College Tennis in the 2021 US Open

Updated August 30, 2021 at 2:00 PM to reflect Jennifer Brady’s withdrawal

Twenty current and former collegiate athletes will compete in the main draw of the 2021 US Open singles tournament. This week, 14 different universities will be represented in singles play at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The UCLA Bruins lead the way with the most entrants in the singles draw with four.

In doubles play, 38 former collegiate and current collegiate players will hit the courts in the men’s draw. Four universities – Texas A&M, UCLA, LSU, and Texas – will be represented by three players each. On the women’s side, 16 different players with collegiate ties will be competing in the doubles draw. North Carolina and USC each have three players in the main draw. 

Many of the players in the 2021 singles main draw are returning to New York for a second straight year. On the men’s side, 10 of the 14 athletes who competed at the 2020 US Open are returning for a run at the 2021 title. Similarly, three of the six women from last year will compete in the 2021 singles main draw.

UCLA’s Jennifer Brady returns to the US Open after making a run to the semifinals last year. Her 2020 run was historic for college tennis — she was the first player with collegiate ties to reach the semifinals since 1987. Brady heads into the opening round with the highest ranking (WTA – 14 (S)) out of all of the competing collegiate-tied players. She is followed closely behind by Virginia’s Danielle Collins.

On the men’s side, Georgia’s John Isner (ATP No. 22(S)) and TCU’s Cameron Norrie (ATP No. 29 (S)) hold the highest singles rankings out of the former collegiate players. At the 2020 US Open, Isner fell in the first round to fellow collegian Steve Johnson, while Norrie reached the third round before falling to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Norrie had the deepest run in the 2020 singles draw of the men’s collegiate players.

Two programs – the University of Virginia and University of Florida – will be cheering on a current student-athlete in the draw. 2021 NCAA singles champions Emma Navarro (Virginia) and Sam Riffice (Florida) received wildcards into the main draw after winning their national titles in May. Navarro will face off against USA’s Christina McHale in the opening round. In his first match of the tournament, Riffice will look to advance against 15-seed Grigor Dimitrov.

The mixed doubles draw will be released by the US Open at a later time.

Men’s Singles

Women’s Singles

*withdrew due to injury

Men’s Doubles

Women’s Doubles

The 2021 US Open, which features men’s and women’s singles and men’s and women’s doubles tournaments along with mixed doubles, begins Monday, August 30 at 11 AM ET, and proceeds through Sunday, September 12 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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