The public returns to the stands of Arthur Ashe, but the 141st edition of the US Open 141 loses a fundamental part of its card. From August 30 to September 12, the first Grand Slam will take place without Serena Williams, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal in the main draw since the 1997 US Open; 24 years that clearly reflect what has been the pattern of white sport and that in this 2021 it seems to be going through its true changing of the guard forced by the age of its maximum stars.
The first major casualty to become known was that of five-time champion Roger Federer, who after falling in the Wimbledon quarterfinals announced discomfort in his knee, which had already undergone two surgeries. The statement immediately came that he was out of the Olympics, until announcing this month, at 40, not only his absence from the US Open, but a third operation with the aim of still returning to the tour and leading a comfortable life after retirement.
Then it was the turn of Rafael Nadal, a four-time winner at Flushing Meadows. The Spanish ended his 2021 season due to problems with his left foot.
And no less sensitive is the loss of Dominic Thiem, who will not be able to defend his first and only Grand Slam titlefor an injury to the right wrist. You will have to wear a splint for several weeks and an operation is not ruled out, after having to withdraw from Wimbledon, Tokyo and the US Open.
Also serena
The last loss was in the women’s team and it is sensitive when it comes to the six-time champion Serena Williams, who, in his late 40s, once again loses the opportunity to reach his 24th title due to a muscle injury, a hamstring strain that has plagued her since their first-round match at Wimbledon. The American lost the 2018 and 2019 final and hasn’t won a big since the Australian Open in 2017, but there are no talks about retirement.
The favorites are …
In the face of all the absences, in the female branch the favorite over Naomi Osaka is the world number 1 Ashleigh Barty. The Australian, champion at Roland Garros 2019 and Wimbledon 2021, has not passed the fourth round in New York, but has just won the Cincinnati Masters, so he arrives in excellent physical and mental condition for the next two weeks of competition.
Osaka, on the other hand, has just lost the second rung of the WTA ranking, following his elimination in the Round of 16 from Cincinnati, but has declared in recent interviews having worked on her anxiety and depression problems and that for the moment she feels grateful for her profession.
And Nole goes for the 21
While the men’s branch will feature three-time Grand Slam winner and double Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray, who continues to pick up his pace on his return to the courts, the spotlights will be on Novak Djokovic, who could become the first male tennis player since Rod Laver in 1969, to win the calendar Grand Slam, that is, the big four in the same year in the open era. In addition to this, there is the possibility of breaking the triple tie that he has with 20 titles together with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Although at 34 he has been noted in excellent physical condition, he lost disappointingly from the mental aspect at the Tokyo Olympics, where he did not add a medal in singles or doubles. Only Alexander Zverev, who has just won in Cincinnati, Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost to the Serbian in the French Open final or Daniil Medvedev, who fell for the title in Australia could eventually upset the world number 1 world number 1.
The absent
Roger Feder
Age: 39
Titles at the US Open: 5
Injury: right knee
Rafael Nadal
Age: 35
Titles at the US Open: 4
Injury: left foot
Serena Williams
Age: 39
Titles at the US Open: 6
Injury: hamstring tear
MGC
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