Who to prevent the hoped-for final? An ambitious American. French people struggling… All the challenges of the US Open.
This is the final everyone is waiting for. The new circuit blockbuster. A fifth fight between the chiefs to decide between the stainless 36-year-old veteran and the 20-year-old phenomenon (they are at 2-2), winners of three of the last five Grand Slams. A little over a month after the already sublime Wimbledon final (1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4), gleaned by the Spaniard, it took the Serb 3:49 to take his revenge in Cincinnati, (5-7, 7-6, 7-6), on August 20. Djokovic did not hesitate to compare this last furious battle to that which had opposed him to Rafael Nadal during the legendary final of the Australian Open 2012, 5h53 long.
Banned from presence on American soil for almost two years because of his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid, Djokovic has a new opportunity to mark the history of his sport in New York. A 24 Grand Slam title would allow her to equal Margaret Court’s record. The insatiable announces: To put in each Grand Slam the commitment and the level of performance as if it were perhaps the last. One certainty, even if Alcaraz retains his title in Queens, it will be enough for the Serb to… cross the first round against the Frenchman Alexandre Müller to regain his throne of world number 1 after the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. If the “Djoker”, who has not won in New York since 2018, was rather spared the draw, with theoretical confrontations against Stefanos Tsitsipas or Taylor Fritz in the quarters, then Casper Ruud or Holger Rune for a place in final, Alcaraz will have to work with, in particular, a possible reunion in the quarters against Jannik Sinner for a remake of the 5:15 showdown won by the current world number 1 last year.
To prevent the long-awaited meeting Alcaraz-Djokovic, the competition will have to increase in power as it seems promised to the role of foil. Often very dangerous on hard, the world number 3 Medvedev was discreet during the summer. “We are going to try to beat them and prevent them from playing against each other”, however assures the Russian, winner of the 2021 edition. Since his final at Roland-Garros, Casper Ruud, reigning finalist also at New York is no longer advancing and Holger Rune has not passed a turn since his quarter loss at Wimbledon against… Alcaraz. Despite a title in Los Cabos, Tsitsipas does not exude great confidence either. Winner in Toronto of Alex de Minaur for his first success in Masters 1000, Jannik Sinner, 22, could play the troublemaker, he who has never passed the semi-finals (at Wimbledon, last month) . Just like his theoretical opponent in 8th, Alexander Zverev, who after his serious injury in 2022 is slowly rebuilding.
After seven failures against Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff ended up beating the world number 1 in Cincinnati before winning the tournament. At 19, the American went for her first WTA 1000. Also victorious in Washington without losing a set and quarter-finalist in Montreal, Gauff shines under the leadership of former coach of Andre Agassi, Brad Gilbert. What may be playing a new bad trick on a Swiatek less dominating than in 2022, which she could challenge in a shock quarter. The American Jessica Pegula, winner of the Montreal Open, her second WTA 1000 title of her career, is also a choice outsider. Just like the essential Aryna Sabalenka, winner of the Australian Open in January, who has been fighting since the start of the season with Swiatek for world domination.
If Adrian Mannarino and Ugo Humbert are among the top seeds, 22nd and 29th respectively – a first in a Grand Slam for French men’s tennis since the Australian Open 2022 – eyes will first turn to Caroline Garcia, in quest for results and confidence. Swept in the quarters in Cleveland, the number 1 tricolor remained on four defeats in a row including three in the first round this summer. Defending the points won last year by reaching the last four looks complicated and the hope of competing in the Masters, of which she is defending champion, is dwindling. The seed 7 could find in the 3rd round the Russian Anastasia Potapova against whom she remains on two defeats. And if she reaches the second week, the winner of Wimbledon, Marketa Vondrousova, would stand up to her… Only Gaël Monfils seems to be able to spark the spark among the tricolors. At almost 37 years old (September 1), and after a year almost without playing due to a rupture of the plantar aponeurosis, the Parisian returned to the light this summer by notably reaching the quarters at the Masters 1000 in Toronto and the 8th in Cincinnati with three victories against players from the World Top 15 (Tsitsipas, Norrie and de Minaur). The “Monf'” could confirm its return to favor in New York and surprise, why not, from the second round, the Russian and 8th in the world Andrey Rublev, in difficulty this summer.
