Swiatek The One To Beat In New York While Alcaraz And Sinner Dominate Men’s Draw

Iga Swiatek has yet had a little infinitesimal to drawback her breath. Her life has been connected fast-forward for nan past fewer hectic yet rewarding weeks, emerging from nan power and humidity of nan Cincinnati Open pinch different important title. Fourteen hours later she was connected tribunal successful New York, throwing herself into 2 agelong days of title alongside her caller partner, Casper Ruud. The stakes were debased for singles players successful nan mixed doubles this week but each constituent she played meant much intelligence power expended.

There is still small clip for Swiatek to bespeak connected really nan summertime has developed, but pinch nan last expansive slam tourney of nan twelvemonth starting connected Sunday it is clear nan past fewer months person go a defining infinitesimal successful her career. Swiatek started nan play swimming upstream, still reeling from her doping lawsuit past year. She emerged from that difficult play pinch nan astir surprising, typical triumph of her career, a triumph connected grass, her slightest favourite surface, astatine Wimbledon, which she sealed pinch a merciless 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Amanda Anisimova successful nan final. In stark opposition to nan alleviation she felt aft erstwhile triumphs, this triumph brought her only joy.

That emotion has endured passim Swiatek’s hard-court season, and arsenic a consequence nan Pole will statesman nan US Open arsenic nan favourite, seeking her seventh expansive slam title. The competition, however, is varied and difficult. Aryna Sabalenka rightfully remains nan world No 1, though she has many times stiff successful nan astir important moments, contempt really often she has put herself successful position to triumph large titles. After 2 awesome finals and a semi-final this year, nan Belarusian’s US Open title defence represents her past opportunity to extremity a twelvemonth of adjacent misses pinch a monolithic victory.

Sabalenka’s challenges, however, ray successful comparison pinch Coco Gauff’s struggles. It was reasonable to presume nan American’s triumph astatine nan French Open, wherever she established herself arsenic a aggregate slam champion, would person inspired much state and assurance successful her game. Instead, her service has wholly deteriorated complete nan past fewer months. On nan eve of nan US Open, she took nan determination to portion ways pinch 1 of her coaches, Matthew Daly, and prosecute Gavin MacMillan, nan biomechanics master who helped to revive Sabalenka’s serve. It was a drastic move.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz person pulled distant from nan remainder of nan men’s section and are favourites to look each different successful a 3rd successive expansive slam final. Photograph: Frey/TPN/Getty Images

As is ever nan case, a wide assortment of characters tin compete for nan title, depending connected really they are emotion successful New York. Although Mirra Andreeva’s shape has cooled complete nan past fewer months, nan Russian has nan talent to break done astatine immoderate time. Madison Keys, nan victor successful Australia, and Anisimova had spectacular expansive slam runs this twelvemonth and tin do truthful again connected location soil.

Elena Rybakina appears to beryllium connected nan verge of rediscovering her apical form. Perhaps nan Canadian Open will move retired to beryllium a motion of things to come, pinch nan 18-year-old Victoria Mboko putting together a spectacular breakout title win and Naomi Osaka showing promising signs by reaching nan final.

In opposition to nan notable shifts successful women’s tennis this year, perfectly thing has changed astatine nan apical of nan men’s game. Just arsenic successful Paris, Wimbledon and nan Masters 1000 events since, nan mobility remains whether immoderate challenger is prepared to return down conscionable 1 of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. As nan spread betwixt them and nan remainder of nan section continues to grow, they will commencement nan US Open attempting to title a 3rd consecutive expansive slam last and a 5th last this twelvemonth overall.

Novak Djokovic has 3 made expansive slam semi-finals this twelvemonth but questions whether he still has nan physicality to triumph 1 of nan fields astatine 38. Photograph: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Novak Djokovic, now 38, has been nan third-best subordinate astatine nan expansive slam tournaments pinch 3 semi-finals. However, he has not competed since Wimbledon. After his straight-sets conclusion by Sinner location successful early July, Djokovic himself formed uncertainty connected his expertise to triumph his 25th expansive slam title owed to nan physicality of these events crossed nan champion of 5 sets, which are progressively difficult to navigate owed to his ageing body.

One of nan astir important developments this summertime has been Ben Shelton’s continued growth. He followed up his quarter-final tally astatine Wimbledon by emerging from a bruising 2 weeks successful Toronto pinch his first Masters 1000 title. Already a two‑time expansive slam semi‑finalist, nan 22-year-old American produces his champion tennis astatine nan awesome tournaments and successful beforehand of location crowds. The coming weeks are a chance for him to consolidate his position arsenic a apical contender.

In nan outpouring it was Jack Draper who seemed to person positioned himself arsenic nan younger subordinate astir apt to situation Sinner and Alcaraz, but nan Briton’s past fewer months person been complicated. After frustrating defeats astatine nan French Open and Wimbledon, a near forearm wounded forced Draper disconnected nan circuit for 3 months and he has not competed successful singles since losing successful SW19. A twelvemonth aft his first large expansive slam breakthrough, a rousing semi-final run, he returns to nan US Open without immoderate hard‑court preparation.

Time is not connected Draper’s broadside this week, but nan qualities that person put him successful this position arsenic nan fifth-best subordinate successful nan world astatine a expansive slam – his expertise and ambition – mean he is much than tin of quickly uncovering his feet and taking different important measurement forward.