Opinion
With less than 24 hours remaining until the final grand slam of the year commences at Flushing Meadows in New York, there are a lot of potential mouth-watering scenarios and match-ups that can take place.
On the men’s side, the big news is obviously the exclusion of three-time US Open champion Novak Djokovic who has not been able to travel due to his continued stance on vaccinations, opening the draw for the other big seeds.
For the women, it will be an emotional farewell for 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams. The 40-year-old will hope to use the home crowd to give her one last push for an incredible fairytale and write her name in history one final time.
There is a fantastic young generation coming through from both the ATP and WTA tours which should add an extra element of entertainment and highlight reels for the fans and neutrals.
Without further ado, here are some predictions for the upcoming tournament.
Champion – Daniil Medvedev [1]
The absence of Djokovic has made the Russian the firm favourite heading into the US Open and rightly so. The 2021 champion is more than capable of replicating his form from his only grand slam triumph and is slowly building towards peak shape due to his win in Los Cabos and a semi-final exit in Cincinnati last week.
Hard courts seem to always bring the best out of the 26-year-old, and expect him to capitalise on the lack of fitness of Rafael Nadal on the other side of the draw to take home the crown and go back to back.
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Runner-up – Carlos Alcaraz [3]
This kid has absolutely everything to reach the top. Speed, power, great touch, and a lot of skill have seen the teenage sensation handle the comparisons to Nadal very well so far. Looking at his side of the draw, he gets the better over Nadal and this grand slam will be his breakout tournament where he truly announces himself to the tennis world that he is here to stay.
Medvedev’s experience will just be too much though in the end.
Match of the tournament – Medvedev [1] v Kyrgios [23] (fourth round)
This has all the makings for an epic encounter and there are sure to be fireworks. Kyrgios has the better over the Russian in the head-to-head leading 3-1 which makes this match-up even more intriguing. Expect some underarm serves, tweeners, and all-round great shot making.
Medvedev’s only victory against the Aussie came at this year’s Australian Open in four tough sets, but Kyrgios won their most recent encounter a couple of weeks ago in Montreal. Get the popcorn ready.
Shock seed to exit early in week 1 – Felix Auger-Aliassime [6]
For Felix, it’s always a case of inconsistency and not being able to string good performances together on a regular basis. The talent is clearly there for the Canadian, but above the shoulders he still needs to do so much work to overcome those pressure moments and because of that he will be packing his bags early.
Dark horse – Alex de Minaur [18]
‘The Speed Demon’ as he is often referred to by many for his incredible wheels around the court will look to use some of that energy to propel him towards a deep run in New York. Although he does not possess the most powerful serve on tour, his return game makes up for it and hardcourt is the surface where the Aussie thrives the most.
He is more than capable of backing up his quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon with another strong grand slam run at Flushing Meadows.
How far can Demon go? (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Champion – Simona Halep
Often known for being on the wrong end of upsets in the early rounds of the US Open, the two-time grand slam champion has the experience to take her all the way this time round under new coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has done a great job with her.
The former coach of Serena Williams has tweaked a couple of areas in Halep’s game, such as her serve and better positioning around the court, which was evident in her triumph in Toronto to take home the title. Her power is going to be difficult to stop, but overall it will be what is above the shoulders and the experience that will carry her across the line.
Runner-up – Iga Swiatek
Ever since her incredible 37-match win streak came to an end at Wimbledon, Swiatek has struggled to rediscover her best form which could be a cause for concern. In saying that, she has too much quality and class to let that level dip for long and she will be eager to bounce back and claim another grand slam title to her name.
Halep to just pip her to the trophy, though.
Match of the tournament – Serena Williams vs Anett Kontaveit (second round)
Will this be the most-watched tennis match in US history? The potential farewell at Arthur Ashe Stadium will have the crowd finding their loudest voices to witness what could be one of the most incredible wins of Serena’s career. The shot power and serving are the key attributes of this match-up which will come down to who can hold their nerve.
Could the experience of Serena be the difference between knocking out the No.2 seed in Kontaveit?
Shock seed to exit early in week 1 – Anett Kontaveit
This prediction will answer the result! The Estonian has often failed in big tournaments and in grand slams especially, where she just doesn’t seem to fire when she needs to most. With such a big occasion in front of over 23,700 people all supporting Serena, the pressure will not sit well with her as she is expected to win given her rank and the poor form that Serena has endured.
An early exit awaits.
Dark horse – Bianca Andreescu
It’s funny how an injury riddled couple of years can all of a sudden make people forget about the talented player of Andreescu. Despite not being at the heights which saw her reach No.4 in the world, the 22-year-old won the US Open back in 2019 and she seemed like a freight train that could not be stopped. She has a kind draw and has the ability to go deep and cause a couple of upsets in the process.
A thrilling US Open awaits in what should go down as one of the best in the modern era.
Get ready for two weeks of non-stop tennis action of the highest quality.
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