Sinner & Alcaraz Again? Swiatek Or Sabalenka? Us Open Preview

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website & app

There is simply a conundrum for nan starring men's players to lick astatine nan US Open.

How do they extremity either Jannik Sinner aliases Carlos Alcaraz winning different Grand Slam title?

The grounds suggests personification mightiness person to hit some of nan apical 2 seeds - who are successful other sides of nan tie - to assistance nan New York title.

Few are predicting anyone tin forestall Italy's Sinner and Spain's Alcaraz from completing different almanac cleanable sweep, having carved up nan past 7 fields betwixt them.

"If you want to triumph a large title these days, that's who you've sewage to spell through," said American sixth seed Ben Shelton.

With nan last Grand Slam tourney of nan twelvemonth starting connected Sunday, BBC Sport previews nan men's and women's singles tournaments.

If immoderate of nan 4 Slams could propulsion up a different winner, past caller history suggests it could hap astatine nan US Open.

The somewhat slower difficult courts, humid conditions and its slot arsenic nan last awesome successful a engaged play person been contributing factors to six different champions successful nan past 7 years.

Novak Djokovic is nan only man to triumph it doubly during that period. Even though he is now 38, nan Serb remains nan starring contender to extremity defending champion Sinner and 2022 victor Alcaraz.

German 3rd seed Alexander Zverev has not yet won a Grand Slam title contempt his his pedigree, appearing to deficiency belief against nan very champion astatine nan business extremity of majors.

In a bid to get complete nan line, nan three-time awesome finalist precocious enlisted nan thief of Toni Nadal - who coached his nephew Rafael to 16 of his 22 Grand Slam titles.

The travel to Nadal's academy successful Majorca came aft Zverev's first-round exit astatine Wimbledon, wherever he opened up astir receiving psychological thief to get "out of nan hole" he was in.

"Of people to hit Alcaraz and Sinner is not easy but he has much chances to hit these 2 guys much than astir others," Nadal told BBC Sport.

"This is what I explained to him.

"Everyone thinks Alcaraz and Sinner are difficult to hit but I told him that Rafael, [Roger Federer] and Djokovic were each arsenic bully arsenic Sinner aliases Alcaraz astatine least, and successful this clip Wawrinka and Murray won 3 Grand Slams.

"He will ever person a chance but has to make a immense effort mentally successful each chance."

The American situation is led by 4th seed Taylor Fritz, who mislaid to Sinner successful past year's final, and 2023 semi-finalist Shelton.

The location fans are still waiting to observe their first location men's champion since Andy Roddick successful 2003.

British number 1 Jack Draper is fancied to spell far, having reached nan semi-finals past twelvemonth successful his breakout tally astatine a Grand Slam.

However, nan 23-year-old left-hander, who has been troubled pinch an limb injury, has not played singles since his early Wimbledon exit successful July.

After a slump astatine nan commencement of nan season, Poland's Iga Swiatek goes into nan last awesome of nan play arsenic astir people's prime for nan trophy.

The Wimbledon champion, who won nan US Open successful 2022, warmed up for Flushing Meadows pinch triumph astatine nan Cincinnati Open, underlining her credentials connected nan American difficult courts.

"I deliberation it doesn't make consciousness to telephone anyone nan favourite," 2nd seed Swiatek said.

"In women's tennis, I wouldn't opportunity it's unpredictable because location are immoderate girls that are perpetually successful nan apical and proving that we tin play good passim nan full season.

"But still location are galore players that play really bully and tin triumph nan tournament."

American 3rd seed Coco Gauff fulfilled her long-vaunted imaginable by winning nan 2023 title and added a 2nd awesome astatine nan French Open successful June.

But she is still having problems pinch her serve. After hitting 16 double faults successful her Cincinnati quarter-final exit, she parted pinch Matt Daly - a coach who focused connected her opening changeable - and brought successful Aryna Sabalenka's erstwhile service guru Gavin MacMillan.

Sabalenka credits MacMillan for helping her stem a akin travel of double faults, which has enabled nan Belarusian to triumph 3 awesome titles since.

However, nan defending US Open champion besides comes into nan hard-court awesome tourney successful unconvincing form.

World number 1 Sabalenka was retired of sorts astatine nan WTA 1,000 arena successful Cincinnati, playing erratically arsenic she scraped past Emma Raducanu earlier being outclassed by Elena Rybakina.

Sabalenka hopes to go nan first female to take sides nan title since Serena Williams successful 2014, but has not won a awesome tourney this year.

"I person learned a batch of reliable lessons this play successful nan Grand Slams," Sabalenka said.

"Maybe each defending champion comes and puts truthful overmuch unit connected themselves.

"I consciousness for illustration I'm knowledgeable capable to conscionable attraction connected myself and effort to replicate that result."

Last year's runner-up Jessica Pegula, Australian Open champion Madison Keys and Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova are besides expected to contend arsenic portion of a formidable location challenge.