The US Open, originally known as the U.S. National Championships, dates all the way back to 1881, making it one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world. In fact, it is the only Grand Slam that has been played every year since its inception.
2025 ATP Tour
Grand Slam Tennis
Men’s US Open Tennis Preview
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, New York City (Outdoor Hardcourts)
24th August- 7th September
The US Open, originally known as the U.S. National Championships, dates all the way back to 1881, making it one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world. In fact, it is the only Grand Slam that has been played every year since its inception. It’s crazy to think there was a time when this event was played on both grass and clay. It switched to hardcourts in 1978, when the tournament moved to its current home: the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows. I love the fact that every slam has its own unique identity. The US Open feels like Wimbledon’s wayward, party-loving stepbrother. He causes trouble and speaks out of turn, but the family loves him anyway. The atmosphere is certainly unique, creating a Davis Cup feel to some of the ties. Players who thrive here tend to use the mania to their advantage, either feeding off the crowd adulation or revelling in the villain’s role. This year’s event has got off to a slightly controversial start, with the USTA introducing a revamped, star-studded mixed doubles event on the eve of the tournament. The matches feel like glorified exhibitions, lacking the cutthroat competitive spirit that defines Grand Slam tennis. The entire restructuring also left many of the regular mixed doubles specialists out of the loop. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer.
This year’s tournament looks destined to be a straight shootout between World’s No 1 and 2 Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. For years, the tennis world lamented the lack of natural successors to the so-called ‘Big Three’, anticipating some dramatic drop-off in the game post-Djokovic. I think we have dodged that bullet. Sinner and Alcaraz have shared the last seven Grand Slam titles. This rivalry has the potential to match the legacy of Borg-McEnroe. Sinner is the textbook straight-man, playing with robotic, implacable intensity. Alcaraz is the grand entertainer, endearing himself to crowds with his ebullient shot-making ability. Sinner will be under a bit of a cloud this week, having withdrawn due to illness while trailing Alcaraz in the Cincinnati final. Novak Djokovic will need to produce one of his finest showings if he were to finally eclipse Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles. Can Alex Zverev mount another serious challenge after a career of Grand Slam heartbreak? US audiences will have plenty to cheer for, with Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton posing legitimate threats. Oh, and British heartthrob Jack Draper will be returning to action for the first time since Wimbledon.
Sidenote: At the time of printing, Nick Kyrgios looks like he will be playing this fortnight, using his protected ranking to make his long-awaited return to singles action. He withdrew from the mixed doubles event (he was scheduled to play alongside Naomi Osaka). Regardless of his level, you can guarantee that the combustible Aussie will be fun to watch.
Past Champions
2024: Jannik Sinner bt Taylor Fritz (6-3, 6-4, 7-5)
2023: Novak Djokovic bt Daniil Medvedev (6-3, 7-6, 6-3)
2022: Carlos Alcaraz bt Casper Rudd (6-4, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3)
2021: Daniil Medvedev bt Novak Djokovic (6-4, 6-4, 6-4)
2020: Dominic Thiem bt Alex Zverev (2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6)
2019: Rafael Nadal bt Daniil Medvedev (7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4)
2018: Novak Djokovic bt Juan Martin del Potro (6-3, 7-6, 6-3)
North American hardcourt precursors this season
Washington Open: Alex de Minaur bt Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (5-7, 6-1, 7-6)
Canadian Open: Ben Shelton bt Karen Khachanov (6-7, 6-4, 7-6)
Cincinnati Open: Carlos Alcaraz bt Jannik Sinner (5-0 ret)
Winston-Salem Open: in progress
Notable Withdraws- Grigor Dimitrov, Matteo Berrettini and Hubert Hurkacz
The ‘Big-Three’- Jannik Sinner (1), Carlos Alcaraz (2) and Novak Djokovic (7)
Defending champ Jannik Sinner will enter this year’s event in slightly deflated mood. The all-conquering Italian was a shadow of himself in this week’s Cincinnati final, withdrawing at 5-0 down in the first set against great rival Carlos Alcaraz. Reports suggest that a minor flu turned vicious and he ended up with a 38˚C temperature. Sinner withdrew from the mixed doubles comp to focus on his recovery. I still think that Sinner is the man to beat this fortnight. He has won the last three Grand Slam hardcourt titles, dropping just four sets in the last two events. His defeat to Alcaraz brought a 26-match hardcourt winning streak to an end. I think that Sinner will likely benefit from this little rest period, as other players have their singles prep interrupted by the new mixed doubles competition.
