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An executive summary of what every fan should know about the US Open
The world’s best players are ready for the US Open, the season’s fourth and final major. Novak Djokovic will aim to make more history and break further records, while Toronto titlist Daniil Medvedev and Cincinnati champion Alexander Zverev will be among the leading players trying to stop him.

Before play gets underway, ATPTour.com looks at 10 things to watch in New York.

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1) Djokovic Going For No. 21: After capturing his 20th major title at Wimbledon in July to move level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on majors won, Djokovic will try to claim two historic achievements at the US Open over the next fortnight. The World No. 1 will stand alone at the top of the major record books with 21 titles with victory in New York.

The Serbian is also bidding to become just the second male player in the Open Era (since April 1968) to complete a Grand Slam, having lifted the trophy at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year. Djokovic hopes to match the accomplishment of Rod Laver, who completed a Grand Slam in 1969 (and 1962, before the Open Era). The three-time US Open champion will open his campaign against qualifier Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune, a #NextGenATP player from Denmark, and could meet seventh seed Matteo Berrettini in the quarter-finals.

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2) Can Medvedev Capture Maiden Major? Russia’s Medvedev comes alive during the North American hard-court swing. In 2019, the World No. 2 lifted his first ATP Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati just one week after advancing to his maiden championship match at that level in Montreal. This form helped propel the second seed to his first major final at the US Open that year where he fell to Rafael Nadal in five sets.

This year, Medvedev enjoyed a dominant run to his fourth Masters 1000 crown in Toronto, becoming the first Russian winner in Canada since Marat Safin in 2000. He then reached the last four in Cincinnati earlier this month. Will the 25-year-old use that momentum to surge to his first major title in New York, where he also made the semi-finals last year? Medvedev will face Frenchman Richard Gasquet, the former World No. 7, in the first round.


3) Zverev In Form: Nobody arrives in New York in better form than World No. 4 Alexander Zverev. The German, who reached his first major final at the US Open last year, defeated Djokovic en route to winning the Tokyo Olympics singles gold medal earlier this month. Zverev then dropped just one set in Cincinnati at the Western & Southern Open as he claimed his fifth Masters 1000 title.

The 24-year-old is on an 11-match winning streak and will look to extend it against American Sam Querrey, a big-hitting former US Open quarter-finalist (2017) in the first round.


4) Tsitsipas Time: Stefanos Tsitsipas has been impressive this season, recording an ATP Tour-leading 48 victories. Earlier this year, the Greek captured his first Masters 1000 crown in Monte-Carlo and reached his maiden major final at Roland Garros. This has seen the him rise to a career-high No. 3 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Tsitsipas enters the US Open with momentum after semi-final runs on hard in Toronto and Cincinnati this month.

However, the eight-time tour-level titlist has never advanced past the third round in three previous main draw appearances at Flushing Meadows, falling to Croatian Borna Coric in five sets last year. If Tsitsipas reaches the second week at Flushing Meadows, he could face Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals.


5) Rublev Enters With Momentum: World No. 7 Rublev has reached two Masters 1000 finals this year, most recently in Cincinnati where he claimed a maiden victory over countryman Medvedev en route to the championship match. And he arrives at a venue, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where he has fond memories. In 2017, a 19-year-old Rublev became the youngest US Open quarter-finalist since Andy Roddick in 2001. The Russian also made the last eight in New York last year.

6) #NextGenATP Stars: There are a host of #NextGenATP stars set to compete in New York over the next fortnight. Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, seeded 12th and Italy’s Jannik Sinner, seeded 13th, are two of the 32 seeds in the singles draw. Sinner captured his second tour-level title of the season in Washington at the start of August and will try to capture his first victory at the US Open in his third attempt when he faces wild card Max Purcell in the first round.

Auger-Aliassime notched his best performance at a major at the time last year when he enjoyed a run to the fourth round in New York. The 21-year-old arrives at Flushing Meadows on the back of reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and in Cincinnati.

Umag champion Carlos Alcaraz and 19-year-old Lorenzo Musetti will make their US Open debuts, while American Sebastian Korda will be competing at his home major for a second time, having fallen to Denis Shapovalov last year in the first round. Alcaraz and Musetti enjoyed breakthrough runs to the third round and fourth round, respectively, at Roland Garros in June, with Korda reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon in July.


7) Murray In Action: After winning matches in Cincinnati and Winston-Salem this month, 2012 US Open champion Andy Murray will aim to continue building up his form at the US Open. The 34-year-old, who is competing at the hard-court major for the 15th time, has played singles in six tour-level tournaments this season. Murray has advanced to the second round in his past two appearances in New York (2018, 2020), last reaching the quarter-finals at a major in 2017 at Wimbledon. The Scot will begin his campaign against third seed Tsitsipas in a blockbuster clash.

