Who would have bet, on the eve of the start of the US Open, on the presence of Carlos Alcaraz, Karen Khachanov, Frances Tiafoe and Casper Ruud in the final square? Still off the radar five years ago, the quartet – 23 years old on average – find themselves playing the leading roles at the end of the fortnight at Flushing Meadows: the Spaniard, the Russian, the American and the Norwegian are in search of a first career Grand Slam title and two of them (Alcaraz and Ruud) can claim to ascend to the world throne on Monday, September 12 at the end of the tournament.
Novak Djokovic’s package across the Atlantic – because not vaccinated against the Covid – foreshadowed an open tournament. The promise was kept and even went beyond expectations. Behind the absence of the Serb, the favorites fell one by one: from the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (5e), released in the first round, at world number 1, the Russian Daniil Medvedev, eliminated in the round of 16 just like the Spaniard Rafael Nadal (3e), passing by the Australian Nick Kyrgios (25e), beaten in quarters. The plucked table of its top names, the opportunity is too good to take control of a Grand Slam title almost monopolized for more than fifteen years by the members of the “Big 3”.
In the past five years alone, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have shared 19 of 21 Grand Slam trophies – Austria’s Dominic Thiem and Medvedev won the US Open in 2019 and 2021. Sunday September 11 , the winner of the tournament will be unpublished, the future world number 1 in the ranking on Monday too.
A Spanish-Norwegian duel
Winner in 2019 in New York, Daniil Medvedev landed in Flushing Meadows with his share of assets to defend: a title and his place as world number 1. When facing Australian Nick Kyrgios in the round of 16, the Russian cracked, leaving the field open to his competitors. They are now three who can claim the top of the ATP rankings.
Starting with Rafael Nadal. Despite his elimination in the round of 16 by Frances Tiafoe, the Majorcan could once again reach the top of the podium, two years after leaving his place there. The condition ? That Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud do not reach the final on Sunday evening. The room for maneuver is small as the two players aged 19 and 23 are starving. With the Majorcan, they can both claim the top of the ATP rankings, records at stake.
If he wins in the final or if his competitor Casper Ruud is out in the semis, Carlos Alcaraz would become, at 19 years and 4 months, the youngest world No. 1 in history. He would succeed Australian Lleyton Hewitt who, in November 2001, achieved this feat at 20 years, 8 months and 26 days. A meteoric rise for the one who was titled this year in Miami, Barcelona and Madrid, where he eliminated his compatriot Rafael Nadal, then Novak Djokovic.
Since then, Alcaraz has confirmed, signing a first quarter-final at Roland Garros in June and now at the gates of the final of the New York tournament. A player with potential “exceptional”analyzes Camille Pin, former French player and consultant for Eurosport. “He follows in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal and the advantage is that he is multi-surface. It’s still young and I think we’ll be hearing about it for the next fifteen years. »
Alcaraz, “ideal winner”?
On the circuit, his career impresses. “We can perhaps blame him for sometimes still being a little crazy and wild, but it’s his tennis, he’s spectacular. This is what would make him an ideal US Open winner for the general public and the tennis world, comments Justine Henin, former Belgian world number 1 and consultant for Eurosport. The spotlight will inevitably be on him by the end. »
In his shadow, Casper Ruud. The Norwegian with the youthful face advances with velvet steps and few see in him the makings of a future great champion. Ruud the discreet composes with a modest experience in major tournament. If he has not yet distinguished himself at the Australian Open and has not done better than a second round at Wimbledon, he created a surprise three months ago at Porte d’Auteuil by reaching the final. (lost in 3 sets against Rafael Nadal).
“We know his ability to seize opportunities on big events, even if it continues to surprise us a little, analyzes Justine Henin. But talent also means knowing how to seize opportunities, not necessarily having the most impressive tennis but remaining rigorous and efficient. He lacks a big result to mark the spirits. »
In the event of victory on Sunday, or if Alcaraz were to be eliminated in the semi-finals, Casper Ruud would be the first Norwegian to occupy the world throne. “I try not to think about it too much, said the main interested party on Tuesday on the Arthur-Ashe court after his success in the quarterfinals against Matteo Berrettini. I was told about it just before the tournament, I was quite surprised, I didn’t know that I could become number 1, I would love to leave New York as world number 1. »
Before that, it will be necessary to count on his future adversary, the Russian Khachanov, who beat Kyrgios in the quarters, and the American Tiafoe to play spoilsport. They do not have a world No. 1 spot to win but, in their sights, a first Grand Slam trophy to lift.
