History is on the line at this year’s US Open as Novak Djokovic looks to become the first man since 1969, and first player since 1988, to achieve the Grand Slam and sweep all four majors in the same calendar year.
Victory for the Serb in New York would also see him break the men’s all-time record of 20 slam titles, which he currently shares with Swiss player Roger Federer and Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
While the world No. 1 undoubtedly provides the biggest storyline in the men’s field, there are other interesting narratives that could unfold over the next two weeks. Here is a look at some of the main talking points in the men’s draw.
Djokovic’s confidence is sky-high
With Nadal and Federer both skipping this US Open due to injuries, Djokovic is the only Big Three member in action in New York and will burden all the pressure as the top contender for the title.
He has won the opening three majors of the season for the first time in his career and is on the cusp of rewriting the history books.
He has not played a match since missing out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo last month but sounded unfazed by his near miss there when he spoke to journalists on Friday.
“I know how big of an opportunity is in front of me here in New York where historically I’ve played really well over the years. It’s probably the most entertaining tennis court that we have. Crowd will be back on stadium, and I can’t wait. Honestly, I’m very motivated to play my best tennis,” said the three-time US Open champion.
“But I have to hit one ball at a time, try to be in the moment, have a guiding star in a way, a dream to win a slam here which would obviously complete the calendar slam.
“I'm hugely inspired and motivated by that, no doubt. But at the same time, I know how to balance things out mentally, with lots of expectations obviously around. I thrive under pressure. I’ve done that many times in my career,” he added.
Medvedev leads the chasing pack
World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev poses one of the greatest threats to Djokovic’s Grand Slam hopes and the Russian clearly stated his intentions during his pre-tournament press conference.
He enters the US Open in great form having won the Toronto Masters and made the Cincinnati semi-finals in the last few weeks.
Medvedev, who lost the Australian Open final to Djokovic earlier this year and fell to Nadal in the US Open final two years ago, said: “I’m sure Novak wants 45 slams, (will) play till 55. But we’re here to try to keep up with his level and to beat him.”
Last year’s US Open runner-up Alexander Zverev, Roland Garros (French Open) finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini all share Medvedev’s sentiments and are chasing a maiden Grand Slam crown.
Zverev squandered a two-sets-to-love lead against Australian Dominic Thiem in the US Open title decider 12 months ago and is looking to redeem himself this time around.
“I think in a way it fueled gas into the fire a little bit because I was two points away from winning it,” said Zverev, who is on an 11-match winning streak having clinched Olympic gold in Tokyo, as well as the title in Cincinnati.
“I have practiced on center court now a few times. There are still memories there. I still remember it, and I still have that in the back of my mind. For me, I’m very motivated,” he added.
The German is bidding to become only the second man to sweep Olympic gold and the US Open title in the same season.
Unseeded threats lurking in the draw
Four top-eight seeds will open their campaigns against former Grand Slam semi-finalists as No. 3 Tsitsipas takes on 2012 champion Andy Murray, No. 4 Zverev faces Sam Querrey, Medvedev squares off against Richard Gasquet, and No. 8 Casper Ruud gets Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
On his tough first round against Tsitsipas, Murray said: “When you’re not seeded, these sorts of things can happen. It will be a good test for me to see kind of where my game’s at, where it’s progressed to from when I arrived in the States really.
“I’ve been practicing hard, obviously got some matches in. Yeah, we’ll see where my game’s at.”
Australia’s Nick Kyrgios is one of the trickiest unseeded players in the draw but was dealt a grueling opening round opponent in the form of Spanish No. 18 seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
Other unseeded threats include 2014 runner-up Kei Nishikori of Japan, South Africa’s Lloyd Harris, and home favorites Sebastian Korda and Frances Tiafoe.
A year later, Tsitsipas is a new man
Twelve months ago, Tsitsipas blew six match points en route to a five-set defeat to Croatian Borna Coric in the US Open third round. The Greek was up two-sets-to-one and was leading 5-1 in the fourth before he surrendered his lead and was bounced by Coric.
It was a crushing loss, but Tsitsipas rebounded in brilliant fashion, making the semi-finals at his next two majors before reaching a maiden Grand Slam final at Roland Garros.
Reflecting on the defeat, the 23-year-old said it was a crucial moment for his personal development.
“It taught me a lot of things. I think it was important that it happened,” said Tsitsipas, who arrived in New York on the back of consecutive semi-finals in Toronto and Cincinnati.
“Very unfortunate it happened here. It’s something that I hadn’t really gone through before. I never thought it would have been possible to go through something like this.
“But I was very close. For me that was more of a win than a loss because in a way I really earned to be in that position that I was at that moment, at that given moment, but I didn’t manage to kind of – maybe I got a little bit unlucky, I didn’t manage to find ways to close it in the best way.
“I saw it as a positive loss, despite me being so close from winning that match. I guess it built strength and gave me belief that things will get better,” he added.
