US Open Men’s Favourites

World number one and reigning champion Jannik Sinner is a strong favorite to defend his title in New York. He is expected to face stiff competition from Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djoković. Let’s take a closer look at the men’s favorites.

Jannik Sinner

After an impressive 12-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, which ended with a disappointing retirement in the Cincinnati Masters final against Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner will be eager to bounce back as he heads to the US Open. The Italian superstar claimed a heroic triumph at Wimbledon in July, defeating Alcaraz in a dominant display. As the defending champion and current best player on hard courts, Sinner has an incredible 94 percent winning ratio on these surfaces since last year, winning 68 matches out of 72 and suffering only four losses. In that time, he has secured back-to-back Australian Open titles and his first US Open title.

Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz is arriving in New York fresh off his victory at the Cincinnati Open, where he exacted some revenge against Sinner, who defeated him at Wimbledon last month. Alcaraz, a 22-year-old five-time Grand Slam winner, hopes to become a US Open champion once again. In 2023, he won his first Grand Slam title at this venue. Notably, he is the only player to have defeated Sinner on hard courts more than once since last year, winning three out of their four encounters. Alcaraz will be among the top contenders for the title.

Novak Djoković

Novak Djoković remains a significant threat for the title. With five US Open titles, he is among the best players to have ever competed in the tournament. At 38 years old, he has an astounding 24 Grand Slam titles and is one trophy away from becoming the most successful player in terms of major titles, surpassing both male and female records. Last year marked the first time since 2017 that he ended a year without a title. This year, he has a strong record in Grand Slams, reaching the semi-finals three times, although he lost twice to Sinner and once to Alexander Zverev.

Taylor Fritz

Taylor Fritz is determined to prove that his run to the final in last year’s tournament was not a fluke. The American captured the hearts of fans when he reached the final, ultimately losing to the formidable Jannik Sinner. That experience served as a valuable learning opportunity for the 27-year-old. While this year has presented mixed results for Fritz, he will rely on the support of the home crowd to help him excel.

Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev remains one of the most talented players in the world, but remarkably, he has yet to win a Grand Slam title. The 28-year-old German has come close on three occasions. In the 2020 US Open final, he had a two-set lead over Dominic Thiem but failed to secure the win. A similar situation occurred in the French Open last year when he lost after winning the first set against Alcaraz. At this year’s Australian Open, Zverev’s struggles resurfaced again when he lost to Jannik Sinner. However, he showed strong form in the Cincinnati Masters, reaching the semi-finals before losing to Alcaraz. If he can bring that level of tennis to New York, he stands a good chance of claiming his first Grand Slam title.