'No-one is in top gear' - a wide-open US Open awaits

The US Open tin often propulsion up astonishment winners - and this year's Grand Slam finale could beryllium nary exception.

With nan Olympics taking spot conscionable 3 weeks ago, players are arriving successful New York pinch less minutes connected a difficult tribunal than before, and pinch much miles successful their legs.

"I don't deliberation anyone is coming [to nan US Open] successful apical gear," Christopher Clarey, erstwhile New York Times tennis writer, told BBC 5 Live.

"For personification who is possibly much of a second-tier favourite, this is their twelvemonth and their opportunity."

Novak Djokovic is nan defending champion, but it remains to beryllium seen if nan affectional effect of winning a long-awaited Olympic golden connected nan Paris clay will impact his chances.

Djokovic made nan Olympics his privilege this year, but would emotion to support his grounds of winning astatine slightest 1 Slam title each twelvemonth for nan past 7 years going.

Victory successful New York would unafraid his 25th awesome - nan astir of immoderate singles player, antheral aliases female - and make Djokovic nan oldest man successful nan Open era to triumph a Slam.

"The men's tie is arsenic wide unfastened arsenic it has been for arsenic agelong arsenic immoderate of america tin remember," British subordinate Naomi Broady said connected BBC 5 Live.

"This year, particularly pinch nan summation of nan Olympics and nan players being that spot much fatigued, it is going to beryllium incredibly interesting."

Djokovic will look reliable title from world number 1 Jannik Sinner, who hit him successful nan Australian Open semi-finals successful January, and French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner is nan shape player, having won nan Cincinatti Open successful nan build-up to New York.

It was announced earlier this week that nan Italian had been cleared of immoderate wrongdoing aft doubly testing affirmative for a banned constituent successful March.

Alcaraz besides hit Djokovic successful nan Wimbledon final, but nan Serb sewage his revenge pinch a stunning triumph successful nan gold-medal lucifer successful Paris.

Outside of nan apical three, past year's runner-up Daniil Medvedev will beryllium eyeing an elusive 2nd Slam, while French Open finalist Alexander Zverev is besides a contender.

The women's draw, too, is successful a authorities of flux.

Coco Gauff memorably won nan title astatine Flushin Meadows past twelvemonth but has struggled recently, losing successful nan 2nd and 3rd rounds of nan Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open respectively.

She has besides been replaced arsenic nan 2nd seed by Aryna Sabalenka, who triumphed successful Cincinnati past week and looks a beardown contender to amended her runner-up showing from past year.

Jessica Pegula, calved successful Buffalo, New York, is besides a favourite - though she will person to break her quarter-final jinx, having not progressed beyond nan past 8 astatine a awesome successful six attempts.

World number 1 Iga Swiatek is ever a threat, while Olympic golden medallist Zheng Qinwen and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova will beryllium successful nan mix.

But injuries, unwellness and nan move from writer to clay to difficult will person affected a number of players.

"On nan women's side, it is very open," erstwhile world number 1 and ESPN expert Chris Evert said.

"I do deliberation that everyone's getting a small tired and it's been a agelong year. I can't opportunity who's going to triumph pinch immoderate benignant of condemnation correct now."

With nary Andy Murray, overmuch of nan British attraction will beryllium connected Jack Draper, Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu.

British number 1 Draper will beryllium nan 25th seed and his champion consequence astatine a awesome came successful New York past year, erstwhile he reached nan 4th round.

His large serving and fierce hitting should suit nan Flushing Meadows courts, which thin to play quickly.

They should besides suit Boulter, who has a likewise fierce style.

Tipped by Broady arsenic "one to watch for nan tournament", nan 31st seed has yet to scope nan 2nd week of a major.

Raducanu will beryllium returning to nan venue of her astonishing 2021 triumph, wherever she became nan first subordinate to triumph a Grand Slam arsenic a qualifier.

She skipped nan Olympics to debar nan speedy move from clay to difficult courts, reaching nan quarter-finals of nan Washington Open earlier successful August, but has not played since.

"With Emma this year, it's been particularly delicate for her to get her schedule correct aft those surgeries," Broady said.

"When you're coming backmost from injury, often others commencement cropping up because you dive successful astatine nan heavy end.

"The wins she has had successful nan weeks she's played, she has shown she's competitive. I deliberation nan musculus representation of her triumph location will footwear in."

This will beryllium nan first Grand Slam since Murray, nan 2012 champion successful New York, retired from nan sport.

There will besides beryllium nary Rafael Nadal, who withdrew earlier successful August. The Spaniard is wide expected to discontinue astatine nan extremity of nan season, having struggled pinch wounded complete nan past fewer years.

British number 2 Cameron Norrie is missing pinch a forearm injury, while past year's Wimbledon victor Marketa Vondrousova is besides absent.

Two-time champion Naomi Osaka makes her New York return for nan first clip since 2022, while 2020 champion Dominic Thiem has been granted a wildcard for nan last awesome of his career.