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The Big three of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal are the top three seeds at the 2019 US Open. With a staggering haul of 54 Grand Slams and 11 US Open titles among them, they are also the three favourites to win the title at the last Grand Slam event of this year.
The trio have swept the last 11 Grand Slam titles with Djokovic and Nadal claiming four each while Federer has three to his name since the start of the 2017 season.
Stanislas Wawrinka is the lone player outside of the Big three to have won a Grand Slam title (2016 US Open) and is one of five players in the draw to have won the title at Flushing Meadows.
As the 139th edition of the US Open gets underway next week, let us analyse the contenders, dark horses and the dangerous floaters.
The contenders
#1 Novak Djokovic (Three-time US Open winner)
The top-seeded Serb and World No.1 opens his 14th US Open campaign against Roberto Carbaelles Baena before facing the prospect of squaring off against the big-serving American Sam Querrey, who beat Djokovic in the third round at 2016 Wimbledon.
If Djokovic reaches the second week at Flushing Meadows, he could face 2016-winner Stan Wawrinka in a repeat of the 2016 US Open final or last year's finalist Kevin Anderson and post that will face the daunting prospect of facing in-form Cincinnati Open 2019 winner Daniil Medvedev. Djokovic has lost two of his meetings against Medvedev this year (Monte Carlo quarterfinals, Cincinnati semifinals) while he won their clash at the Australian Open.
In a potentially last-four clash, the threat of five-time champion Roger Federer looms large. The duo has split wins from their six clashes at the US Open but Djokovic has won their last three matches at Flushing Meadows and will have the advantage.
The Serb has won four matches in a row against Federer in all competitions and hasn't lost to the Swiss in five Grand Slam matches since the semifinals of 2012 Wimbledon.
Another Grand Slam match win over Federer would earn Djokovic a record ninth US Open title match where he could face another old rival Rafael Nadal, against whom he leads 1-2 in US Open finals and 4-4 in all Grand Slam finals.
A successful title defence for Djokovic would be the first at the US Open since Roger Federer did so in 2008 and the Serb would emulate Federer in becoming the only other player to win three Grand Slams in a year on three separate occasions.
# 2: Roger Federer (Five-time US Open winner)
The five-time US Open champion makes his record-equalling 18th appearance as a seed at the last Grand Slam of the year.
Perched in the top half of the draw, the Swiss faces a qualifier and Damir Dzumhur or another qualifier in his opening two rounds. Lucas Pouille is the first seed in Federer's quarter of the draw. David Goffin and Guido Pella are probable fourth-round opponents.
In the quarterfinals, the quartet of Milos Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric or Kei Nishikori looms large.
A 11th semifinal at Flushing Meadows could see the Swiss lock horns with top seed Djokovic, against whom he has split their previous six meetings at the US Open.
If Federer gets his first win over the Serb in six Grand Slam matches since the 2012 Wimbledon semis, he could have his first meeting at the US Open with his arch-rival Rafael Nadal in the title match.
Federer trails Nadal 16-24 head-to-head, 4-10 in Grand Slams and 3-6 in Grand Slam finals but in his last meeting with the Spaniard in a Grand Slam title match, the Swiss landed his fifth title at the Australian Open in 2017.
# 3: Rafael Nadal (Three-time US Open winner)
Second seed Rafael Nadal has the toughest route to the final among the top three seeds.
The Spaniard faces Federer's 2018 US Open conqueror John Millman in the first round and could face another Aussie, Thannasi Kokkinakis in the next round.
Compatriot Fernando Verdasco is the first seed in Nadal's quarter of the draw. Despite an imposing 17-3 head-to-head lead over his countryman, Nadal lost their last Grand Slam meeting at the 2016 Australian Open first round.
2014 winner Marin Cilic and John Isner are probable fourth-round opponents. Nadal's last Grand Slam meeting with Cilic was in the quarterfinals of 2018 Australian Open where the Spaniard came up second best.
In the last eight, Nadal could face the trio of Jo-WilfredTsonga, Karen Khachanov or Sascha Zverev.
If Nadal gets past the quarterfinals, he could lock horns with StefanosTsitsipas or Dominic Thiem in the semifinals. The Spaniard won his last Grand Slam meeting with Tsitsipas in the semifinals of the 2019 Australian Open while Nadal needed a fifth set tiebreak win to get past Thiem in the pair's last hard court meeting in the 2018 US Open quarterfinals.
