US Open: Six questions for top six men’s title contenders including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev

Who will triumph at the final tennis major of the year in New York?

The sport’s biggest names are gathering at Flushing Meadows with history on their mind, and the potential stories ready to be written are numerous.

Another Carlos Alcaraz v Novak Djokovic epic? Iga Swiatek to win two slams in a year – again? Andy Murray to make the latter stages?

It was in New York last year where Carlos Alcaraz really announced himself to the tennis world, winning three successive five-set matches and then beating Casper Ruud to lift his first Grand Slam title and become world No. 1.

Alcaraz has only got better and better since.

But there’s work to be done to get there.

There isn’t as much history at stake for Novak Djokovic as there was on his last visit to the US Open in 2021, but there’s still the small matter of a 24th Grand Slam title, which would move him level with Margaret Court in the all-time standings.

Serena Williams showed that winning No. 24 is not an easy feat.

Will that Wimbledon result count for anything if they meet again in the US Open final?

As world No. 3, Daniil Medvedev is the closest challenger in terms of ranking to Alcaraz and Djokovic, but just how far away is he?

At Wimbledon he was impressive in making the semi-finals for the first time, but it was surprising he didn’t make the semis in either Toronto or Cincinnati, two tournaments where he has excelled in the past.

This is one of Medvedev’s favourite parts of the season and he showed two years ago in New York just how devastatingly good he can be on hard courts.

He will likely need to find that 2021 US Open-winning level again to challenge Alcaraz and Djokovic.

Despite a disappointing hard-court summer, Holger Rune has moved up to world No. 4 ahead of the US Open.

He comes into the Grand Slam with some injury concerns after retiring from his opening match in Cincinnati with a back injury, but has returned to practice since.

He has made the quarters of his last two majors and has beaten Djokovic twice over the last year, including on hard courts in Paris in late 2022.

However, on current form he looks a slight level below the leading contenders.

It was probably expected that Casper Ruud would fall back a bit after his standout 2022 campaign, but he has probably fallen back a little more than expected.

Reaching the French Open final for a second straight year was impressive, but away from clay he has not had many deep runs, which is a surprise after his success on hard courts last season.

At last year’s US Open he was a win away from a first Grand Slam title and reaching world No. 1, and he finished the season by reaching the final of the ATP Finals.

Ruud has shown he can contend on hard courts which means he can’t be counted out, but like a few others he will probably need to find his very best level to go deep.

Djokovic v Alcaraz might be the leading rivalry on the ATP Tour right now, but don’t sleep on Alcaraz v Jannik Sinner.

A year ago at the US Open, Sinner passed up a match point as he lost to Alcaraz in a thrilling five-set clash. They have met twice more on hard courts since, Alcaraz winning in the semis in Indian Wells before Sinner levelled the head-to-head record at 3-3 with victory in Miami.

Sinner comes into the US Open after winning the biggest title of his career in Toronto earlier this month, which he said raises confidence, but also expectations.

He could be the best of the rest.