By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday August 23, 2023
The US Open should deliver the dynamic final the world wants: A climactic major clash between the world's top two.
Novak Djokovic denied championship point out-dueling world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in a dizzying Cincinnati epic final on Sunday. That Queen City thriller could be prelude to a Queens clash coming next month.
Allaster: US Open Ball is in WTA's Court
ESPN analyst John McEnroe sees defending US Open champion Alcaraz and reigning Roland Garros and Australian Open champion Djokovic facing off for the third time in a Grand Slam in the US Open final.
In a Zoom call with the media today to promote ESPN's first ball to last ball US Open coverage starting on Monday, August 28th at noon on ESPN, McEnroe said it's a two-man race for US Open supremacy with 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev the third favorite for Flushing Meadows.
"I would also say Novak's in an incredible spot," McEnroe told the media on ESPN's Zoom call. "I think he's handled it incredibly well, actually. The fact that he's passed Nadal and Federer is amazing, and the way he looks, he looks like he's going to win multiple Slams more.
"It feels like he could go on for another two, three, four years at this rate. It's remarkable what we're watching, and certainly him and Alcaraz are the two guys coming in that you figure the odds are pretty good that one of those two is going to win it."
So what happens if either three-time US Open champion Djokovic, who owns an 81-13 lifetime record in New York, or the 20-year-old Alcaraz, who is aiming to defend a Grand Slam title for the first time, falter?
McEnroe cites two dark horses to watch: 2022 semifinalist Frances Tiafoe and world No. 6 Jannik Sinner, who battled Alcaraz before bowing 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-7(0), 7-5, 6-3, in a US Open quarterfinal clash that officially ended at 2:50 a.m.
"I had to pick one guy, Sinner would probably be the guy that's in that position to make that step, which he hasn't made," McEnroe told Tennis now. "He got to a semis finally, lost to Novak. To me he's positioned himself well. It's hard to envision.
"I'd love to see Francis get his act together and do something, but he got to the semis, so he's going to feel pressure even trying to replicate that. But it would be incredible for an American player to make a breakthrough to me, but the likelihood is that it isn't going to happen.
"You can see it's going to be Djokovic or Alcaraz, Medvedev is the next guy, and then Sinner. After that, it's going to be pretty tough to envision a guy going all the way."
Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty