The 2012 US Open at Flushing Meadows begins on Monday as the tours move from the grass to hard courts, with Novak Djokovic and Samantha Stosur looking to defend their titles, while Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Serena Williams loom large.
Murray heads into the US Open fresh from his gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and his final appearance at Wimbledon, where he was humbled by the resurgent Federer.
Last week the Swiss took out the Cincinnati Masters with a victory over Djokovic in the final, while the Serb had won the Rogers Cup in Canada earlier in the month.
Spanish star Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the New York event due to a knee injury, meaning the draw is wide open for Djokovic with Federer and Murray pitted in the same half ot he draw.
The ATP Tour went to North Carolina last week for the Winston-Salem Open, although the big names were absent, with local John Isner the winner over US Open sixth seed Tomas Berdych who is in Federer and Murray’s half of the draw in New York.
World number six Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bowed out in the semis of the event to eventual winner Isner. The Frenchman is another in Federer and Murray’s side of the draw.
For the women, the big favourites are 2012 Wimbledon champ and London Olympic gold medallist Serena Williams, world number one Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova, although it’s worth noting there’s been seven different Grand Slam winners since the 2011 Australian Open, such is the unpredictable nature of female tennis.
Seventh seed Stosur’s form doesn’t appear good enough to defend their crown, while the players making waves lately include ninth seed Li Na who won the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and finished runner-up at the Rogers Cup earlier this month.
Czech fifth seed Petra Kvitova defeated Li in the final of the Rogers Cup and her form is particularly impressive, doubling up that triumph with victory at the New Haven Open, knocking off Maria Kirilenko in the final.
It’s also worth noting this event is likely to be three-time US Open champion Kim Clijsters last ever as she heads towards retirement, so she’s one to look out for. Clijsters is the 23rd seed.