Taylor Fritz faced a stunning upset at the 2026 US Open, surrendering a two-set lead to Francisco Cerundolo, who triumphed with a score of 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The ninth-seeded American struggled to comprehend his collapse, expressing his frustration, stating, "I don't even know what to say. I don't really want to talk to anybody, see anybody. I need to get out for a couple days and then get back to work. I don't know how I let that happen today."

In another shocking result, fifth seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy lost to Alexander Blockx of Belgium, with a final score of 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 0-6, 3-6. This defeat further opened up the men's draw, allowing lower-seeded players to advance.

Among the early surprises:

• Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed, fell to Mariano Navone in a dramatic five-set match, ending his pursuit of a historic 25th Grand Slam title.
• Arthur Fils, the tenth seed, lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round.
• Felix Auger-Aliassime, the third seed, and Alex de Minaur, the sixth seed, were both eliminated in the second round.

Fritz, a finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2024, was seen as a potential contender for the title, especially with the absence of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz still recovering from an injury. The early exits of the top seeds had raised hopes for a possible American victory, yet Fritz's defeat marks a significant missed opportunity in his home Slam.