The 2019 US Open begins on Monday in Flushing, New York. Below is my list of 10 things to look for. Click here to check out the draws. Enjoy!
#1. Can Naomi Osaka get back on track? After back-to-back grand slam titles at the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open, Naomi Osaka struggled at the French Open (3rd Round exit) and Wimbledon (1st Round exit). Despite her shaky outings in Paris and London, Osaka is still ranked #1 in the world and expected to make a deep run at the US Open now that she's back on the hard courts. One of the major things to look for at this year's US Open is whether or not Osaka can get back on track and make a deep run or if she'll once again stumble early on. There's a ton of pressure on her at this event. It'll be interesting to see how she handles it.
#2. Can Rafael Nadal win his fourth US Open? Rafael Nadal has struggled to win grand slams away from the clay at Roland Garros (12 titles), winning the Australian Open once, Wimbledon twice, and the US Open three times. If it were any other player, you would say those are really good numbers, but when you're talking about a guy in the GOAT discussion, not so much.
If there's reason to give Nadal some hope at this year's US Open, it's the fact that he won it all in 2017 and reached the semifinals last year. There's no reason to doubt his chances if you look at the recent history. It'll be interesting to see if he can build on that momentum and make another deep run this year.
#3. Will this be the time Serena Williams ties Margaret Court? Serena Williams (23) is one grand slam title shy of Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 and if there's an event for her to tie it at, the US Open should be the place. Serena is seeded #8 overall and appears to be building momentum towards another grand slam title, judging by her run to the final at Wimbledon. While I think she still has plenty of time left to catch Court, it would be nice for her to get this over sooner than later. I expect her to come out hungry and focused as a result.
#4. Will someone other than the big three win the men's title? Over the years, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have dominated the men's tour, leaving few opportunities for others to win a grand slam. If there's one event where the door has been left open at least a little bit, it's been the US Open. If you look back at the past 10 US Opens, you'll find that four players outside of that elite group (Juan Martin Del Potro, Andy Murray, Marin Cilic, and Stan Wawrinka) have won the men's singles title. During that same stretch no one outside of the big three has won the French Open, just one has won the Australian Open (Wawrinka) and just one has won Wimbledon (Murray twice).
For whatever reason (I think health is a big factor this time of year), the US Open has been that one slam where someone aside from the big three has been able to win the title with at least some regularity. I don't know if it'll happen this year, but history tells us it's certainly possible. #7 Kei Nishikori and #8 Stefanos Tsitsipas come to mind as guys who could possibly break through.
#5. Can Simona Halep make a deep run? On the surface, this seems like a dumb question considering the beat down Simona Halep delivered to Serena Williams at this year's Wimbledon final. But, when you consider that she has lost in the first round at the past two US Opens, you suddenly realize this isn't such a dumb question. The US Open has not been kind to Halep these past couple of years, but perhaps her success at Wimbledon will give her a new sense of confidence that she's been lacking at this event.
#6. Can Roger Federer end his dry spell at the US Open? Roger Federer won the US Open five years in a row between 2004 and 2008. He hasn't won it before or since, which is kind of odd considering his longevity and consistency. Part of that speaks to the random nature of the US Open that I was addressing earlier. Regardless, Federer is playing too well to ignore.
#7. Will American women make a deep run? Right behind #8 Serena Williams is a pair of talented Americans in #10 Madison Keys and #11 Sloane Stephens. Both faced off in the 2017 women's final with Stephens coming out victorious in a very emotional match. They've proven they can succeed at this event and should not be counted out. In addition to them, there are other American women like Sofia Kenin, Amanda Anisimova, Danielle Collins, and Alison Riske that could make a run as well. The US Open typically is a good event for American women and this year should be no exception.
#8. Will any American man do something? The bar is much lower for American men. If one of them could even reach the 4th round, that would be a big deal. The only two Americans on the men's side who might be able to get into the second week are #14 John Isner and #26 Taylor Fritz. Unless those guys really step up, American men's tennis once again projects to be a dud.
#9. Look for Serena Williams to win it all: I don't think it's a slam dunk, but at the end of the day, I got Serena Williams winning it all on the women's side. She seems motivated and hungry to tie Margaret Court's record. Wimbledon was close and this time I think she finishes the job.
#10. Look for Novak Djokovic to win it all: On the men's side, it's really tough to pick against Novak Djokovic, who has won three of the last four grand slam titles. He's killer on the hard courts and is coming in with a ton of confidence. He is without question the heavy favorite.
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