Opelka & Isner Lead American Charge: Big-servers Reilly Opelka and John Isner will lead the American quest for success in New York, with both arriving in strong form. Opelka, who begins against Soonwoo Kwon, notched his first top five win over Tsitsipas in Toronto en route to his maiden Masters 1000 final, while Isner, who plays #NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima in the first round, reached the last four in Canada.

Alongside Korda and Nakashima, another #NextGenATP American will compete: World No. 99 Jenson Brooksby. Brooksby reached the final in Newport in July and backed that up by enjoying a run to the semi-finals on hard in Washington. The 20-year-old faces Swede Mikael Ymer in the first round.

9) More Players To Watch: Italy’s Berrettini has fond memories of New York, having reached the semi-finals in 2019. The sixth seed advanced to his first major championship match at Wimbledon in July and plays Jeremy Chardy in the first round. Casper Ruud will also look to transition his clay-court form onto hard, having become the first player since Andy Murray in October 2011 to win three consecutive tour-level titles in July (Gstaad, Bastad, Kitzbühel). The Norwegian recently advanced to the quarter-finals in Toronto and Cincinnati and will open against former World No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Hubert Hurkacz, who became the first Pole to win a Masters 1000 title when he lifted the trophy in Miami in March, has enjoyed a strong season. The 24-year-old, currently in ninth place in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin, advanced to the last eight in Toronto and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon in July. The three-time tour-level champion begins against Egor Gerasimov.

Canadian Shapovalov and Australian Alex de Minaur will also be dangerous. Shapovalov will be aiming to snap a four-match losing streak in his opening match against Federico Delbonis, while De Minaur will look to build on the experience he gained from reaching the quarter-finals at the US Open last September to go further this year. The Eastbourne champion will face tricky American Taylor Fritz in the first round.


10) Mektic/Pavic Targeting 10th Tour-Level Title Of 2021: Top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic faced off against each other in the US Open final last year, with Pavic lifting the trophy with Brazilian Bruno Soares. Since teaming at the start of this season, the Croatians have enjoyed a dominant year, capturing nine tour-level titles, including three Masters 1000 crowns, Wimbledon and an Olympic gold medal.

They will face stiff competition from teams including Toronto champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Saliabury, Cincinnati winners Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos and Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who have captured all four major titles together.

A look at the ATP Challenger Tour stalwarts poised to make a run in New York

For the next fortnight, all eyes will be on the stars of the ATP Tour as they battle for glory at the US Open. But as hungry as they will be to lift the champions' trophy, there is a group of competitors that are just as motivated to make a splash at the hard-court Grand Slam. They are the players competing throughout the year on the ATP Challenger Tour.

Securing entry into a Grand Slam is no simple task. It requires year-round focus, hard work and consistency to arrive at this moment. For players grinding on the Challenger circuit, this is the reward. Having the opportunity to test their talents against the best players in the world, and with coveted points and prize money at stake, is what drives these players from January to November.

The 2021 US Open is no exception. A platform to showcase their skills and eventually take the next step on the ATP Tour, it presents a huge opportunity on a global stage. A strong performance at the US Open can prove to be career-altering for many Challenger stars, as they target the Top 100 and beyond. So, which players are poised to wreak havoc on the draw? We look at five to watch in New York...

Jenson Brooksby (USA)
The breakout ATP Challenger star of 2021 has fast become one of the more feared competitors on the pro circuit. Superlatives aside, Brooksby has made a name for himself behind a determined and unrelenting approach, boasting an air of confidence typically reserved for the most accomplished veterans. A self-described 'physical player', the 20-year-old has one gear: non-stop attack.

One of the newest members of the Top 100 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Brooksby has soared from No. 310 to open the 2021 season to join the elite club. What started with a domination of the ATP Challenger Tour, claiming a trio of titles and posting a 23-3 record, has since translated to the tour-level. Not only did he qualify for Roland Garros in May, but that would be followed by a final run at the ATP 250 event in Newport and a semi-final finish at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C.

Now, the California native will look to continue his push towards Next Gen ATP Finals qualification when he enters his home Grand Slam. Two years ago, he was a relative unknown when he stunned former World No. 4 Tomas Berdych in New York. Now, Brooksby has arrived. He will open against Mikael Ymer, with a potential second-round clash against 14th seed Alex de Minaur or Taylor Fritz looming large.

Brooksby

Cem Ilkel (TUR)
It's not often that you have the opportunity to make history for your country on the Grand Slam stage. But that is exactly what 26-year-old Ilkel has been tasked with at the US Open. The Istanbul native will be just the second man from Turkey to appear in a major main draw in the Open Era, after successfully qualifying at the US Open on Friday. He joins Marsel Ilhan, who made 12 major appearances from 2009-16.

