Concerns for North American swing and US Open, like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek, Emma Raducanu

The begin of August means the start off of tennis’ North American challenging swing, top up to the US Open in New York at the close of the month.

The closing Grand Slam of the 2022 year starts on August 29 and there are 4 months of tournaments before then, such as the ATP 1000/WTA 1000 National Bank Open up and the Western & Southern Open.

Though it continue to looks not likely that Novak Djokovic will perform any element in the North American swing, the relaxation of the top gamers from the ATP and WTA excursions are established to aspect, which include men’s world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, who skipped Wimbledon because of to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players, and women’s planet No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who will be aiming to add to her six titles this time. Andy Murray, Serena Williams, Emma Raducanu, Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka are also set to participate in over the following month.

So devoid of further more ado, what are the burning thoughts we simply cannot hold out to get answered in advance of the US Open?

Can Swiatek hit her stride yet again?

Right after these types of a dominant spell before this year, the previous month – with surprising defeats at Wimbledon and the Poland Open – may have supplied the WTA field hope that Swiatek will not be invincible this summer months. The world No. 1 stacked up 37 wins in a row right before getting rid of to Alize Cornet at SW19, dominating on clay and really hard courts as she won 6 successive titles, which include successful on tough in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami for the reduction of just four sets.

There is however a huge rating gap concerning Swiatek and the discipline – just about 4,000 factors on the WTA rankings and even much more on the Race to the WTA Finals – and if she rediscovers her very best sort she will very likely sweep most opponents aside again. On the other hand, it might acquire time for Swiatek to get into her groove and possibly that will current alternatives to some others.

How will WTA subject shake out?

If it’s been tough to choose out who may well arise as Swiatek’s major rival on clay and grass, the challenge stays the exact on difficult courts. There is a lot of good quality in the best 10/20 but, based on this year’s outcomes, there are no evident candidates to contend for numerous titles over the following month. On the 2021 North American tough swing there were being no repeat champions or finalists.

Some names to maintain an eye on involve environment No. 2 Anett Kontaveit, Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur, environment No. 6 Aryna Sabalenka, who is hunting to get again in kind, and final year’s US Open up runner-up Leylah Fernandez.

There is also a solid American presence in the top 20.

Unfortunately Danielle Collins is established to overlook the initially two weeks of August thanks to a neck injuries, but Jessica Pegula has had a strong yr and is the leading seed at this week’s Citi Open. Coco Gauff has also been in very good form and could have success on house soil. Amanda Anisimova, who has built at minimum the fourth spherical at each individual key this time, is also one to preserve an eye on.

Will Medvedev rule?

Medvedev has been a thing of the neglected gentleman more than the final thirty day period. Just after returning to entire world No. 1 in early June, the Russian showed some promising signals on the grass ahead of acquiring to sit out Wimbledon and seemingly shunning the remaining in favour of seeing Formulation A person.

It would not be a shock to see him return with a willpower to stamp his mark on the tour yet again, and it would not be surprising to see him be successful possibly. The North American really hard swing has been Medvedev’s most thriving period of time about the previous three years, only shedding once right before the semi-finals in 5 put together appearances at the Nationwide Lender Open up and Western & Southern Open up, and winning just about every tournament the moment. He will also be defending US Open winner, obtaining produced the last and semi-finals in the former two decades.

Difficult courts are exactly where Medvedev is nevertheless at his extremely very best. His laser provide and big groundstrokes are huge weapons on the surface area. Even even though on grass he twice failed to get over the line, dropping in back again-to-again finals soon after first rate weeks, he must be established for a powerful summer time.

What will occur with Djokovic?

Can Murray get seeded for US Open?

To make certain of that he demands to be rated inside of the prime 32, and to do that he will want some great results around the next number of weeks. Ahead of participating in the Citi Open up in Washington DC this 7 days, Murray is rated No. 50 in the earth, only close to 300 factors driving planet No. 32 Sebastian Baez. As the Citi Open up is an ATP 500 event it doesn’t carry substantial ranking points (500 to the winner, 300 for the runner-up and 180 for the semi-finalists), but the ATP 1000 occasions in Montreal and Cincinnati provide much more option for Murray to shut on his intention.

The moreover side for Murray is that he does not have a lot of points to defend this summer season. Last 12 months he played only the Western & Southern Open up and Winston-Salem Open up in between Wimbledon and the US Open, and only gained two matches.

But the flip facet is that this swing has not been excellent for Murray in recent decades. He’s only won two matches in his previous 4 appearances at the Western & Southern Open up, where by he is a two-time winner, and hasn’t manufactured it earlier the second round of the US Open up since 2016. Murray desires to demonstrate his greatest, and hope his system retains up, to have a opportunity of obtaining seeded in New York.

What does summertime hold for Serena and Venus?

The Williams sisters are again.

