Africa-Press – Botswana. The tennis world number one, the Russian Daniil Medvedev, will defend the US Open title, between tomorrow and September 11, in Flushing Meadows, where the American Serena Williams will make her farewell.
Medvedev arrives in New York with the certainty that, this year, he will not have to face the 2021 runner-up, the Serbian Novak Djokovic, prevented from participating in the tournament because he is not vaccinated against covid-19, but he does not get rid of the responsibility to defend his only Grand Slam title, vital to maintain his lead in the ATP rankings.
Like Djokovic, who would be one of the main favorites to win in New York, the 26-year-old from Moscow also missed the third major of the season, Wimbledon, but due to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, he is now returning to the Grand Slam tournaments, after the defeat in the final of the Australian Open against Rafael Nadal and the defeat in the fourth round of Roland Garros against the Croatian Marin Cilic.
In addition to having played in the United States a year ago with three trophies (ATP 250 in Marseille and Mallorca and the Masters 1000 in Canada), Medvedev has lost three finals this season (Open in Australia, ATP 250 “s-Hertogenbosch and ATP 500 Halle) and won only one (ATP 250 from Los Cabos), which could affect your confidence.
Against Medvedev there is also the fact that the Spaniards Rafael Nadal (3rd in the world) and Carlos Alcaraz (4th), the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (5th) and the Norwegian Casper Ruud (7th) are in good shape, unlike the German Alexander Zverev ( 2nd ATP) to recover from an ankle injury, and, in addition to strong opponents, they are all candidates for the top of the world hierarchy after the New York fortnight.
The main favorite is, however, the left-footed Manacor, holder of 22 Grand Slam titles, two of which won this season, who, having missed last year’s edition of the North American tournament, has no points to defend and in tomorrow she takes pole position, while Alcaraz, Tsitsipas and Ruud only have a chance to leave Flushing Meadows with number one status.
Serena’s farewell
In the women’s competition, all attention is focused on the American Serena Williams, who earlier this month announced the withdrawal from world tennis after the US Open, in New York, where she reached, in 1999, the first of her 23 majors.
About to celebrate her 41st birthday, the record holder of Grand Slam titles in the Open Era is not in her best moment – since her last major triumph in 2017, at the Australian Open, she has suffered from several injuries – she is about to end a career with four Olympic gold medals and 73 WTA tournament titles to raise the family.
Aside from the American’s farewell, British Emma Raducanu, who made history in 2022 by becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam, returns to Flushing Meadows with high confidence levels, after beating last week. Serena Williams and Belarusian Victoria Azarenka.
As well as the young Raducanu, 19 years old, the highlight is the Polish Iga Swatek, world number one, who won six consecutive tournaments this season, Anett Kontaveit (2nd of the circuit), from Estonia, the Greek Maria Sakkari (3rd), the Spanish Paula Badosa (4th) and, among others, the hosts Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, who registered good results in recent weeks.
The Japanese Naomi Osaka, the Canadian Bianca Andreescu and the American Sloane Stephens, former champions, are also back on the stage of the last “major” of the year, as are the Romanian Simona Halep, two-time Grand Slam champion, and the French Caroline Garcia, who in recent days has become the first qualifier to win a WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
