By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday August 23, 2023
The US Open ought to ship the dynamic remaining the world needs: A climactic main conflict between the world’s high two.
Novak Djokovic denied championship level out-dueling world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in a dizzying Cincinnati epic remaining on Sunday. That Queen City thriller may very well be prelude to a Queens conflict coming subsequent month.
Allaster: US Open Ball is in WTA’s Court
ESPN analyst John McEnroe sees defending US Open champion Alcaraz and reigning Roland Garros and Australian Open champion Djokovic going through off for the third time in a Grand Slam within the US Open remaining.
In a Zoom name with the media at the moment to advertise ESPN’s first ball to final ball US Open protection beginning on Monday, August twenty eighth at midday on ESPN, McEnroe stated it is a two-man race for US Open supremacy with 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev the third favourite for Flushing Meadows.
“I would also say Novak’s in an incredible spot,” McEnroe advised the media on ESPN’s Zoom name. “I think he’s handled it incredibly well, actually. The fact that he’s passed Nadal and Federer is amazing, and the way he looks, he looks like he’s going to win multiple Slams more.
“It looks like he may go on for an additional two, three, 4 years at this price. It’s outstanding what we’re watching, and positively him and Alcaraz are the 2 guys coming in that you just determine the percentages are fairly good that a type of two goes to win it.”
So what happens if either three-time US Open champion Djokovic, who owns an 81-13 lifetime record in New York, or the 20-year-old Alcaraz, who is aiming to defend a Grand Slam title for the first time, falter?
McEnroe cites two dark horses to watch: 2022 semifinalist Frances Tiafoe and world No. 6 Jannik Sinner, who battled Alcaraz before bowing 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-7(0), 7-5, 6-3, in a US Open quarterfinal clash that officially ended at 2:50 a.m.
“I needed to choose one man, Sinner would in all probability be the man that is in that place to make that step, which he hasn’t made,” McEnroe told Tennis now. “He obtained to a semis lastly, misplaced to Novak. To me he is positioned himself effectively. It’s laborious to check.
“I’d love to see Francis get his act together and do something, but he got to the semis, so he’s going to feel pressure even trying to replicate that. But it would be incredible for an American player to make a breakthrough to me, but the likelihood is that it isn’t going to happen.
“You can see it should be Djokovic or Alcaraz, Medvedev is the following man, after which Sinner. After that, it should be fairly robust to check a man going all the best way.”
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