The Sky Sports activities Tennis specialists have their say on who will come out on prime on the US Open and which Brits may problem.
Watch the match completely reside on Sky Sports activities between August 26 and September 8.
Who will win the lads’s occasion?
TIM HENMAN: I’d put Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz down because the joint favourites. Simply the truth that Djokovic has received that Olympic title, I believe it’d free him up much more to say ‘I actually have achieved every thing that I needed to realize’ and play with the last word freedom.
NAOMI BROADY: It is powerful to name however I believe Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic are above the pack. The one different gamers you may add are Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev, whereas Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud might need an opportunity as a result of it is extra open than different years.
LAURA ROBSON: I might most likely go together with Alcaraz however I do not know. It is between Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner. These are the true standouts for me.
GIGI SALMON: I believe Novak Djokovic will efficiently defend his title and transfer to 25 Grand Slam singles titles! Profitable Olympic Gold launched a lot strain and was the ultimate main honour that was lacking from the Djokovic CV and trophy cupboard. He did not defend his Cincinnati title but it surely’s now not concerning the No 1 rating and the chasing of factors, it is all about Grand Slam titles and particularly the elusive 25, so so long as he did not do an excessive amount of partying after his Olympic win, I believe he’ll beat Carlos Alcaraz within the ultimate to be topped Champion.
JONATHAN OVEREND: The boys’s is so exhausting to name. Djokovic is the defending champion, Alcaraz has received it earlier than and you are feeling Sinner will win the US Open at some point. Zverev is enjoying very well and you’ll by no means rule him out. It is so exhausting to select one title out of these 4 however, for me, there may be definitely that little cluster which have separated themselves.
MILES MACLAGAN: I definitely do not low cost the likes of Medvedev and Zverev, who’ve clearly been to the backend of tournaments, however I believe it’s between the three apparent names. Sinner is coming in somewhat bit brisker than Djokovic and Alcaraz, so I say we bookend the yr with Sinner slams.
NAOMI CAVADAY: I really feel like Alcaraz goes to do it once more. I nonetheless concern Sinner will not be fairly at 100 per cent health. It is one in all Alcaraz or Djokovic, they’re form of out in entrance of all people else. Nevertheless it’s Carlos for me.
Who will win the ladies’s occasion?
BROADY: I believe on the hardcourts it is going to be Aryna Sabalenka’s flip, though a lot will depend on her health. She would have realized lots from her loss to Coco Gauff final yr. I might love Coco to defend her title however she has quite a lot of factors to defend and you must take into consideration what strain that brings.
ROBSON: I am going heavy on Sabalenka. Everybody else has had such a problem going from one floor to a different, however on a quick hardcourt Sabalenka needs to be the standout.
OVEREND: I might most likely go together with Gauff. I believe she’ll have large assist and the minute she comes again by way of the gates at Flushing Meadows, the reminiscences from 12 months in the past will return. That may completely carry her and produce the perfect out of her once more.
MACLAGAN: Iga Swiatek is world No 1 by a way however is extra weak on a hardcourt. There’s additionally the feelings of the Olympics the place she was massively disenchanted to not win gold, so I will go together with Sabalenka, she has a giant recreation and has received slams on the exhausting courts in Australia.
CAVADAY: I will stick my neck on the market somewhat and go completely different as a result of the highest gamers are being a bit inconsistent – Gauff has seemed weak, Rybakina is having quite a lot of well being points, the strain received to Swiatek on the Olympics. I will land on Amanda Anisimova.
SALMON: Australian Open Champion Aryna Sabalenka is my girls’s winner. The world No 2 was pressured to take a while out as a result of a shoulder harm over the summer season, lacking Wimbledon and she or he mentioned whereas it was irritating she was in a position to change off and get some nicely earned relaxation. As she confirmed in Cincinnati, she’s again and in the kind of type which makes it tough for others to maintain up together with her. Blissful on and off the courtroom, I believe she is going to win her first Grand Slam title outdoors Australia!
What about Emma Raducanu’s possibilities?
BROADY: I believe when Emma’s on, she will beat anyone. She’s not going to be seeded and no one will need to draw her early. She’s additionally received the expertise. How many individuals can say they’ve received the US Open? She is aware of what it feels wish to be within the latter phases of the match and to tempo herself over two weeks. She has that every one to her benefit and is turning into steadier together with her outcomes. She’ll be desirous to make the second week.
