HOW DOMINANT CAN YOU GET? The Big Four—Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray—have won nine of the last 10 US Opens. But Nadal is out with a wrist injury. Murray hasn’t reached a final since winning Wimbledon ’13. Current Wimbledon champ Djokovic just got married and was thumped at both Masters events. At 33, Federer arrives in New York fresh from a win in Cincinnati. Which begs the question: Could the old master win seven matches in a row and lift the trophy?
BREAKTHROUGH TIME: Grigor Dimitrov, who continued his impressive rise by reaching the Wimbledon semis, and Nick Kyrgios, who beat Rafa Nadal, were the two big male breakthroughs at the All-England Club, while Genie Bouchard‘s march to the final was the main women’s plotline. Who will break through at the US Open?
THE GREAT AMERICAN DROUGHT: No American man has won the US Open or any Grand Slam since ’03. The previous longest drought for an American winning the US Open was five years, between John McEnroe in ’84 and Pete Sampras in ’90.
LAST AMERICAN STANDING: The last American man standing in last year’s US Open was Tim Smyczek, who reached the third round. Who will be the final American guy left this year, and will he manage to get to the second week?
AMERICAN WOMEN: Young American women like Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, Coco Vandeweghe, Lauren Davis, Shelby Rogers, and Alison Riske are gently knocking at the door of greatness. Will any of them walk through and attain it?
TEEN DARLINGS: The US Open has been a regular hothouse for the emergence of new women players. From Pam Shriver, Chris Evert, and Tracy Austin to Jennifer Capriati, and more recently, Melanie Oudin and last year’s darling, Vicky Duval. Will a young sweetheart capture our imagination this year?
EASY QUESTION, BOUCHARD ANSWER: She’s reached three consecutive Slam semis, but suffered a devastating homecoming in Montreal. Can Eugenie Bouchard reach two Slam finals in a row? Similarly, can Wimbledon semifinalist and Washington winner Milos Raonic leave us saying “O Canada”?
SERENA—SIZZLE OR SLUMP? Since beating Vika Azarenka to claim her 17th Slam at last year’s US Open, Serena Williams hasn’t gotten past the fourth round in a Slam, and her total of 17 majors is still one behind the iconic duo of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. But she won Stanford and Cincinnati and now seems healthy and playing back into form.
FOND FAREWELLS: The US Open not only launches careers, it’s a popular place to bid farewell. Just think of Chris Evert waving to the crowd, the shocking announcement by 29-year-old Andy Roddick, mother Kim Clijsters’ departure, or the retirement last year of James Blake. Who will it be this year?
CLIMATE CHANGE OR CURIOUS COINCIDENCE? Incredibly, for five straight years (’08 through ’12), the Open had to add an extra day due to inclement weather. The tourney is already scheduled to end on Monday, September 8, but will bad weather require another day? No wonder the USTA is moving to put a roof on Ashe Stadium, which will be completed in ’17.
NINETY-NINE TROPHIES OF TENNIS ON THE WALL: Will the Bryan brothers win their 100th doubles title at the Open?
PLEASE NOTE: A new Grandstand court will be completed in ’15. The retractable roof on Ashe Stadium be up in ’17. The new version of Armstrong Stadium will be set in ’18.
NO DATE WITH ROGER AND RAFA: The US Open remains the only Slam where Federer and Nadal have yet to face off.
AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM? There are plenty of young American prospects emerging. Eighteen-year-old Noah Rubin from New York won the Wimbledon juniors, and Taylor Harry Fritz reached the final. Diminutive but determined Stefan Koslov has posted strong results in junior Slams. And Maryland 16-year-old Francis Tiafoe has drawn much attention.
PLAYER DIVERSITY IS GOOD?: On both the men’s and women’s sides, three different players have won the year’s first three Slams: Stan Wawrinka, Rafa Nadal, and Novak Djokovic; and Li Na, Maria Sharapova, and Petra Kvitova. Will we see eight different winners in the Slams for the first time since 1998? Li Na is out with a knee injury, and Rafa out due to right wrist problems, but if any of the different one-time winners wins again, does that automatically secure their place as the player of the year?
CONFERENCE CALL: Replacing the USPTA World Conference, which traditionally took place in the two weeks following the tournament, the four-day Tennis Teachers Conference, complete with a USPTA conference-within-a-conference, leads into this year’s US Open, from August 22 to 25.
FASHION WEEKS: Maria Sharapova has dazzled us in red dresses with sequins and an iconic black Audrey Hepburn look. Serena has surprised us with catsuits and denim biker outfits, and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (at least in her rebellious prime) appeared in jaw-dropping gold lamé and leopard print outfits which brought “thrift store chic” to tennis. If he’d played, Nadal’s bionic biceps would have been back on display, since he was planning to wear sleeveless tops. The Open will certainly give us assorted fashion triumphs and flops. Speaking of which, who was the last player to win the US Open in a sleeveless shirt? Answer: Juan Martin del Potro.
CELEBRITY WATCH: Paul McCartney, Aretha Franklin, Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama, Sean Connery, and Tiger Woods are just a few of the A-listers who regularly come out to Flushing Meadows. Who will dazzle this year?
JUST WONDERING: How many times will evening session crowds be forced to wait for hours outside Ashe stadium due to a day session drifting long? … How many night sessions will go deep past midnight? … Will new New York mayor Bill de Blasio be tennis-friendly and high-profile like past mayors Michael Bloomburg and David Dinkins, or anti-tennis and no-profile like Rudy Giuliani?
BATTLE OF THE FRIENDS BOX: Federer typically has the snazziest friends box (think Tiger and Vogue editor Anna Wintour). Will he again prevail?
SERIOUS CHANGE: The men and women’s champions collect three million dollars, and if they also win the summer-long US Open Series, they could go home with a nifty million-dollar bonus. But pity those first round losers. They’ll “only” win $35,754.
MELTDOWN MANIA: Few other sports arenas have seen more melodramatic meltdowns. Think Ilie Nastase, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Andy Roddick, Serena, and Lleyton Hewitt, to name just a few. This year, will it be Fognini, Gulbis, or a surprise hell-raiser?
