Top five title favourites in men's singles at the US Open 2024

Defending champion Novak Djokovic returns to New York after completing the cherished Golden Slam.

The year’s final Grand Slam, the US Open 2024, is nearly here, and the lead-up to the 2024 season’s last major has been packed with excitement and drama, keeping tennis fans worldwide eagerly awaiting the action. The upcoming US Open men’s draw has the potential to be one of the most hotly contested in recent memory.

From Carlos Alcaraz’s meltdown at Cincinnati against Gael Monfils, where he took out his frustration on his racquet, to the shocking revelation of Jannik Sinner testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, however minuscule, the tournament buildup has stirred up quite a commotion.

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner have collectively dominated the Grand Slam scene, securing seven majors over the last two seasons. Djokovic and Alcaraz each have three, while Sinner, who currently tops the ATP rankings, claimed this year’s Australian Open.

Aside from these top three, who are predictably the overwhelming favourites heading into Flushing Meadows, the 2020 finalist Alexander Zverev and 2021 champion and two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev also stand as strong contenders for the title.

The American contingent, including Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, Sebastian Korda, and Frances Tiafoe, serves as dark horses in New York, each capable of pulling off an upset on home turf. With Tiafoe’s recent rise into the ATP Top 20 following his finals run at Cincinnati, it marks the first time since 1997 that five Americans are among the top 20 players on tour simultaneously.

Also Read: Top five title favourites in women’s singles at US Open 2024

While this year promises to be one of the most thrilling in US Open history, the big question remains: Who will emerge as the champion? Will it be one of the traditional favourites, or will the tennis world witness a surprise result?

Perhaps it could be one of the young guns or a seasoned veteran proving that age is just a number.

Title favourites in men’s singles at US Open 2024

5. Daniil Medvedev

If anyone can disrupt the ambitions of the rest, it’s Daniil Medvedev. The 2021 champion has reached the semi-finals in four of the last five US Open editions, including last season, where he lost in straight sets to Djokovic. Medvedev’s heartbreaking loss to Rafael Nadal in the 2019 final, after leading two sets to none, is still fresh in many minds after Nadal’s incredible comeback in a nearly five-hour epic.

Medvedev had a successful 2023 season, capturing five titles, including four on hard courts. His trophies last season included ATP Masters wins in Miami and Rome, along with titles in Rotterdam, Doha, and Dubai. Despite recent challenges, the 28-year-old remains a gritty hard-court player with the ability to challenge anyone on the tour.

4. Alexander Zverev

The 2020 US Open finalist and winner of the 2024 Italian Open has reached the semi-finals at hard-court events four times this season. Despite consistently pushing his opponents to the limit, he has yet to secure a final spot, losing in the last four at Melbourne, Los Cabos, Miami, and most recently in Cincinnati, where he was bested by eventual winner Jannik Sinner. The German remains a reliable performer on hard courts, a surface that has yielded 14 of his 22 ATP tour-level titles.

Also Read: Jannik Sinner’s projected path to US Open 2024 final

However, considering his Cincinnati draw didn’t feature top-tier opponents until his semi-final with Sinner, Zverev will need to build up momentum before facing the tougher competition in New York. Securing a second final appearance at the US Open won’t be easy against a determined field, both inside and outside the top 10, each player focused on their milestones.

3. Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic claimed the title last year with a 6–3, 7–6 (7–5), 6–3 win over Daniil Medvedev. Returning to the Big Apple with the long-sought-after Olympic gold medal now in his collection, Djokovic aims to win back-to-back US Open trophies and become the first player to achieve 25 Grand Slam titles. A win would also put him alongside fellow Big-three member Roger Federer with five US Open titles. Federer’s influence on the game endures, even after his retirement in 2022.

Also Read: Novak Djokovic’s projected path to US Open 2024 final

Although Djokovic hasn’t played a hard-court match since Indian Wells, where he was knocked out in the third round, and has only one hard-court victory since losing to Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals, it would be unwise to question his hard-court credentials. After all, he shares the Open Era record of 71 hard-court titles with Federer and holds 14 hard-court major titles.

2. Carlos Alcaraz

Winning the 2024 US Open title would give Carlos Alcaraz his third major of the year. If he wins, he will join compatriot Rafael Nadal (2010) and Rod Laver (1969) as the only men to have won the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open in the same season.

However, the Spaniard is experiencing a mid-season slump since his Channel Slam victories. Alcaraz suffered a straight-set loss to Djokovic in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics. His defeat at Roland Garros came just two months after his maiden French Open triumph in May and less than a month after he convincingly beat Djokovic in straight sets at Wimbledon.

Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz’s projected path to US Open 2024 final

In Cincinnati, Alcaraz had an uncharacteristically poor performance against French veteran Gael Monfils, culminating in a racquet-smashing incident after failing to break Monfils’s serve, ultimately losing 3-1 in the deciding set. This unexpected defeat means Alcaraz has not won a match on hard courts since defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the fourth round in Miami five months ago.

1. Jannik Sinner

Unlike Djokovic and Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner missed the Olympics due to a poorly timed case of tonsillitis. Sinner wasn’t at his best and failed to defend his 2023 Canadian Open title after a quarterfinal loss to Andrey Rublev. However, the Italian bounced back in Cincinnati, defeating Rublev and then denying Frances Tiafoe a chance at a home victory for his fifth title of the season.

Also Read: Jannik Sinner’s projected path to US Open 2024 final

This season, Sinner has been a revelation on hard courts, winning 28 out of 30 matches on the surface. Sinner has claimed hard-court titles in Rotterdam and Miami, along with his victories in Cincinnati and Melbourne. His only blemish came in the semi-final loss to Alcaraz at Indian Wells.

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