SALMON: It is powerful to say as Emma Raducanu hasn’t performed since Washington the place she received a few matches dropping to eventual winner Paula Badosa within the R16, after which she got here house opting to not going by way of qualifying in Toronto and Cincinnati. As a former Champion it have to be a particular feeling returning to the scene of such pleasure, and presumably somewhat intimidating. The draw hasn’t been sort, she faces former Australian Open Champion Sofia Kenin within the first spherical after which is ready to face Toronto winner and Cincinnati finalist Jessica Pegula in spherical two. Raducanu at her finest can blow most individuals off courtroom, so it is going to be attention-grabbing to see how she fares beneath the extraordinary highlight that endlessly will observe her.
MACLAGAN: I am not placing my cash on one other win, that might be extremely unlikely. However a deep run is definitely doable. Whereas Emma’s a bit younger in her profession to have a second profession, she has virtually had to consider issues and rebuild consciously. Typically meaning you are lots stronger second time round as you are actually conscious why you are making an attempt to do issues and play a sure means.
How far can Jack Draper go?
BROADY: He is a banana pores and skin for lots of the highest seeds on these vigorous courts – huge serve, he is a lefty so he can get the ball to kick up in awkward positions. He may be actually aggressive with the forehand and he is beginning to come ahead much more, which I really like as an addition to his recreation. He may nicely make it by way of to the second week.
OVEREND: Draper is unquestionably the person to take British tennis ahead, we have identified that for 3 or so years now. He is received the uncooked expertise and he is working on a regular basis on his health. I completely assume he has received the flexibility to go very, very deep on the US Open. Each time I see him, I see some progress and I do know he is feared within the locker room.
SALMON: Jack Draper’s likelihood is good, at the very least within the early rounds! He had a fantastic run in Cincinnati; he overcame some bodily demons and received some tight matches and appears to be flourishing with the addition of Wayne Ferreria to his staff.
It will likely be a bodily match with Zhizhen Zhang within the first spherical – navigate that and the sticking level will likely be Carlos Alcaraz who he is because of meet within the third spherical. He beat him at Queen’s in the summertime however the Spaniard ought to get the win in the event that they meet this time round.
Which males’s gamers may spring a shock in New York?
BROADY: Arthur Fils is at a career-high. He lately received the Hamburg Open and made it by way of to the second week at Wimbledon. I believe the power of New York will go well with his recreation. He enjoys getting that from the gang.
ROBSON: I’ve received to go together with Draper. Hopefully he will get somewhat little bit of relaxation after Cincinnati and will get to New York with a contemporary physique and contemporary thoughts. Can we even name him a shock at this level? I believe not.
MACLAGAN: Hubert Hurkacz has been enjoying some nice tennis and has received a giant recreation. Nerves have gotten the higher of him at instances, however he has received Masters 1000 titles and he is on course. The Individuals look sturdy as nicely, they’ve three or 4 gamers ranked within the prime 20 now. From that bunch, I like Taylor Fritz.
SALMON: I hope it is going to be Dominic Thiem, former US Open Champion, who by no means totally recovered from a wrist harm and mixed with what he calls an ‘internal feeling’ result in him saying that he hopes to retire at his house match in Austria later this yr. The USTA have given him a wildcard and it will be pretty to see him win a couple of rounds and get the ship off that he deserves, so possibly extra one to look at than a shock!
What about within the girls’s draw?
BROADY: I believe Katie Boulter may have a fantastic run. She’s been so aggressive with the way in which she’s developed her recreation up to now yr. She had a fantastic clay-court season, some good outcomes and a few powerful losses, and had some good outcomes on the grass. She is extra assured and warranted.
OVEREND: Qinwen Zheng needs to be within the dialog because the gold medallist from Paris. One other one to look at is Mirra Andreeva, who is just 17, received to the French Open semi-finals and seemed superb at Cincinnati within the lead-up to the US Open. She is undoubtedly a grand slam champion of the long run and it could possibly be earlier than we expect. Others have received slams at 17 and she or he definitely has the expertise to do it.
ROBSON: I will go together with Lulu Solar. I believe she’s going to again up her run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals and do nicely. I used to be speaking to Heather Watson about her and she or he mentioned: ‘I have been telling individuals about her. I knew she was going to be good’. For individuals who performed in opposition to her, her success most likely wasn’t a shock.
SALMON: Mirra Andreeva is just 17 years previous, she’s No 21 on this planet and has Conchita Martinez in her teaching nook. She is feisty, fiery and might get emotional on courtroom, however she’s like a sponge in the case of studying and she or he loves being in a battle on a giant stage! That is simply her second look on the US Open, falling to eventual winner Coco Gauff within the second spherical final yr. I can see her attending to the fourth spherical the place she would greater than possible come up in opposition to the world No 1 – Iga Swiatek!
The Sky Sports activities analysts had been talking to Raz Mirza and David Currie.
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