An exciting 2024, which includes a fresh new trend in the ATP, some new champions on the WTA circuit and an unusual number of surface changes in recent months, is just around the corner, welcoming the last and concluding Grand Slam of the calendar year with the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York. Can Novak Djokovic fend off the threat of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and win an unprecedented 25th Major? Can Coco Gauff become the first American woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win two titles in a row?
As the 2024 US Open begins in New York on Monday, we take a look at some of the top title contenders and biggest rivals for each of the defending champions…
MEN’S SINGLES DRAW
Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic – who has the better draw?
Sinner, who comes into the Open on the back of a win in Cincinnati after his quarterfinal exit in Montreal, has arguably the toughest draw of the ATP’s current Big Three. He will begin his campaign against American Mackenzie McDonald and could face another American and No. 14 seed Tommy Paul in the fourth round, who has beaten him once in their last three meetings. And if the world number one survives the opening week, he will face three-time finalist and 2022 champion Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals and Alcaraz in the semifinals. The Russian leads head-to-head 7-5, including wins in the last two meetings since Sinner beat Medvedev in a five-set match for the Australian Open title. Sinner also trails Alcaraz 4-5, including wins in both meetings this year, both of which came in the semifinals, one of them a five-set match at Roland Garros. For the 23-year-old, however, the problems off the field related to the doping scandal are at the forefront, which he must overcome if he wants to win the second Grand Slam title of his career.
Djokovic, who did not win a single ATP title in 2024 until he claimed a historic gold medal at the Paris Olympics earlier this month, has been handed a rather tricky draw. He could face fellow Serbian Laslo Djere, who beat him in five sets last year, Montreal champion Alexei Popyrin in the third set and a set between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton in the fourth.
The 2023 winner, Alcaraz, who won the last two Grand Slam tournaments and is on the verge of becoming the first since Rafael Nadal in 2010 and the third overall to win the French-Wimbledon-US tournaments in the same calendar year, probably has the easiest draw of the three. His first biggest threat would be in the quarterfinals, between Hubert Hurkacz, who reached the quarterfinals in both Cincinnati and Montreal, or Alex de Minaur, who will be playing his first tournament since withdrawing from the Wimbledon quarterfinals because of a hip injury.
Sumit Nagal’s chances?
Nagal is poised to make his fourth consecutive Grand Slam main draw appearance, in 2024. He began the year with a historic performance at the Australian Open, where he reached the second round after qualifying, before being handed a difficult opening draw at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. At the US Open, the world number 72, who won his sixth ATP Challenger title at the Heilbronn Neckarcup in June, will face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, ranked 40th in the world and in Djokovic’s quarterfinals. Their only meeting came in a 2019 Challenger final in Banja Luka, which Griekspoor won in straight sets.
forecast
Semi-final: Carlos Alcaraz beats Jannik Sinner/Daniil Medvedev; Novak Djokovic beats Alexander Zverev
final: Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic
WOMEN’S SINGLES DRAW
Sabalenka, the new favorite? Can Gauff defend her crown?
After a series of near-wins since defending her Australian Open title, Sabalenka won her second title of the year in Cincinnati, where she was a three-time semifinalist. And so, in the usual WTA scene of recent years, where the discussions revolved around Iga Swiatek, Sabalenka has emerged as the favorite for the title, even ahead of the reigning US Open champion Gauff. After a semifinal exit in Washington and a quarterfinal loss in Toronto, the Belarusian did not drop a single set on the fast courts in Cincinnati, where she defeated the world No. 1 in the semifinals.
2024 was supposed to be Gauff’s year after she won last year’s US Open with a stunning victory over Sabalenka in the final. But this summer the American went on a slump that began with a fourth-round exit at Wimbledon, followed by a third-round loss to silver medalist Donna Vekic at the Paris Olympics. Things got even worse when she was knocked out in the second round in Toronto before surrendering a third-set lead to Yulia Putintseva in her opening match in Cincinnati.
Which of the Big Four has the better draw?
Gauff has been handed the toughest draw and could face No. 27 seed Elina Svitolina in the third round, fellow American Emma Navarro, who she beat at Wimbledon earlier last month, in the fourth round and reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in the quarterfinals. And if she survives the difficult opening week, Sabalenka will be looking to avenge her loss from last year with a semifinal match looming. And the Belarusian could easily get through her quarterfinal, with her only threat being Madison Keys in the fourth round and a clash between Zheng Qinwen and Vekic in the quarterfinals.
2023 champion Swiatek also has a comfortable draw with Mirra Andreeva, who put her under pressure for three hours in Cincinnati last week, the first possible threat to a fourth-round clash, while a quarterfinal clash between Toronto winner and Cincinnati finalist Jessica Pegula and Danille Collins could await.
And Elena Rybakina? New York was not the right venue for her, as the Kazakh never made it to the second week in New York. In addition, health problems remained an obstacle for the former Wimbledon champion this year. Nevertheless, she won 40 of her 49 matches in 2024, reached five WTA finals and won three titles. If she stays fit, she could be a force to be reckoned with.
forecast
final: Aryna Sabalenka beats Iga Swiatek
