NEW YORK (AP) — Here are some of the men to watch at the U.S. Open, which starts in New York on Monday (money-line odds via BetMGM Sportsbook ):
Jannik Sinner
Ranking: 1
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Italy
Age: 23
2024 Record: 48-5
2024 Titles: 5
Career Titles: 15
Grand Slam Titles: 1 — Australian Open (2024)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2023-Lost in the 4th Round, 2022-QF, 2021-4th, 2020-1st, 2019-1st
Aces: Sinner tested positive twice for a banned anabolic steroid in March but wasn’t suspended because a panel determined he didn’t use the drug intentionally and instead was exposed to it by his physiotherapist. … Won the Cincinnati Open tuneup in August. … Rose to No. 1 in June. … Won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. … The U.S. Open is the only major where he’s never been to the semifinals.
He Said It: “I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me.”
Read All About It: Sinner avoids suspension after two positive doping tests
Odds Are: +200
Novak Djokovic
Ranking: 2
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Serbia
Age: 37
2024 Record: 29-7
2024 Titles: 1
Career Titles: 99
Grand Slam Titles: 24 — U.S. Open (4: 2011, 2015, 2018, 2023), Australian Open (10: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), French Open (3: 2016, 2021, 2023), Wimbledon (7: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2023-Won Championship, 2022-Did Not Play, 2021-Runner-Up, 2020-4th, 2019-4th
Aces: Hasn’t played since finally earning the one significant achievement that was missing from his resume: an Olympic gold medal. He beat Carlos Alcaraz in the final at the Paris Games on Aug. 4. … Had surgery on his right knee in early June after tearing his meniscus during a match at the French Open. Played at Wimbledon less than a month later and reached the final. … A 25th Grand Slam title would give Djokovic sole possession of the record for most majors in tennis history.
He Said It: “When I take everything into consideration, this probably is the biggest sporting success I ever had in my career.”
Read All About It: Djokovic adds an Olympic gold medal to his resume
Odds Are: +200
Carlos Alcaraz
Ranking: 3
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Spain
Age: 21
2024 Record: 38-8
2024 Titles: 3
Career Titles: 15
Grand Slam Titles: 4 — U.S. Open (2022), Wimbledon (2023, 2024), French Open (2024)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2023-SF, 2022-W, 2021-QF, 2020-DNP, 2019-DNP
Aces: Won the past two Grand Slam tournaments — the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July — and reached the final at the Olympics before losing to Novak Djokovic and settling for a silver medal. … Is 4-0 in Grand Slam finals so far. … Youngest man in tennis history with at least one Grand Slam title on three surfaces.
He Said It: “Get closer to the legends — that’s my objective.”
Read All About It: Alcaraz wants a seat at the adult table after his fourth major trophy
Odds Are: +160
Daniil Medvedev
Ranking: 5
Career-Best Ranking: 1
Country: Russia
Age: 28
2024 Record: 35-13
2024 Titles: Zero
Career Titles: 20
Grand Slam Titles: 1 — U.S. Open (2021)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2023-RU, 2022-4th, 2021-W, 2020-SF, 2019-RU
Aces: Heads to New York on a three-match losing streak. … This season, reached the final at the Australian Open before losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon before losing to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. … Has been to at least the semifinals at four of the past five U.S. Opens. … Is just 1-5 in Grand Slam finals.
He Said It: “Hopefully I can win some more Grand Slams. I believe in myself. I believe in my tennis.”
Read All About It: Medvedev eliminates Sinner in the Wimbledon quarterfinals
Odds Are: +1000
Ben Shelton
Ranking: 13
Career-Best Ranking: 13
Country: United States
Age: 21
2024 Record: 30-19
2024 Titles: 1
Career Titles: 2
Grand Slam Titles: None — Best: Semifinals, U.S. Open (2023)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2023-SF, 2022-1st, 2021-DNP, 2020-DNP, 2019-DNP
Aces: The 2024 U.S. Open will be only his ninth Grand Slam tournament, but he already has a run to the quarterfinals at last year’s Australian Open and to the semifinals in New York. … He was the youngest American man in the U.S. Open semifinals since Michael Chang was 20 in 1992. … Won an NCAA singles title for the University of Florida in 2022. … Lefty with a big serve that reached 149 mph at Flushing Meadows a year ago.
He Said It: “I’m definitely going to try to bring some things to the table that are different and hopefully disruptive.”
Read All About It: Shelton beats Tiafoe to reach the U.S. Open semifinals
Odds Are: +2800
Dominic Thiem
Ranking: 209
Career-Best Ranking: 3
Country: Austria
Age: 30
2024 Record: 2-7
2024 Titles: Zero
Career Titles: 17
Grand Slam Titles: 1 — U.S. Open (2020)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2023-2nd, 2022-1st, 2021-DNP, 2020-W, 2019-1st
Aces: Received a wild-card invitation for his last appearance at the U.S. Open; he’s announced that this is his final season before retirement after a series of wrist issues. … Won his lone Grand Slam title at the 2020 U.S. Open by beating Alexander Zverev in the final in five sets after dropping the opening two sets in a nearly empty stadium; spectators were not allowed on site because of the COVID-19 pandemic. … Was the runner-up at a Slam three times.
He Said It: “I’ve really enjoyed every single year of it.”
Read All About It: Thiem is 1st man since 1949 to win the U.S. Open final after dropping 1st 2 sets
Odds Are: Not listed
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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich
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