By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday August 27, 2023
A look inside what's at stake and what's on tap at the US Open, by the numbers.
Photo Source: Getty
It’s about that time… the 2023 US Open is about to get fast and furious on Monday. Before we get immersed in frantic and fabulous week one action, enjoy a preview of the Flushing Meadows fortnight, by the numbers.
24 – Novak Djokovic is back in the main draw at the US Open, after missing 2022, and he’s chasing history once again. The 36-year-old will bid to become the first man to ever hold 24 major singles titles in New York. If he turns the trick, he’ll be tied with Margaret Court on the all-time Grand Slam singles titles list.
1 – The World No.1 ranking is on the line on the men’s and women’s side at the US Open, and very likely could change hands.
Novak Djokovic just needs to win on Monday night to ensure a return to the top of the ATP rankings after the US Open; on the women’s side, Iga Swiatek must progress one round further than Aryna Sabalenka to maintain the No.1 ranking.
20 – Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest top seed on the men’s seed in US Open history.
21 – The combined age of this year’s No.1 seeds (20-year-old Alcaraz and 22-year-old Iga Swiatek).
100 – Venus Williams is set to play her 100th US Open match. Williams (79-20 lifetime with two titles in New York) meets Belgian qualifier Greet Minnen in the first round.
6 – Number of Grand Slam champions in the men’s draw – Djokovic, Alcaraz, Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Thiem, Andy Murray and Daniil Medvedev. There are 12 Grand Slam champions in the women’s draw.
2003 – This year marks the 20th anniversary of the last time an American man won a major title. Andy Roddick, who triumphed at the US Open over Juan Carlos Ferrero, is the culprit.
223 – 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev leads the ATP in hard court wins since the start of 2018 with 223. The Russian owns a 23-5 lifetime record in New York.
5 – Number of American men seeded at this year’s tournament, which is most for the American men since 2004.
7 – There are seven teenagers participating in the women’s singles draw at the US Open. The last teenager to win the women’s singles title at the US Open was Emma Raducanu (18) in 2021.
6 – There are six teenagers in the main draw on the men’s side: Learner Tien (17), Jakub Mensik (17) Alex Michelsen (19), Arthur Fils (19), Luca Van Assche (19), Ethan Quinn (19). The last teenager to win a US Open title on the men’s side was 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in 2022.
43 – Venus Williams is the oldest player competing in either draw, followed by Kaia Kanepi (38), Barbora Strycova (37) and Tatjana Maria (36). Stan Wawrinka, at 38, is the oldest player in the men’s draw, followed by John Isner (38), Richard Gasquet (37).
20 – Andre Agassi is the lowest-ranked champion on the men’s side in US Open history, and the only unseeded champion. He was ranked No.20 when he won the title in 1994.
Emma Raducanu is the lowest-ranked woman to win a US Open title, having won the title from qualifying in Flushing Meadows in 2021.
4 – Novak Djokovic bids to become the sixth player with four or more titles at the US Open this year. Only Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer (5 each), Rafael Nadal and John McEnroe (4) are in that club.
2008 – A man has not successfully defended his US Open title since Roger Federer in 2008. On the women’s side, Serena Williams was the last to achieve the feat, in 2014.