'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 2023 US Open is almost upon us. The final Major tournament of the year will cap off yet another great year for men's tennis.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and World No. 2 Novak Djokovic are the overwhelming favorites for the title and will be looking to resume their rivalry at this year's New York Slam.
While Alcaraz will be eager to defend his 2022 crown this year, Djokovic, for his part, will be itching for his first title in Flushing Meadows since 2018. There are, however, a select few players who could possibly usurp the title from them.
Trending
With plenty of intrigue surrounding the 2023 US Open, let's take a look at five players who have the best prospects of winning the tournament.
#5 Holger Rune
Holger Rune has followed up with his breakout 2022 season in fine fashion, with a 37-15 win-loss record and an ATP title in Munich to boot.
Although the promising Dane has had better results on clay and grass this year, he has shown in the past that he can play on outdoor hardcourts as well.
It is pertinent to note that Rune has struggled with his fitness on hardcourts this year. He lost both of his matches in Toronto and Cincinnati, retiring at the latter tournament due to a debilitating back injury.
However, the 20-year-old must've gotten in enough rest since then and is well primed to entertain the American crowd with his explosive attitude.
Rune is an all-court player who employs a mixture of offensive and defensive styles of play to get the better of his opponents.
While the Dane has exceptional movement, which enables him to endure long rallies, his inside-out forehand is one of the best shots in the game, allowing him to shorten points. He also has a great backhand drop shot and is known for his sharp play on crucial points.
All-in-all, Rune will be a very tough player to beat for anyone, provided his fitness is at a good level. The Dane will be seeded fourth at the 2023 US Open, which means he won't have to face a top player before the semifinals.
#4 Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner has impressed fans greatly with his swashbuckling style of play in 2023. The Italian lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in a very close five-setter in the Round-of-16 of the 2023 Australian Open; if he had won that match, he would've been the favorite to reach the final from the top half of the men's singles draw.
Sinner wasn't too bogged down by the loss, though, as he proceeded to make the semifinals and the championship match at the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Masters.
The 22-year-old beat his arch-rival Alcaraz at the latter tournament before losing to hardcourt specialist Daniil Medvedev. He also tasted his first title victory at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament earlier this month at the Canadian Open.
The Italian has bludgeoning groundstrokes on both wings and can also produce good angles, which is a very handy skill.
Although Sinner is capable of dictating the tempo of the game well, he often makes uncharacteristic errors on his forehand, which is one of his few weaknesses.
The 22-year-old also struggles at spreading the court but makes up for it with his insane foot speed if his opponents try to change the shot direction.
Sinner's fortunes at the upcoming US Open will depend on his tactics and how well he can manipulate the pace of the game to his benefit.
The Italian will be seeded fifth at the tournament, which means he may end up facing a top player in the quarterfinals.
However, while the match looks daunting on paper, he will likely be motivated to play to the best of his abilities in the aforementioned scenario.
#3 Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev had a subpar season last year as he failed to back up his 2021 US Open title run. The Russian was struggling to reach his old levels back then, owing to a break from tennis due to a hernia.
He has steadied the ship since then, though, doing well at this year's Sunshine Double (where only Alcaraz managed to beat him).
Medvedev will be keen on registering a deep showing at this year's US Open, considering how the former World No. 1 has failed to reach the quarterfinals of his last two hardcourt Major tournaments. And while he was far from his best in the lead-up to the final Grand Slam of the year, his fans can rely on his big-match playing prowess and feel no fear.
The Russian has a very atypical style of play from the back of the court; he tends to take the ball later than his peers while also camping way behind the baseline. Medvedev's serve, in general, always bails him out of trouble.
Having said that, he is often not able to generate enough power on his groundstrokes, which allows his opponents to take advantage and move him around in baseline exchanges.
The former World No. 1 can play aggressive tennis if the situation calls for it. He, however, chooses to save his energy for lung-busting rallies—a ploy that didn't work out in his favor at last year's US Open.
It should be noted that Medvedev has been hitting a heavier ball on his forehand since then, though, and while he doesn't possess most players' easy power, he makes up for it with his tactics.
#2 Carlos Alcaraz (Defending US Open champion)
Carlos Alcaraz has had a splendid year on hardcourts in 2023. Even though he missed this year's Australian Open due to injury, he was in great form at the Indian Wells Masters, which he won without dropping a single set as he beat top hardcourters Medvedev and Sinner.
The Spaniard looked set to complete the much-sought-after Sunshine Double, too, but ran out of gas in his semifinal match against Sinner. Alcaraz's dynamic style of play ensures that he dominates his opponents thoroughly.
However, often times his opponents get a new lease on life when the 20-year-old begins to feel the physical ramifications of his game.
Alcaraz was put to the test at this year's North American hardcourt swing as well. After a quarterfinal exit in Toronto, he was forced to go the distance in all five of his matches during the week, including a three-set battle with Djokovic in the championship match.
The 20-year-old subsequently went on to lose that match after having led by not only a set and a break but having held a match point in the second set as well.
The Spaniard will have learned his lessons from that loss as he attempts to defend his title in New York. Alcaraz is looking to become the first player since Roger Federer to defend the US Open.
Alcaraz thrived on the electric atmosphere in Arthur Ashe Stadium last year, entertaining fans with his aggressive intent and all-court play.
The 20-year-old has almost no weaknesses in his game at such a young stage of his career. Provided he economizes on his fitness well, he could end up defending his 2022 crown with aplomb by winning the US Open this year.
#1 Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is looking to add a fourth US Open title to his trophy cabinet in the upcoming fortnight. The Serb has been the player to beat even at the age of 36 and won this year's Australian Open with very little resistance despite being injured.
Djokovic followed up his Australian Open run with a career-third French Open title, casting a shadow on whether the younger players were ready to beat him at a big tournament yet.
He was, however, finally denied at this year's Wimbledon by none other than Carlos Alcaraz, who overcame a slow start to beat him in five tumultuous sets.
The Serb subsequently took a break following his loss in the championship match at SW19. To no one's shock, he was just as good as ever in his return to competitive tennis a month later at Cincinnati, as he routed his first four opponents to reach the final, where he faced Alcaraz once again.
This time, Djokovic had a good read on Alcaraz's tactics as he mixed up his play with slices and net approaches to neutralize his younger opponent's aggression. The ploy paid off in the end, as he was able to douse Alcaraz's challenge in a battle that lasted four hours.
Djokovic has mastered the technique of playing precision-based tennis and beating his opponents late in his career. The 36-year-old also possesses an accurate first serve, which he can always bank on for some free points.
He will, perhaps, be the slight favorite over Alcaraz to win the US Open 2023 due to not only his game but his big-match playing experience as well.
How did Novak Djokovic meet Jelena Ristic? All about the most admired couples in tennis