Despite going down the mixed doubles event, Carlos Alcaraz will feel quite pleased with his US Open preparation. The 2022 champion has won the most titles and matches this season, winning a 5th career Grand Slam title at the French Open. He will have felt disappointed in surrendering his Wimbledon crown to great rival Sinner. But he bounced back from that disappointment, exploiting Sinner’s illness to claim a 9th Masters crown in Cincinnati. Interestingly, that Cincy win marked the first time he has won an outdoor hardcourt title since last year’s China Open (he won on the Rotterdam indoor surfaces earlier this season). Look, there is no doubting Alcaraz’s ability. His flair for the dramatic makes him a firm favourite with the crazy New York faithful. He just needs to avoid some of the four and five-set matches that suck up his energy in the early stages (Sinner is much more emphatic against the less fancied players). While I still think Sinner is the man to beat, Alcaraz will not go down without a fight.
Write Djokovic off at your peril. That’s what I have been writing these last seven slams. However, it’s starting to feel less likely that he can beat both Alcaraz and Sinner in the same Grand Slam event. Maybe one, not both. Djokovic has kept his schedule light this year, increasing his chances of being at his optimum as he chases that elusive 25th Grand Slam singles title. He has skipped the entire North American hardcourt schedule, opting to use the revamped mixed doubles competition as a glorified training session. But he was humbled in each of his last two Grand Slam semifinal appearances, losing in straight sets to Sinner at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. He has reached one hardcourt final this season, going down to Mensik in the Miami championship match. Djokovic has more US Open titles than any active player (4). He won as recently as 2023 and will no doubt provide plenty of stubborn resistance. I just believe that the game- led by the Sinner and Alcaraz- has gone to a level that he may no longer be able to reach anymore.
My Top Ten Contenders- Taylor Fritz (4) and Ben Shelton (6)
I want to quickly start this section by winnowing out the top-ten players who I don’t believe will make an impact in New York. Jack Draper is obviously a concern, having not played any tennis since being dumped out of Wimbledon by Marin Cilic. He has been suffering with an arm injury, returning to action in the glitzy new mixed doubles format. A semifinalist here last year, I just can’t see him withstanding the physical ordeal. 8th seed Alex de Minaur has been uber-consistent in Grand Slam tennis and recently picked up the Citi Open title. However, I still think he lacks the necessary firepower to go deep against the big boys (a Grand Slam quarterfinal feels like his limit). Finally, Lorenzo Musetti hasn’t looked the same player since injuring that left leg at the French Open, going 1-4 in his last four events.
Alex Zverev is a confounding one. On the face of it, the German is well poised for a deep push. He reached back-to-back semifinals in Toronto and Cincinnati (though he was clearly struggling with some physical issue in his Cincy semifinal clash with Alcaraz). Zverev has the type of explosive game that thrives here, reaching at least the quarterfinal stage in each of his last four appearances (he finished runner-up in 2020). I just feel that the three-time Grand Slam runner-up may lack the self-belief in the business-end of the tournament (especially considering potential physical shortcomings). I also must stop short of backing 9th seed Karen Khachanov. A semifinalist here back in 2022, Khachanov has been eliminated in the first round in each of the last two seasons. He has come to life in recent months, going 14-4 in his last four events. He produced his best performance in ages in Toronto, finishing runner-up to Shelton in a pulsating final. A true ironman, Khachanov always has a chance in best-of-five-set matches. I just can’t see him really challenging any of the elite guys.
