US Open 2024 tennis: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek headline list of top contenders

The US Open 2024 tennis tournament, set to begin on August 26 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, is the final Grand Slam event of the year.

All of the world’s best tennis players will converge at Flushing Meadows.

Recently crowned Olympic champion Novak Djokovic will look to defend his men’s singles title and a record-equalling fifth US Open crown. Coco Gauff, the defending champion in women’s singles, will aim for her second Grand Slam.

However, the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek may have other ideas. Here are the top title contenders for the US Open 2024 across the men’s and women’s singles events:

Novak Djokovic

The reigning champion Novak Djokovic became the oldest US Open men’s singles champion in the Open Era after beating Daniil Medvedev at the Arthur Ashe Stadium last year.

It was his fourth US Open title but the record 24-time Grand Slam winner is yet to taste success at the Big Four this year. Djokovic ended questions surrounding his age by beating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the final of the Paris 2024 Olympics to become the oldest Olympic gold medallist in men’s singles tennis at 37.

A successful title defence at US Open 2024 will see the Serbian player tie Roger Federer, Jimmy Conors and Pete Sampras as the only players to have won five US Open titles in the Open Era.

Carlos Alcaraz

Having won two out of the three Grand Slam titles so far this year, Carlos Alcaraz has been in exceptional form and will be gunning for a third. The Spaniard won his maiden US Open title in 2022 by beating Norway’s Casper Ruud in the final.

A three-time Grand Slam winner at just 21, Alcaraz settled for the silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics after falling short against Novak Djokovic in the final. However, he did get the better of Djokovic in the Wimbledon final in July to add to the French Open he won earlier in the year.

Jannik Sinner

After winning the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne, Jannik Sinner will be brimming with confidence as he sets his sights on the last Grand Slam of the season.

Currently ranked world No. 1, the Italian is yet to reach the semi-finals of the US Open. His best run in this tournament came in 2022 when he reached the last eight before losing to eventual champion Alcaraz.

Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, will be aiming to add another major to her collection after securing her fourth French Open in June. As the world No. 1, she will be focused on winning the US Open, a title she last claimed in 2022 after beating Ons Jabeur in the final.

The Polish star’s adaptability on the court will be a major asset at the 2024 US Open, where her strategic play could prove crucial. She will have her eyes set on her second Grand Slam conquest on the hard court.

Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff’s inaugural Grand Slam win at the US Open in 2023 marked the beginning of her rise as one of the most formidable forces in the Tennis circuit. Her aggressive play and quick movement helped her beat Aryna Sabalenka in the final and the American will be hoping for a successful title defence in front of the home fans.

Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka, the US Open 2023 runner-up, will be hoping to go one step further this time. Sabalenka’s swift serves make her a force to be reckoned with on the hard court. The two-time Australian Open winner, having withdrawn from the Paris 2024 Olympics, will enter the US Open refreshed and with her sights set on the title.