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Serena in, U.S. leads all nations in initial 2022 US Open singles entry lists

Victoria Chiesa | July 20, 2022


Fifteen American women and 13 men earned direct entry into the 2022 US Open, as announced by the USTA on Wednesday. The group includes 23-time Grand Slam champion and six-time US Open winner Serena Williams, who's entered on an injury-protected ranking. 

Williams last played the US Open in 2020, where she reached the semifinals before losing to eventual runner-up Victoria Azarenka; she was forced to miss last year's tournament due to an injury sustained at Wimbledon—part of a nearly 12-month layoff that ended last month on grass. 

 

Due to her inactivity, Williams is currently unranked on the WTA computer, but is entered in New York with a special ranking of No. 16. She's one of two American women, and six in all, using special rankings for entry; the other is Taylor Townsend, who also last played at the US Open in 2020. The 26-year-old left-hander gave birth to a son, Adyn, last March, and returned to competitive tennis this April.

 

World No. 7 Jessica Pegula and world No. 8 Danielle Collins lead the U.S. women in the field, and No. 98 Lauren Davis sits one ahead of the last direct acceptance, No. 99 Greet Minnen of Belgium.

Serena last played at the US Open in 2020. Photo by Simon Bruty/USTA.

American Women in the 2022 US Open Field by Ranking (as of July 18)

Jessica Pegula - No. 7

Danielle Collins - No. 8

Coco Gauff - No. 11

Serena Williams - No. 16 (SR)

Amanda Anisimova - No. 22

Madison Keys - No. 27

Alison Riske-Amritraj - No. 32

Shelby Rogers - No. 43

Sloane Stephens - No. 53

Madison Brengle - No. 57

Ann Li - No. 58

Bernarda Pera - No. 81

Claire Liu - No. 82

Taylor Townsend - No. 84 (SR)

Lauren Davis - No. 98

Brooksby reached Round 4 in 2021. Photo by Garrett Ellwood/USTA.

The American men are led by a pair of Top 20 players in No. 13 Taylor Fritz and No. 17 Reilly Opelka, part of eight in the Top 50 in all. Three more Americans are among the first four alternates. Fritz will arrive in New York fresh off of his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon, where eight U.S. men made Round 3 and four were in the last 16. Eight U.S. men last made Round 3 of a major at the 1996 US Open.

 

After reaching Round 4 in New York last year as a wild card, 21-year-old American Jenson Brooksby gets direct entry this year with his current ranking of No. 41. Brooksby was one of three Americans to reach the last 16 at the 2021 US Open, joining Opelka and Frances Tiafoe. 

 

The current cut-off in the men's field is No. 101, but three Americans are currently among the first four alternates: Stefan Kozlov, Jack Sock and J.J. Wolf will eye direct entry should any of the players currently accepted withdraw in the coming weeks. 

American Men in the 2022 US Open Field by Ranking (as of July 18)

Taylor Fritz - No. 13

Reilly Opelka  - No. 17

John Isner - No. 22

Frances Tiafoe - No. 29

Maxime Cressy - No. 33

Tommy Paul - No. 34

Jenson Brooksby - No. 41

Brandon Nakashima - No. 49

Mackenzie McDonald - No. 51

Marcos Giron - No. 54

Sebastian Korda - No. 57

Denis Kudla - No. 83

Steve Johnson - No. 85

 

The 2022 US Open main draw runs Monday, Aug. 29, to Sunday, Sept. 11, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. Individual tickets and ticket plans are on sale now at Ticketmaster. Fan Week, which features the US Open Qualifying Tournament, begins on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

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