Following both of those returning from very long absences at Wimbledon (Serena in singles and Venus in doubles), we will hopefully be seeing much extra of the two tennis legends this summer season. Just one, if not equally, will be actively playing in Washington DC, Toronto, Cincinnati and the US Open up.

Venus will be participating in at the Citi Open up this week for the initially time in her first singles outing because Chicago a calendar year in the past. The two will then be actively playing in Toronto, where Venus built her WTA 1000 debut as a 15-year-previous in 1995, and Cincinnati. Serena is a a number of champion at both activities and will be playing in the Usa for the very first time in two many years.

For both equally sisters, their futures right after the summertime are unclear. At 42, this may possibly be a farewell tour for Venus, but Serena, 40, sounded like she still has fire in the tank just after Wimbledon and there remains the entice of a 24th Grand Slam title to lastly equivalent Margaret Court’s history.

Alcaraz v Sinner: Who will have far better swing?

Alcaraz, 19, has presently had an incredible year and is now rated No. 4 in the globe after notching up some additional clay wins above the previous couple months. It will be interesting to see what he can do all through the North American swing, which is continue to really new to him he is yet to engage in the Countrywide Financial institution Open and misplaced in the first round in his only look at the Western & Southern final 12 months. But most likely a indicator of what is in retail outlet was his bulldozing operate to the US Open quarter-finals in 2021 when he became the youngest gentleman to get to that phase of the tournament in the Open period.

Sinner, 20, has been in close proximity to the top rated of the match for lengthier than Alcaraz but has not managed to strike the same heights nonetheless. The Italian has not however scored a significant event earn – his victory in Croatia was his to start with title this calendar year – and in a bid to give his profession another enhance has opted to do the job with Simona Halep’s former coach Darren Cahill. Sinner has explained he hopes to develop into extra “unpredictable” through performing with Cahill, and his coach has backed him to obstacle for Grand Slam titles quickly.

“Jannik is among the those who can earn the Slams,” he told La Stampa. “And I indicate now, not in a year’s time. By now at the US Open up? He moves very well on concrete and his participate in is highly effective sufficient for that type of surface.”

Will Nadal rediscover really hard-court kind?

Nadal may well have seen his Calendar Slam bid ended at Wimbledon just after withdrawing forward his semi-closing in opposition to Nick Kyrgios, but this has nonetheless been an fantastic season for the 36-yr-outdated. Without doubt the most remarkable time period was at the commence of the 12 months when he returned from a 5-month absence and reeled off 20 wins in a row. Some may possibly have imagined Nadal’s ideal days on really hard courts are guiding him owing to his niggling injury issues, but he confirmed in Melbourne, Mexico and Indian Wells that he can still be a force on the surface.

Indeed, even although he has rarely played the North American swing in recent yrs owing to injuries, he won the US Open up the previous time he highlighted in 2019, and the identical with the Countrywide Financial institution Open up, which he gained in 2018 and 2019.

Nadal has been practising on tricky courts Mallorca right before he travels to the United States and if he’s suit he need to be a solid contender for titles. There’s also the opportunity for Nadal to gain a 23rd Grand Slam title at the US Open and shift two in advance of Djokovic all over again.

Can Osaka challenge yet again?

Probably at only a person tournament about the very last 12 months has Osaka appeared like a four-time Grand Slam winner. In Australia she confirmed some encouraging signals, but in Miami looked to have some of her self confidence back as she arrived at the last. Unfortunately for Osaka any momentum was slowed by the change to clay and an Achilles’ personal injury which has held her out considering the fact that the French Open.

It was hoped immediately after Swiatek conquer Osaka in the Miami Open up closing that the match-up could be a single we see a great deal extra of on the WTA Tour, wherever strong rivalries are handful of and far amongst. But appropriate now globe No. 40 Osaka appears far from Swiatek’s level. She has only performed 6 tournaments in the past 11 months and not too long ago break up with mentor Wim Fissette, who was with her for the duration of her four major victories.

Osaka stays a single of the sport’s largest stars even though, and at 24 she even now has time on her facet to acquire more titles. She also looks this time to have a far more favourable attitude and generally be in a much better spot, which may well translate onto the court when she returns to her favorite surface area this summer.

Will Tursunov provide the ideal out of Raducanu?

This is a large period of time of the yr for Raducanu. Right after her harm concerns at the back again-end of the clay period and on the grass, she has experienced 4 months away from competitiveness to reset and get well as she eyes the defence of her US Open up title afterwards this thirty day period. Raducanu will have 2,040 factors to protect at the US Open up – the most ranking points a participant has at any time acquired from a single match as she also arrived by means of qualifying – and if she loses most of these due to an early exit she will plummet down the rankings.

Raducanu was so spectacular in New York previous 12 months when she took on shots and looked to assault opponents. If Tursunov can assistance bring some of that back again then Raducanu’s benefits could choose up more than the following month.