Serena\u2019s farewell<\/strong><\/p>\n\nThis is expected to be Serena Williams\u2019 final tournament as a professional tennis player. The 23-time Grand Slam champion will take on Montenegro\u2019s Danka Kovinic in a night session first round showdown on Monday, and is also signed up for the doubles event alongside her sister Venus.<\/p>\n
\nThe Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together and are getting the band back together for what is likely going to be the last time.<\/p>\n
\nOpening night in New York is the hottest ticket in town at the moment as Kovinic attempts to usher Serena into retirement.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI was happy; I won\u2019t lie,\u201d Kovinic told the Associated Press about her reaction to her first-round draw. \u201cIt\u2019s a privilege to share the court with Serena.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFierce battle for men\u2019s top spot<\/strong><\/p>\n\nFive men have the chance to conclude the US Open as the world No.1.<\/p>\n
\nDefending champion and current No.1 Daniil Medvedev could be replaced by Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz or Casper Ruud at the summit in two weeks\u2019 time.<\/p>\n
\nThere are multiple scenarios for each player to secure the top ranking and title. If Nadal and Medvedev square off in the final, or Medvedev, Tsitsipas or Ruud take on Alcaraz in the final, the winner would snag the world No.1 ranking.<\/p>\n
\nPressure mounting but not everyone is feeling it<\/strong><\/p>\n\nBritain\u2019s Emma Raducanu insists she isn\u2019t feeling any pressure ahead of her title defense in New York, while four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka admits she is a bit anxious.<\/p>\n
\nRaducanu became the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam when she stormed to the title in New York last year and the teenager has shot to global stardom since then. She didn\u2019t feel great during her practice session on Friday but said she has no real concerns ahead of her opener against Alize Cornet on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI think you guys are thinking probably more about pressure and ranking than me,\u201d Raducanu told reporters on media day.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI think defending a title is just something that the press makes up. I\u2019m just taking it one match at a time. Like, every single player is very capable in this draw. I just focus on what I\u2019m doing, my own trajectory. As I said last year, I\u2019m just going to do things my way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nMeanwhile, former world No.1 Osaka, who triumphed at the US Open in 2018 and 2020, said that in her personal experience, being a defending champion is \u201cmore stressful\u201d because you feel the need to replicate the success from the prior year.<\/p>\n
\nOsaka, who is unseeded this fortnight and is ranked 44 in the world at the moment, admitted she felt nerves have begun to creep in on Saturday ahead of her Tuesday first round against Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI feel like I would have lied, like, a day ago or so and said that I was really relaxed. But actually, like, when I practiced today I felt very anxious. I think it\u2019s \u2019cause I really want to do well \u2019cause I feel I haven\u2019t been doing well lately,\u201d the Japanese star said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s tough. Of course, you don\u2019t want to lose in the first round of a Slam. I feel like I always do pretty well here. It\u2019s kind of, like, taking the pressure off of myself, but it\u2019s always going to be there. I think the opponent I\u2019m going to play is also really tough, so it adds a little bit extra. I\u2019m just trying to enjoy the time that I have here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nBoth draws are wide open<\/strong><\/p>\n\nWhile we\u2019re used to expect the unexpected on the women\u2019s side at the majors, it\u2019s fair to say that the men\u2019s draw feels just as open in New York this year.<\/p>\n
\nNovak Djokovic is unable to participate due to his vaccination status, Nadal is returning from an abdominal injury, Medvedev is not necessarily in top form and there are many young contenders looking to hit new milestones on the Grand Slam stage.<\/p>\n
\nAsked if the men\u2019s draw feels as open as people are making it out to be, Medvedev said on Friday: \u201cIf I look back maybe I would say five years ago when I was probably not even on the tour yet, when there was the \u2018Big Four,\u2019 Andy, Novak, Roger, Rafa, especially if they would be the top four seeds, some tournaments was the case, for sure. I\u2019m not sure how other guys reacted, but it was tough. You know you\u2019re going to get them in quarters, first rounds. There were some Slams where they occupied the semifinals. It must not have been easy.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIf we look at this perspective, maybe it is (open this year). At the same time, if we take the last two, three years at the Slams, I have to say on hard courts it was a lot of times me there, Stefanos a few times. Australian Open, Sascha (Zverev) was there. Sometimes in the final. Dominic (Thiem).<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s not like I feel like we saw any huge surprise in the latest Slams. It\u2019s not easy to answer. I think it is (open). But talking from my perspective, I just want to play good, just try to win as many matches as possible no matter the opponent, no matter the draw.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nNadal chasing history<\/strong><\/p>\n\nThe Spaniard has already won two majors this year to take his men\u2019s record tally to 22 Grand Slams won. Should he clinch a 23rd here, he would equal Serena\u2019s Open Era record.<\/p>\n
\nNadal hasn\u2019t played in New York since he won a fourth US Open title in 2019. He has lifted the trophy on Arthur Ashe Stadium in two of his last three appearances at the tournament.<\/p>\n
\nJuicy first rounds<\/strong><\/p>\n\nOsaka versus Collins is not the only exciting first round on the menu in New York. Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios will open his campaign against his doubles partner and good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis, just a few months after they won the Australian Open doubles crown.<\/p>\n
\nThe 2020 champion Dominic Thiem will face two-time semifinalist and recent Montreal champion Pablo Carreno Busta.<\/p>\n
\nRising Chinese star Zheng Qinwen tackles former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, Raducanu has a tough opponent in Cornet who snapped Iga Swiatek\u2019s 37-match winning streak at Wimbledon earlier this summer, while third-seeded Maria Sakkari will play Wimbledon semi-finalist Tatjana Maria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
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