The 2023 US Open begins on Monday and over the next two weeks the best tennis players in the world will battle for supremacy at the year’s final Grand Slam tournament. For native US players there will be the added pressure to perform well on home soil. Heading into the final major on the women’s side American Coco Gauff has been the hottest player in the summer hard court season and on the men’s it seems we are destined for another Carlos Alcaraz vs. Novak Djokovic showdown.
“I think I learned a lot over this last couple weeks more so on my wins I think than I have in the past. I think especially in that final against Muchova, I wasn’t playing my best tennis, but I was still able to win that match and win it in straight sets,” Gauff said on Friday at media availability. “I think the most I’ve learned over the course of this summer is that I don’t have to play A-plus tennis to win. Obviously going into the match, you hope to play the best tennis you can play, but it’s not possible all the time. I think I have much more confidence now in other aspects of my game. Maybe if my serve isn’t working, I have confidence in my groundstrokes or vice versa. I think I’m more confident being able to problem solve.”
Women’s Singles Contenders
Gauff is 11-1 since a shocking first round loss at Wimbledon earlier this summer. She won in D.C. (a 500-level event), advanced to the quarterfinals of Montreal (a 1000-level event), and won in Cincinnati (a 1000-level event). As she stated in her press availability, she’s confident even when not playing her best. You won’t play perfect over the course of a two-week Grand Slam. If she’s able to advance on those days, she can win her first major.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is 53-9 this season. She won the French Open for the third time and is the defending US Open champion. She is a machine off both wings and seemingly possesses little to no weaknesses. She’s arguably the most mentally tough player on tour. She is the betting favorite for good reason.
World No. 3 Jessica Pegula is the top-ranked American woman. She defeated her friend and doubles partner Gauff in the quarterfinals at Montreal on route to the title. The win was Pegula’s second 1000-level tournament win. She has never advanced past the quarterfinal round at a major, now is as good a time as any. She has the game, and if she can play a bit more offensive at times, she will be tough to beat.
Grand Slam Champions
Aryna Sabalenka and Marketa Vondrousova won the year’s other two majors at Australia and Wimbledon respectively and will be forces to reckon with over the fortnight.
2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, fan favorite Ons Jabeur, new mom and Wimbledon semifinalist Elina Svitolina, and former major champion Victoria Azarenka are all players who can make it deep into the second week in NYC.
Prediction: If the seeds holds, Gauff and Swiatek will meet in the quarterfinals. The winner of that match will win the tournament.
Men’s Singles Contenders
What world No. 2 Djokovic is doing at the age of 36 is truly remarkable. He won the Australian Open and French Open, and lost the Wimbledon final in a five-set thriller to world No. 1 Alcaraz. Djokovic has won 23 Grand Slam singles title, the most of any man ever. He’s at least getting to the semifinals.
Alcaraz is 20 years old and already has two Grand Slam titles. The aforementioned Wimbledon crown, and he is the defending US Open champion. He is never out of any point, possesses every shot in the book, and is not yet in his prime.
World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev won the US Open in 2021, is a two time finalist in Australia, and advanced to the semifinals at Wimbledon for the first time this summer. He is an excellent fast court player and one of the three best hard court players in the world. We know who the other two are.
The rest of the men’s top-10 is loaded with super talented players. Holger Rune is also 20 years old and advanced to the quarterfinals of the French and Wimbledon. He has an extremely big game and the moxy that goes with it.
World No. 5 Casper Ruud was runner-up in the last two French Opens and runner-up to Alcaraz in last year’s US Open. He should make another run into the second week of a major.
Italian Jannik Sinner won his first 1000-level event in Toronto earlier this month and advanced to the semifinals at Wimbledon this year. He’s looking ready for his first major final.
American Frances Tiafoe, world No. 10, electrified the NYC crowd last summer with a run to the semifinals defeating Rafael Nadal along the way. He lost a tough five-set battle to the eventual champion Alcaraz. While he won clay court and grass court titles this season, he had some disappointing results in the majors. Can he recapture that magic in NYC?
Prediction: For the past two decades Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have dominated the Grand Slams. They are the three greatest men’s players of all-time. There is nobody else close. Djokovic wants to separate himself as the best ever. Another year with three out of four majors will do it.
