Martina Navratilova and Tim Henman pick the players they think will win the US Open this year

The US Open is officially underway, with a handful of high-profile names having already secured their spot in the second round.

Tennis fans had mixed reactions to the US Open mixed doubles, which kicked off the tournament during Fan Week.

But the main draw action has now started in New York, with 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu winning her first round match.

WTA Tour number one Aryna Sabalenka also made a winning start, as did home favourites Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton.

Sabalenka is out to defend her title from 2024, with ATP Tour number one Jannik Sinner in the same position.

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Martina Navratilova and Tim Henman pick their US Open winners

And the pair has featured prominently on a list of predicted US Open winners from many invested parties.

Offering her picks for Sky Sports Tennis, tennis legend Martina Navratilova opted for Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, as well as picking Victoria Mboko as her wildcard.

READ MORE: Emma Raducanu gives her opinion on the US Open crowd for her first round match and says how it’s different to Wimbledon

And former British number one Tim Henman has backed Sabalenka and Sinner to retain their titles, with Joao Fonseca named as his wildcard.

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Mboko won her maiden WTA title at the Canadian Open earlier this month, while Fonseca secured his in Buenos Aires earlier in the season.

Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka among US Open favourites

Navratilova and Henman certainly weren’t the only tennis icons to share their verdicts, with the duo joined by Marion Bartoli in their predictions.

She chose Swiatek and Sinner as her winners, and also named Mboko as her wildcard after the 18-year-old’s stunning victory over Naomi Osaka in Montreal.

Other predictions involved Ryan Harrison, who has backed Sabalenka and Alcaraz for victory, and has named Frances Tiafoe as his wildcard.

Both Sinner and Sabalenka played the role of the villain in 2024, defeating American players in their respective finals.

The former beat Taylor Fritz, who had knocked out fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the previous round, while the latter overcame Jessica Pegula.

American women have incidentally enjoyed superb Grand Slam success heading into the last major of 2025.

Madison Keys and Coco Gauff won the Australian Open and French Open respectively, before Pole Swiatek won Wimbledon.

But no such success has been enjoyed on the ATP Tour, with Sinner and Alcaraz sharing not only this year’s Grand Slam titles, but last year’s as well.

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