Andreescu, Zheng, Kenin headline US Open 2026 qualifying entries
Synopsis
The US Open 2026 qualifying draw reads like a who's-who of tennis comebacks: a former champion (Andreescu), an Olympic gold medallist returning from surgery (Zheng), a past Grand Slam winner on a losing record (Kenin), and a 16-year-old who just made history (Liutova). Rarely has the qualifying stage carried this much narrative weight before a Grand Slam.
Key Takeaways
Bianca Andreescu enters US Open 2026 qualifying for the first time since 2018 , currently ranked No.
Zheng Qinwen , former world No.
4 and 2024 Olympic gold medallist , is ranked No.
125 after returning from elbow surgery.
Sofia Kenin , the 2020 Australian Open champion, enters ranked No.
118 with a 5-19 record in 2026 .
Kristina Liutova , aged 16 , makes her Grand Slam qualifying debut after becoming the first 2010 -born player to win a WTA title, in Memphis last week.
Robin Montgomery and former Roland Garros semifinalists Nadia Podoroska and Tamara Zidansek also feature in the draw.
US Open 2026 qualifying begins 24 August at Flushing Meadows, New York .
Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, and Zheng Qinwen, the 2024 Olympic gold medallist, headline a star-studded entry list for the US Open 2026 qualifying competition, which gets underway on 24 August at Flushing Meadows, New York. The qualifying draw also features 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and breakthrough teenager Kristina Liutova, making it one of the most high-profile qualifying fields in recent Grand Slam history.
Andreescu's Road Back to Flushing Meadows
Andreescu, now 26, made history in 2019 by becoming the first player to win the US Open on a main-draw debut. A succession of injuries has since derailed her career, and she will enter qualifying for the first time since 2018, when she lost her opening match to Olga Danilovic. Her most recent Flushing Meadows appearance came in 2024, where she fell in the first round to Jasmine Paolini.
The Canadian's form in 2026 offers cautious optimism: she has claimed two World Tennis titles, reached the Austin WTA 125 final in March, and came through Wimbledon qualifying. She is currently ranked No. 179.
Zheng Qinwen Returns After Elbow Surgery
Former world No. 4 Zheng Qinwen, the 2024 Australian Open runner-up, played just one tournament between July 2025 and February 2026 following elbow surgery. Since her return, she has compiled an 11-13 record and is coming off a first-round qualifying loss in Toronto to Lanlana Tararudee.
Now ranked No. 125, Zheng will compete in Grand Slam qualifying for only the second time in her career. The first occasion proved fruitful — she came through the preliminary rounds to make her Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2022 Australian Open.
Kenin, Montgomery and the 2026 WTA Title-Holders
Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion and fellow Grand Slam winner, is also in the qualifying draw. The American's best run at her home major was a fourth-round finish in 2020; she enters ranked No. 118 with a 5-19 record so far in 2026.
Two 2026 WTA title-holders feature in qualifying: Kristina Liutova and Robin Montgomery. The 16-year-old Liutova became the first player born in 2010 to win a WTA tournament, claiming the title in Memphis on her tour-level debut last week. Montgomery, ranked No. 200, won in 's-Hertogenbosch and is returning from a wrist injury that sidelined her for nine months between July 2025 and April 2026 — just after she had reached a career-high ranking of No. 95.
Other Notable Entrants
According to the WTA, two 2026 WTA finalists also appear on the qualifying list: former NCAA champion Darja Vidmanova, who lost to Liutova in the Memphis final, and 19-year-old Ukrainian Veronika Podrez, the Rouen runner-up in April on her tour-level debut.
Rounding out the notable entries are former Grand Slam semifinalists Nadia Podoroska and Tamara Zidansek, who reached the last four at Roland Garros in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Their presence underscores how the qualifying draw has become a proving ground for players at every stage of the career arc — from teenage debutants to former champions seeking a way back.
With the main draw set to begin after qualifying concludes, all eyes will be on whether any of these high-profile names can navigate the preliminary rounds and stake a claim at the year's final Grand Slam.
Point of View
And her qualifying appearance is a short-term necessity, not a reflection of long-term decline. The more structurally interesting story is Liutova: at 16, she is the sport's newest headline act, and her Grand Slam qualifying debut will tell us whether her Memphis win was a flash or the beginning of a genuine trajectory.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the biggest names in the US Open 2026 qualifying draw?
The headline entries are former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen, and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. Teen prodigy Kristina Liutova, 16, also makes her Grand Slam qualifying debut after winning her first WTA title in Memphis.
When does US Open 2026 qualifying begin?
US Open 2026 qualifying begins on 24 August at Flushing Meadows in New York, ahead of the main draw for the year's final Grand Slam.
Why is Bianca Andreescu playing qualifying?
Andreescu is ranked No. 179, which places her outside the direct acceptance cut for the main draw. She last played US Open qualifying in 2018 and has been rebuilding her career after a prolonged run of injuries since her 2019 title win.
Why is Zheng Qinwen in qualifying despite being a top player?
Zheng, formerly ranked No. 4, played just one tournament between July 2025 and February 2026 due to elbow surgery. She is currently ranked No. 125 after compiling an 11-13 record since her return, putting her outside the main-draw cut.
Who is Kristina Liutova and why is her entry significant?
Kristina Liutova is a 16-year-old who last week became the first player born in 2010 to win a WTA tournament, claiming the Memphis title on her tour-level debut. Her US Open qualifying appearance marks her first Grand Slam-level competition.
