Who could win a shock US Open? Taylor Fritz, Cameron Norrie, Jessica Pegula look to follow Emma Raducanu

Look down the list of US Open champions over the last 10 years and you’ll immediately notice something different from the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon: variety.

While Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have dominated the first three men’s Grand Slams of the season, in New York there have been seven different champions over the last 10 years. On the women’s side the US Open has also thrown up more surprises than elsewhere, with five first-time Grand Slam champions in the last seven years.

So, after Daniil Medvedev and Emma Raducanu both broke their major ducks in New York in 2021, who could follow this time around?

Taylor Fritz

Fritz is enjoying a very strong year, rising up from outside the top 20 to the brink of the top 10 and separating himself from an upcoming bunch of young Americans to so far look the cream of the crop.

He won the biggest title of his career in Indian Wells earlier this season, came agonisingly close to making the Wimbledon semi-finals (failing to close out against an injured Rafael Nadal) and has wins over Andy Murray, Andrey Rublev and Nick Kyrgios this summer.

Although Fritz hasn’t enjoyed much success at his home slam yet, failing to make it past the third round, his big-hitting game and growing confidence should make him a contender for the latter stages this time around.

Cameron Norrie

After making the last four at Wimbledon, could British No. 1 Norrie go even further at the US Open?

Like Fritz, Norrie claimed his biggest career title at Indian Wells in 2021 and he has continued to build on that result to establish his place around the top 10. He might not always be the most aesthetically pleasing to watch, but there is little doubt that Norrie’s game deserves a high level of respect, especially on hard courts, where he has enjoyed most of his success.

Pablo Carreno Busta

Carreno Busta will fly under the radar in New York compared to fellow Spaniards Nadal and Alcaraz, but the 31-year-old could go as far as both of his compatriots.

Carreno Busta doesn’t have any huge weapons but is defensively strong and can take matches away from opponents when he does dial up the aggression. He’s one to watch over the next few weeks.

Jessica Pegula

While most of the top 10 have struggled for form this summer, Pegula has been a consistently strong performer, making the semi-finals in Toronto, where she also won the doubles titles with Coco Gauff, and reaching the quarter-finals in Cincinnati.

World No. 8 Pegula also beat Emma Raducanu in impressive fashion – after which she spoke about her position in women’s tennis.

“I feel like I am under the radar a little bit. I feel like a lot of people don’t know me or don’t care that I’m the No. 1-ranked American. ‘Oh, whatever. She’s kind of boring.’

“I’m fine with it. Yeah, I know my story is not the one people really want to root for. I’m kind of, like, ‘It’s fine.’ I will just be here and try to keep winning and doing my thing. I think I like it that way.”

While Pegula hasn’t achieved Raducanu levels of stardom yet, her summer form has been very impressive and a strong run in New York would win her many more admirers.

Caroline Garcia

“This girl is on fire.”

Garcia is ‘on’ right now. She’s won 26 of her last 30 matches, is 4-0 against top-10 players in that stretch, including beating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in Warsaw, and has won three titles in the last two months.

Garcia has not yet had a standout result at a Grand Slam, only making one quarter-final at the French Open in 2017. But with confidence soaring and her aggressive return position putting pressure on opponents, Garcia looks primed to make a run in New York.

Daria Kasatkina

Kasatkina was perhaps one of those more impacted by Wimbledon’s ban on Russian and Belarusian players given she was in encouraging form earlier this summer.

But she rebounded from the enforced absence in perfect fashion by winning the Silicon Valley Classic, beating Elena Rybakina, Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka along the way.