I'm long overdue to write this, but never fear, my grand slam recaps and previews always come! Below is my list of 10 things to take away from the 2019 US Open. Enjoy!
#1. Rafael Nadal is a serious contender for GOAT: By defeating Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 to win his 19th grand slam title, Rafael Nadal is now just one grand slam title shy of Roger Federer's all-time mark of 20. I know the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate is a fluid one and it changes with every grand slam, but one thing that has to remain permanent is Rafael Nadal's presence in that conversation. He's won every grand slam at least once and in an era featuring Federer and Novak Djokovic, he very well may walk out with the most grand slam titles. To me, what matters is how many grand slams you get. The fact that most of his grand slams (12) have come at Roland Garros doesn't diminish his record at all. If anything, it enhances it. He's the undisputed GOAT on clay and when you look at how he's done at the Australian Open (1), Wimbledon (2), and US Open (4), it's hard to say he's not deserving of the overall GOAT title as well.
#2. Bianca Andreescu is for real: At just 19 years of age, Bianca Andreescu won her first grand slam title at the 2019 US Open, defeating Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 in the final. Andreescu showed that she's not afraid of the big moments and eager to have a dominant career on the WTA Tour. If she can stay healthy and keep at the rate she's going, there's no reason to doubt her ability to win a few more grand slams before it's all said and done.
#3. Daniil Medvedev is going to win his share of grand slams: While he didn't win it all this time around, when you look at the way he's been cleaning up on tour this summer and fall, it's clear to all of us that Daniil Medvedev is going to be a force on the men's tour for a long time. What also helps him out is the fact that Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic are entering the back end of their careers, so he should have some time to dominate once they leave.
#4. Serena Williams is still knocking on the door: Serena Williams is still knocking on the door when it comes to catching Margaret Court's mark of 24 grand slam titles. She's stuck at 23 and while I still think she'll pass Court, each grand slam that she doesn't win is a missed opportunity. If she doesn't pass Court by the end of next season, one will have to start wondering if she ever will.
#5. Maybe Grigor Dimitrov has some life: Grigor Dimitrov had a great tournament, defeating Roger Federer in the quarterfinals before falling to Medvedev in the semifinals. He's had a bit of an up and down career, going from being one of the top up and coming players on tour to having everyone give up on him. Hopefully for him, the 2019 US Open will be a catalyst to a strong 2020 season.
#6. Naomi Osaka needs to wake up: After having a dream run to win the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open, Naomi Osaka hasn't won a grand slam title since and had a disappointing outing in the 2019 US Open, losing to Belinda Bencic 7-5, 6-4 in the 4th round. Currently ranked #3 in the world, Osaka still has a lot to feel good about, but she's gotta find a way to recapture the magic. This will absolutely be one of my things to look for when I do my 2020 Australian Open preview.
#7. Roger Federer needs to win another slam if he wants any hope of keeping his record safe: It's a harsh world Roger Federer lives in. He goes from being the most dominant tennis player of all-time and appearing to be a lock to have the most grand slam titles to being in serious jeopardy of seeing his record surpassed by Nadal and Djokovic. I guess he has a little taste for what Pete Sampras went through when he saw his mark of 14 not stand for too long.
The one good news for Federer is he's still playing and thus still has time to extend his record. If he wants to walk away with the most grand slams, I think he has to win at least one more and probably more than that. Nadal is hot on his heels and Djokovic isn't far behind. It's truly a crazy and exciting era of tennis that we are witnessing!
#8. CoCo Gauff is still a work in progress: CoCo Gauff's third round exit reminds us that she's still a work in progress and has a ways to go before she becomes a serious contender at grand slams. The good news for her is she's only 15 years old and has plenty of years to be a force on tour. I don't doubt that she'll one day get there, but I'm of the opinion that it may take her at least a couple more years to reach her first grand slam final. It'll be interesting to see what 2020 brings her.
#9. The US Open isn't as friendly to Novak Djokovic as we think: We've seen Djokovic struggle to stay healthy towards the end of the season and the 2019 US Open was just another data point as he lost to Stan Wawrinka in the 4th round via retirement. When we think of what surface Djokovic is best on, we think of hard court, which is why you would expect him to have more than three US Open titles. Ironically, he has more Wimbledon titles (5) and has only really found consistent success at the Australian Open (7 titles). I'm not saying Djokovic is done winning US Opens, but if there's anything that history tells us, it's that he is not a lock by any means to win it.
#10. Will Madison Keys ever win a grand slam? I hate to ask this question because I like her a lot, but after losing in the 4th round to Elina Svitolina, one has to wonder whether or not Madison Keys will ever win a grand slam title. Her trip to the 2017 US Open final is starting to feel like a while ago and with other talented players coming up who are winning grand slams, it's not going to get any easier for Keys in the coming years. I'm rooting for her as much as anyone, but I would be lying to you if I said I didn't have my doubts. 2020 is going to be a big year for her.
To connect with ATP Guy on Twitter, click here.
To connect with ATP Guy on Facebook, click here.
To connect with Ben Parker, click here.
