Nadal, Federer begin favourites
NextGen looks to take advantage of injury hit line-up
New York, Aug. 27: Their rivalry has stretched 13 years and 37 matches but Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have never met at the US Open, an anomaly which seems certain to be corrected after a host of rivals limped out of contention.
Nadal is a two-time winner in New York, his 2010 and 2013 titles forming part of his 15-Slam portfolio which was embellished by a record 10th French Open in June.
Federer is bidding for a 20th major and third of the year. Victory in the men’s final would also make the 36-year-old the oldest US Open champion of the modern era and oldest overall since Bill Tilden in 1929. The path to the title for Nadal and Federer has been eased.
World number two Andy Murray, the 2012 champion, withdrew on Saturday after failing to recover from a hip injury.
Two-time winner Novak Djokovic has already shut down his season to recover from an elbow injury while defending champion Stan Wawrinka faces knee surgery.
With Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic also injured, five of the current world top 11 will be missing when the tournament starts on Monday.
Nadal said he would rather not have Federer in his semi-final path, should they get that far.
“I prefer to play against another player, an easier one if it’s possible,” said Nadal, who starts his campaign against Dusan Lajovic, the world number 84.
“Finals are more special than semi-finals. But anyway, meeting him here in semifinals, if that happens that will be something great and amazing.”
Federer, meanwhile, is looking to move beyond Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors by claiming a sixth US Open.
His record-blazing eighth Wimbledon title in July was followed by a Montreal final defeat to Alexander Zverev and a pull-out from Cincinnati with a back injury.
Federer starts his bid for a sixth title against US teenager Frances Tiafoe.
The tournament should also present the perfect opportunity for the widely-touted ‘NextGen’ to step up. Zverev has never got beyond the fourth round of a Slam and was a second-round loser in New York in 2016.
Kyrgios made the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in 2015 and Wimbledon in 2014 but his US Open best is a run to the third round. World number eight Dominic Thiem has never got beyond the last 16 in New York. New York: Rivals remain divided over Maria Sharapova as the former world number one from Russia prepares to return to Grand Slam tennis Monday at the US Open after a 15month doping ban.
The 30-year-old Russian received a wildcard into the field for the year’s final Grand Slam event.
Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova was banned after testing positive for the blood boosting drug meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.
She was not offered a wildcard into the French Open and many players were unhappy she had wildcards into other events starting in April.
“It’s once again something really tricky to answer, because I guess when someone has been banned or out of competition, I think you have to work for it a little bit to go and play your tournaments and not help that much sometimes,” Garbine Muguruza said. That said, Muguruza praised Sharapova, saying, “I think she’s a fighter, great attitude, big fight, spirit on the court. I guess she will improve the tournament.”
Angelique Kerber said, Sharapova is ready for the Grand Slam spotlight. “She’s back and I think she practised good the last few weeks and she’s ready to be back.”