljanovic has drawn third seed and 2023 champion Coco Gauff in the first round.
Teenaged world No.42 Maya Joint ($251) is the shortest-priced Aussie in the women’s draw and will face a qualifier in the first round. Her second-round opponent would either be countrywoman Kim Birrell or eighth seed and Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova.
On the same line of betting, Daria Kasatkina – who changed her allegiance from Russia to Australia in March – is the 15th seed and takes on Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the first round. A rejuvenated Naomi Osaka looms as a third-round opponent, with Gauff a likely Round of 16 adversary.