NEW YORK, Sept 9 (Askume) – A U.S. Open filled with upsets and hungry young contenders provided the latest sign that men’s tennis has entered a new era, with 2024 set to be the first time in more than two decades that no “big name” has won a Grand Slam championship.
With Roger Federer retiring and Rafael Nadal returning from injury, Novak Djokovic was the last of Flushing Meadows’ golden generation to play, but the Serb lost in the third round to Australian Alexei Popyrin.
While Djokovic is still waiting for a record 25th Grand Slam, Jannik Sinner won his second Grand Slam of the year by defeating Taylor Fritz in Sunday’s final.
The Italian also won the Australian Open and 21-year-old Spanish player Carlos Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon, the veteran missing a major tournament for the first time since 2002. Grand Slam.
“It’s good to see new champions. It’s good to see new competition,” said Sinner, whose doping scandal was exposed before the race .
“I think it’s good for the sport to have some new champions.”
Sinner and Alcaraz are the only two players to reach a Grand Slam final after 2000.
Early signs suggest it won’t be business as usual for the favorites at Flushing Meadows.
Four-time US Open champion Djokovic was upset of his triumph at the Paris Olympics, losing to Alexei Popyrin in four sets.
“I spent a lot of energy to win the gold medal but when I arrived in New York I didn’t feel fresh, mentally and physically,” the 37-year-old Djokovic said.
“But because it was the U.S. Open, you know, I gave it a try and did my best.”
Pre-tournament concerns about how the Olympians would cope with the rapid turnaround from Paris to New York and the quick change from clay to hard courts were validated as none of the singles medalists advanced beyond the quarterfinals.
Alcaraz, who lost to Djokovic in a tough Olympic final, also exited early, beaten by Dutchman Botic van der Zandschulp in the second round.
Olympic women’s champion Zheng Qinwen, who lost in the quarter-finals, said the quick turnaround did not benefit her.
“I’ve been in a rush since the Olympics,” said China’s Zheng. “I only had three days to prepare for the US Open. I couldn’t do all my usual fitness routines.”
New York, known as the “Sleepless City”, suffered from the stifling heat as players suffered from extreme heat. The event set the latest start time, longest game time and latest finish time in the history of the women’s competition .
World number one Iga Swiatek was another major contender to make a premature exit, with the five-time Grand Slam winner and 2022 champion losing in the quarter-finals while champion Coco Gauff exited in the fourth round.
Aryna Sabalenka’s victory in the women’s category was perhaps no surprise given the players have struggled to maintain their fitness in difficult conditions.
The Belarusian retained her title at the Australian Open but took a break mid-season to deal with health and fitness issues after suffering a back injury in Rome. She also missed Wimbledon with a shoulder injury.
The world number two was runner-up a year ago and has lost in the semi-finals twice before, but there will be no mourning this time in New York.
“(I) have experienced very sad losses in the past,” he said. “I always hoped that one day I would be able to lift this beautiful trophy. It has always been a dream of mine.”
(This story has been modified to add names of players in paragraphs 2 and 9)
