Novak Djokovic may be handed a golden opportunity to win his 25th major title at this year’s US Open.
As of now, it is uncertain whether the two best players in the world will feature at the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year.
Carlos Alcaraz remains sidelined with a wrist injury and recently delayed his return by withdrawing from the ongoing Cincinnati Open.
Who has more Wimbledon titles by 2036 between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz?
They have 2 each right now…
Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, has also yet to feature on the North American hard-court swing, having also pulled out of Cincinnati with a new knee injury.
Djokovic could have a path to the title that does not involve either of the ‘new two’, but there are still question marks around him, says Tommy Paul’s coach, Brad Stine.
Brad Stine discusses Novak Djokovic’s chances at the US Open
Speaking on the Inside-In Tennis Podcast, Stine said: “I think Novak is an absolute wildcard question mark. We’ve seen the level that he can produce, like in Australia this year and also in the other Slams.
“But at the same time, you know, his fitness level is a bit of a question if he goes five sets early in a tournament with whoever it might be.
“That’s definitely not to his benefit at this point anymore, and he’s even made that statement. It doesn’t necessarily have to be Carlos or Jannik that’s pushing him to five sets.
“If he plays the first round and he plays somebody that’s ranked 40 or 50 or 60 and they’re on a [good] day, it forces him to be out there for five, five and a half, six hours. Then we don’t know how that’s going to affect him down the road.
Who is your pick to win the US Open men’s singles title?
“And so then I think everybody else you look at in the draw, all of a sudden becomes viable possibilities for going deep in the tournaments.
“Can they win? Can a guy who’s ranked outside the top 15 or so win? I don’t know. Maybe he can, maybe he can’t.
“But you’ve got to start looking at all the rest of the guys, you know, Felix and Casper and like pretty much anybody, to be honest with you.”
Brad Stine says Alexander Zverev could win the US Open
Alexander Zverev will also receive a great chance to add to his major tally should Sinner and Alcaraz both withdraw from the US Open.
Zverev clinched his first major at Roland Garros and made it to the Wimbledon final earlier this summer.
“I think that Zverev now has a little extra swagger when he’s walking out on the court with that title under his belt,” said Stine
“I think that it’s freed him up a little bit, and I said this right after he won, you know, there’s a possibility that all of a sudden now he’s going to win two or three more.
“I think anybody around the sport or a fan, you know, we’ve all known that he had that capability. It was getting over the hump and getting past the nerves that kind of cropped up for him a little bit in those big moments.
“But now I think that, you know, you can notch him up a little bit more of a level. He’s that much more dangerous.”
Zverev is a former finalist at the US Open, having reached the last stage in 2020 before falling to Dominic Thiem.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
