Deferred rivalry: On the U.S. Open

The Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry is no doubt this era’s defining matchup, but it has also been punctuated by long pauses. In early 2025, Sinner was absent for three months as he served a doping-related ban; this season, Alcaraz was out of action for four months from mid-April owing to a troublesome wrist. Just when it seemed that the two leading lights will come face to face at the US Open starting Sunday, Sinner has been waylaid by a knee injury. In 2025, they met six times in six months; there has just been a solitary duel in the subsequent nine. In a way, the postponement of the battle may suit Alcaraz, for the seven-time Major champion has not played a competitive singles fixture since Barcelona in April. The Spaniard has warmed up for Flushing Meadows with two mixed doubles matches partnering the legendary Serena Williams, but a best-of-five-sets contest is a significant step-up. The 23-year-old will open against Roman Safiullin — a tricky player who beat Alcaraz in 2023 on a Paris hard-court and reached the Wimbledon fourth round this year — and is drawn to meet the in-form American Ben Shelton in the quarterfinal. Potential semifinal opponents include 24-time Slam titlist Novak Djokovic and 2021 US Open winner Daniil Medvedev, which makes the defending champion’s path challenging.

However, Djokovic and Medvedev are on their own tough journeys. The 39-year-old Serb is no longer the once-renowned hard-court master, and lost his lone match – in Cincinnati – after the semifinal reverse to Sinner at Wimbledon. Medvedev was last in a Major final at the 2024 Australian Open and is without a trophy since February. Alexander Zverev thus has a golden opportunity to make his big breakthrough on his favourite surface. Without Sinner, the German will be the top seed, and following the French Open triumph and Wimbledon runner-up finish, the 29-year-old will be confidence personified. Among women, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka would have liked to be that player, but the Belarusian World No. 1 has wobbled of late and seen her lead at the top cut to less than 450 points. Her chief challenger Elena Rybakina may be racing against time to recover from an ankle injury, but with Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula all in impressive form leading into New York, Sabalenka will have a daunting task. Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova will be looking for a worthy follow-up while the fast-rising 21-year-old from the Philippines, Alexandra Eala, will hope to continue her recent eye-popping run. With Serena and Venus Williams set to pair up in doubles, there will be a rich sprinkling of stardust too.