Here are the top five men’s and women’s players to watch at this year’s US Open at Flushing Meadows.
men to watch
1. Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz, the top seed at three consecutive Grand Slams, took the top spot in the world rankings at the US Open after a narrow loss to Novak Djokovic at last week’s Cincinnati Open. The reigning US Open champion will look to defend his title and stay ahead of Djokovic in the rankings.
2. Novak Djokovic
The second-seeded Djokovic, who is returning to the US Open for the first time since 2021, is well-positioned to reclaim the No. 1 ranking. Djokovic has no points to defend after missing the tournament last year for refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine. So if Alcaraz doesn’t win the title again, the Serb will leapfrog the Spaniard he lost in the Wimbledon final.
3. Daniil Medvedev
The 2021 US Open winner and seeded No. 3 won his first clay-court ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon. His early season was even more exciting, winning four titles in five straight finals, including a runner-up finish at Indian Wells and a win in Miami.
4. Francis Tiafoe
Falling short of beating Alcaraz in five sets in the semifinals of the 2022 US Open, the 10th-seeded Tiafoe will likely seek revenge with a career-best ranking. Hard courts are where Tiafoe shines, as evidenced by his 75% win percentage on hard courts so far this year and his 15-5 record.
5. Sebastian Korda
Korda has been sidelined for much of 2023 through injury, but the 31st-seeded 23-year-old is looking to get back to where he started the year. The American reached the Adelaide 1 final, but after losing to Djokovic, reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time in his career.
Women to watch
1. Coco Gauff
The 19-year-old No. 6 seed, who beat Czech Karolina Muchova in two sets at the Cincinnati Open, became the first teenager to win five career titles since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009. Gauff is doing well. She has won 11 of her last 12 games and is looking to improve her quarterfinal record in the 2022 tournament as she adds new members to her coaching team.
2. Iga Siwiatek
With a chance to defend his US Open title, the top seed is looking to win his fifth major title in his career. Gauff and Siwiatek met in the quarterfinals, with a possible rematch at the Western and Southern Open Championship, where Gauff defeated Siwiatek for the first time in eight tries.
3. Caroline Wozniacki
Wozniacki, who returns to the Open for the first time since 2019, joins a special group of women who have returned after giving birth to two children. The 33-year-old former world number one last played a Grand Slam tournament at the 2020 Australian Open, where she lost in the third round.
4. Jessica Pegula
The No. 3 seed is still chasing her first major title, but has never reached the semifinals in singles at a Grand Slam tournament. But the highest-ranked American is looking to carry that momentum to Flushing Meadows after winning the Canadian Open earlier this month.
5. Alina Sabalenka
Sabalenka, who came to the Open as the second seed with a staggering 24-5 record on hard courts, has reached at least the semi-finals of all three majors this season. She’s at her turning point in 2023 and is clearly on a mission to overtake Siwiatek to become No. 1 in the WTA rankings.