Tennis in Turkey has enjoyed a significant boost in 2021, behind breakout campaigns from Ilkel and Altug Celikbilek. Both feature in the Top 200 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, with Ilkel claiming his maiden Challenger title in Quimper, France, last year and Celikbilek adding two crowns of his own - in Porto and Pozoblanco - one month ago.

It was in the Pozoblanco final that the two budding stars faced off in just the second all-Turkish final in ATP Challenger history. Celikbilek would prevail in a deciding set, but it is Ilkel who has carried the momentum into the US Open. Wins over Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, former World No. 8 Fernando Verdasco and surging #NextGenATP star Jiri Lehecka saw him qualify for his maiden major. He will make his debut on Monday, facing Alex Molcan on Court 8.

ATP Challenger Match Wins Leaders in 2021

Player Match Wins
Tomas Martin Etcheverry
35
Benjamin Bonzi
34
Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune
26
Altug Celikbilek
24
Nicolas Jarry
24
Jenson Brooksby
23
Gastao Elias
23
Cem Ilkel
22
Kacper Zuk
22
Zdenek Kolar
22
Alex Molcan (SVK)
Ilkel's first-round opponent is another qualifier making his major debut, Slovakian star Molcan. Both Grand Slam debutants epitomize that 'never give up' attitude of so many players battling on the ATP Challenger Tour.

At the age of 26, Ilkel is finally breaking through after years of fighting for his tennis dreams. And at the age of 23, Molcan is in a similiar position. Three years after reaching his first Challenger final, the Bratislava resident says he now has the tools to make a charge up the FedEx ATP Rankings. It all started with a run to the final at the ATP 250 event in Belgrade in May, where he faced World No. 1 Novak Djokovic for the title.

"It was a huge confidence boost and I took a lot of information from that match, to see how Djokovic plays," Molcan told ATPTour.com. "To see his logic and intelligence on the court really helped me grow and I kept improving and getting better and better. I started to believe in myself and the confidence was the biggest thing. There was no consistency when I was younger, but if you want to change, you have to work. This year, we had a good preparation and now I am putting the puzzle together."

Despite falling to Djokovic in the Belgrade final, he has carried the momentum into the second half of 2021. Not only did he claim his maiden ATP Challenger crown in Liberec, Czech Republic, but he did so in ruthless fashion. Molcan dropped a combined two games in the semi-finals and final, en route to his first title and a career-high of No. 136 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.

The winner of Molcan/Ilkel is guaranteed to face an American in the second round - either 19th-seed John Isner or #NextGenATP star Brandon Nakashima.

Molcan
Photo: Regina Cortina Photography

Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune (DEN)
Denmark has a new star and his name is Holger. A three-time ATP Challenger champion in 2021, the surging teenager is finding his form in a hurry on the biggest stages in professional tennis. The US Open will provide his biggest test yet, with a first-round clash with top seed Novak Djokovic looming large. It will be a Tuesday night battle under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rune is fast becoming one of the more feared #NextGenATP stars on the planet. Not only did the 18-year-old become the youngest Challenger winner in Denmark's history, with his maiden title in Biella, but he is now riding a 13-match win streak after lifting back-to-back trophies in San Marino and Verona and successfully qualifying at the US Open. He will make his Grand Slam debut after overcoming Mats Moraing on Friday. The Dane was won 18 of his last 19 sets played, going back to the San Marino final earlier this month.

Rune has become a machine in 2021, launching his 6'2" frame into a mammoth forehand from all corners of the court. In just his second ATP Tour main draw appearance, he reached the quarter-finals on the clay of Santiago in February. And the Copenhagen native would add tour-level victories in Bastad and Kitzbuhel in July.

Rune is poised for a breakthrough under the bright lights of Flushing Meadows.

Rune

Botic Van de Zandschulp (NED)
Four Grand Slams in 2021, four main draw appearances for the Dutchman. After reaching the second round at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, defeating Hubert Hurkacz as a qualifier and Gregoire Barrere as a lucky loser, Van de Zandschulp will look to go one step further in his US Open debut. With a year of Grand Slam experience and a successful campaign on the ATP Challenger Tour under his belt, the Dutchman is certainly one to watch in New York.

To say that Van de Zandschulp has been battle tested entering the hard-court major is an understatement. He rallied from a set down in all three of his qualifying matches this week, overcoming Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera, Ben Shelton and Enzo Couacaud to punch his ticket. In fact, he found himself a break down in the deciding set against the American wild card Shelton, before storming back.

Sitting at a career-high No. 118 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, the 25-year-old is making his mark on the pro circuit this year. Since registering his first Top 20 victory over Hurkacz at Roland Garros, he reached his first final of the year in Amersfoort and added three more semi-final finishes. And earlier in the year, he advanced to his first ATP Tour quarter-final at the Great Ocean Road Open in Melbourne.

Van de Zandschulp will open against Spain's Carlos Taberner on Court 15 on Monday, with a potential second-round clash against either eighth-seed Casper Ruud or former World No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the cards.