CNN
—

The final Grand Slam of the tennis season is upon us – and the US Open is perhaps the most exciting of the year.

After an adjusted schedule due to the Olympics, which saw many of the world’s best players return to clay after the grass court season, the players arrive in New York after one of the most grueling seasons in history.

Women’s world number 1 Iga Świątek has already spoken about how “demanding” the tour has been this year, while 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert told CNN it has been “a very challenging year for everyone.”

“I think that’s why there have been so many collapses on the field, emotions are running high,” she told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.

“They’re a bit grumpy, these top players, because they’ve had a whole year, they’ve played more tournaments than ever, plus they’ve played the Olympics, which was just amazing (and) very emotional. It’s taken a lot out of them.

“It’s the end of the year and I think it’s open on both sides. It’s about as open as I’ve ever seen it and everyone’s a little bit tired and it’s really going to be whoever finds that energy and that motivation at the end of this year to show their best tennis over the next two weeks.”

Both Evert and tennis legend Martina Navratilova told Amanpour that they find it difficult to see a winner in the women’s rankings outside the top four: Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff or Elena Rybakina.

Świątek, the 2022 US Open champion, is known for her dominance on clay but suffered a surprise defeat in the semi-finals of the Olympic Games.

She recovered to win the bronze medal in Paris and reached the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open, her first tournament since the Games, but was defeated by an impressive Sabalenka.

The Belarusian, who has won the Australian Open twice, is understandably seen as the favourite for the US Open after deciding to skip the Olympics.

Sabalenka recently said she feels “fresh” and has steadily improved her form in recent weeks, culminating in a dominant win at the Cincinnati Open last week without dropping a set.

Meanwhile, home favourite Coco Gauff has struggled with her form in the second half of the season as she attempts to defend her US Open title.

Gauff, the world No. 3, was knocked out in the third round of the Olympics, lost in the second round of the Canadian Open and was surprised last week in the first round of the Cincinnati Open, where she was the defending champion.

Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, has yet to advance beyond the third round of the US Open and announced on Friday that she has ended relations with her coach Stefano Vukov, just days before the start of the tournament.

The world No. 4 has three titles in 2024, but her last came in April and she has recently battled a bout of bronchitis that kept her out of the Olympics and the Canadian Open. Rybakina returned to the court at the Cincinnati Open but wasted two match points in a three-set loss to Leylah Fernandez in her first match back.

“Everyone is tired and we’ll see who wants it the most,” Navratilova told CNN. “I think Sabalenka is the freshest because she didn’t play the Olympics. Everyone else will be emotionally tired or they’ll have nasty injuries.

“So we’ll see who can stay healthy and who wants it more, but it will still be very open on both sides.”

In the men’s event, it is difficult to see a winner outside of Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.

Alcaraz was in tears and suffered a painful defeat to Djokovic in the battle for the gold medal at the Olympic Games, after beating the Serb in three sets in the Wimbledon final.

It was another incredible year for the young superstar, who added two more Grand Slams and a Masters 1000 title to his resume in 2024. However, Alcaraz suffered a first-round defeat to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Open, smashing his racket in an uncharacteristic outburst for which he later apologized.

Djokovic was just as emotional at the Olympics, but for a different reason. The 37-year-old claimed the gold medal in Paris, the last major honor that had eluded him throughout his career, and called it his “greatest achievement.”

The reigning champion in New York, four-time US Open winner Djokovic, has not played since the Olympic final, so he is likely to feel fresh, if not fully match-fit, as he seeks a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.

World No. 1 Sinner is in top form for the US Open after recently winning his third Masters 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open, but he has appeared to be struggling with a hip injury at times.

However, the 2024 Australian Open winner has been struggling with off-court issues and is said to have stopped working with his physiotherapist and trainer ahead of the US Open after avoiding suspension after testing positive twice for a banned substance.