The US Open begins with Jannik Sinner expected to recover from a Cincinnati illness and with Carlos Alcaraz forming a new "big two" overwhelmingly favored to meet again in a third straight major final. Aryna Sabalenka owns a 67-13 season but has fallen short late in the three Slams and faces intense challenges from Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and a deep pool of contenders. The tournament's history shows dramatic upsets and surprise champions, and the opening round features marquee matchups capable of delivering immediate chaos or breakthrough runs.
Of course, while we think we know how the tournament might play out, things rarely go as planned at the US Open. That can be a bad thing if you're, say, a legend going for a calendar Slam ( Serena Williams in 2015, Novak Djokovic in 2021). It can be an awfully good thing if you're an up-and-comer ready to make an out-of-nowhere run ( Naomi Osaka in 2018, Bianca Andreescu in 2019, Emma Raducanu in 2021).
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka is a brilliant 67-13 on the season but has fallen short late in all three Slams and must fend off a torrid Iga Swiatek (who has won 14 of her past 15 matches), Coco Gauff (who toppled her in the French Open final) and countless other challengers from a women's tour that is as deep as it has ever been.
On the men's side, we get matches like Alcaraz vs. big-serving veteran Reilly Opelka, four-time champion Djokovic vs. tricky young American Learner Tien and 10-seed Lorenzo Musetti vs. big-serving Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. On the women's side, we get the ageless Venus Williams vs. two-time semifinalist Karolina Muchova, big-hitting young Canadian Victoria Mboko vs. two-time Slam champ Barbora Krejcikova and the retiring Petra Kvitova vs. veteran Diane Parry.
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