My first pick is Taylor Fritz. This has been a bit of a strange year for the American No.1. He exploded towards the end of last season, finishing runner-up at this event before another runner-up finish at the ATP Finals (only Sinner could halt his progress). He struggled in the early stages of this season, reaching just one semifinal in his first nine events. But he burst to life during the grass-court swing, winning two titles before reaching a 2nd career Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon. He has looked solid- if unremarkable- during this North American hardcourt swing, going 8-3 while reaching the Toronto semifinals. He has a 22-9 record on hard courts this year, reaching semifinals in Miami and Toronto. I just think he has been gearing up nicely for another deep New York push. He hasn’t been at his best, but he should come to life in front of the New York faithful. His movement has improved immeasurably these last few years, and he almost offers the whole package. But can he beat Sinner and Alcaraz on these surfaces? I’m not so sure.
Ben Shelton is an extremely obvious 2nd pick. The swaggering lefty understands Grand Slam theatre, reaching the semifinals of the 2023 US Open before a semifinal run at this year’s Aussie Open. He would also go on to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals. He is one of the most in-form players in world tennis, going 16-3 since the start of Wimbledon. Oft criticized for not sealing the deal in tournaments, Shelton put those lingering doubts to bed with a stunning victory in Toronto (his maiden Masters 1000 victory). The big-serving American has worked tirelessly on his game, improving the overall efficacy of his backhand side. I really admire the way he uses that backhand slice to change the pace of rallies. Shelton is in red-hot form and simply loves this arena.
My Mid-tier Choices- Holger Rune (11) and Daniil Medvedev (13)
Danish firebrand Holger Rune is a bit of an enigma. He has never thrived in this event, failing to go beyond the 3rd round in his previous showings. But he has worked on his conditioning, and I think he could be ready to deal with the physical toll of Flushing Meadows. He has enjoyed some impressive highs this season, finishing runner-up at Indian Wells while claiming a maiden ATP 500 title in Barcelona. He arrives in solid hardcourt form, falling to surprise package Terence Atmane in the Cincy quarterfinals. Rune has hinted at a meaningful Grand Slam odyssey this season, reaching the 4th round at both the Aussie and French Opens. But he has faced his share of speedbumps, noticeably throwing away a two-set lead in his first-round Wimbledon clash with Nicolas Jarry. I just have a feeling that the Dane could produce something special this fortnight.
Daniil Medvedev is my ‘horses for courses’ pick. The Russian baseliner is in the midst of a major downturn in form, reaching just one final this season (he lost to Bublik in Halle). He has struggled with his conditioning and has also been more vulnerable on serve. He has looked poor during the North American hardcourt swing but I’m backing him to regain a semblance of form this fortnight. Medvedev has been one of the most consistent US Open protagonists in recent seasons, reaching at least the quarterfinals stage in five of the last six renewals. He won the title in incredible fashion back in 2021, putting an end to Novak Djokovic’s quest for a calendar slam (he would also finish runner-up in 2022). Medvedev understands how to deal with the crowd insanity and heat. I just think that experience could give him a chance at some late-season redemption.
Longshot Options- Felix Auger Aliassime (26) and Denis Shapovalov (28)
I’ve opted for a Canadian duo in my longshot category. My first choice is the mercurial Felix Auger-Aliassime. Once touted as a potential World No.1, Auger Aliassime has struggled to maintain the necessary consistency to become a regular top-ten presence. However, he undeniably has the talent to make a deep Grand Slam run, reaching the semifinals on these courts back in 2021. He showed his considerable hardcourt prowess in the early portion of the season, winning titles in Adelaide and Montpellier before a runner-up finish in Dubai. He has been quiet since then (and has been dreadful in the slams this season). But he just produced his best Masters 1000 run of the season, reaching the quarterfinals in Cincinnati (where he was easily beaten by megastar Sinner). He hadn’t dropped a set until running into Sinner and he looks primed for the quick conditions.
My next choice is Auger-Aliassime’s great friend: Denis Shapovalov. Sure, Shapovalov doesn’t come into this event in roaring form, losing back-to-back opening matches in Toronto and Cincinnati. But he did win in Los Cabos prior to the start of the North American hardcourt season, adding to the Dallas Open title that he won earlier this year. He and coach Javier Piles have worked on several areas, improving the efficiency of his serve and his rally-resistance (he used to spray unforced errors for fun). Sure, he is still a streaky player. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he finds a little form in New York. He also has some solid Grand Slam credentials, reaching hardcourt quarterfinals at the 2020 US Open and 2022 Aussie Open (not to mention a semifinal run at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships).