In his fifth US Open final, he could face either Djokovic for the fourth time in a Flushing Meadows final or Federer for the first time at the last Grand Slam of the year. Nadal is 4-4 in major finals with Djokovic and 6-3 against Federer but has lost his last hardcourt Grand Slam finals against both (2019 Aus Open: lost to Djokovic and 2017 Aus Open: lost to Federer).
The dark horses
# 1: Daniil Medvedev
With 16 wins in his last 18 matches, season leading 44 wins overall and 31 wins on hard court, the young Russian, Danil Medvedev, is the most in-form player at the 2019 US Open.
At a career-high world no. 5 since his maiden Masters title in Cincinnati, Medvedev opens his 3rd campaign at the US Open against Prajnesh Gunneswaran of India before facing a qualifier or Bolivian Hugo Dellien in the next round.
Taylor Fritz is the first seeded opponent in Medvedev's quarter of the draw. If the Russian gets to his first fourth-round at the US Open, Fabio Fognini or Nikoloz Basilashvili are probable opponents on the way to a blockbuster quarterfinal with Djokovic whom he has beaten twice in as many meetings this year.
5th-seed Wawrinka is the highest seed Medvedev has overcome at a Grand Slam (2017 Wimbledon first round).
The prize for beating the world no. 1 would land Medvedev in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time where Roger Federer, who has beaten the Russian in all three of their meetings, could be waiting.
# 2: Dominic Thiem
Two-time Grand Slam finalist Dominic Thiem (2018-19 French Open) landed the biggest title of his career on the hard courts of the Indian Wells Masters. The Austrian arrives at the last Grand Slam of the year with a 31-12 match win record which includes titles in Indian Wells, Barcelona, and Kitzbuehel.
In his sixth appearance at Flushing Meadows, Thiem would look to get past the quarterfinals and record his best performance at a hard court Grand Slam.
Perched in the bottom half of the draw with Nadal, the second seed opens his campaign in New York against Italian Thomas Fabbiano before facing a qualifier or Alexander Bublik in the second round.
Kyle Edmund is the highest seed in Thiem's quarter of the draw. Frenchman Gael Monfils and young Canadian Felix Auger Alliassime are probable fourth-round opponents.
The Austrian could face Sascha Zverev, Nick Kyrgios or Stefanos Tsitsipas in his second US Open quarterfinal before a rematch with Nadal in the semis. Thiem came within two points of a victory against the Spaniard in the 2018 US Open quarterfinals before succumbing in a gladiatorial 4 hr-49 min battle.
If Thiem gets past the Spaniard, it would be his first Grand Slam final outside the French Open, where Djokovic and Federer could be probable opponents.
# 3: Stefanos Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas produced his best Grand Slam performance at the Australian Open this year where he upset six-time champion Roger Federer en-route to a maiden Grand Slam semifinal where he lost to Rafael Nadal.
The Greek won his second career title in Marseille and lost to Federer in the Dubai final.
In his tenth Grand Slam appearance and second at the US Open, eighth-seeded Tsitsipas, on a three-match losing run since Wimbledon, opens his account against Federer's Cincinnati conqueror Andrei Rublev before a second-round meeting with Bjorn Fratangelo or Giles Simon.
In a repeat of their Washington semifinal earlier in the season, the 21-year-old could run into mercurial Australian Nick Kyrgios in the third round.
A fourth-round meeting with Berretini or Roberto Bautista-Agut would land Tsitsipas in his first US Open quarterfinal where Gael Monfils and Dominic Thiem are probable opponents.
In his second major semifinal, Tsitsipas could face Karen Khachanov or Nadal for a place in his maiden Slam final where Federer or Djokovic might be waiting.
# 4: Karen Khachanov
The 2018 Paris-Bercy Masters winner turned around an underwhelming 10-12 start to the season with a maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance at the French Open where he fell to eventual finalist Dominic Thiem.
The four-time titlist is the second Russian player in the top-ten behind his good friend Daniil Medvedev and arrives at the US Open with a career-high world no. 8 ranking.
In his fourth appearance at Flushing Meadows, Khachanov opens his campaign against Vasek Pospisil and faces Tsonga or Sandgren in the second round. Diego Schwartzmann is the first seeded player in Khachanov's quarter of the draw.
Sascha Zverev is a potential fourth-round opponent before Cilic or Nadal could lie in wait in the quarterfinals.
Tsitsipas, Kyrgios, and Thiem could obstruct the Russian's path in the semis ahead of a maiden Slam final against either Federer or Djokovic.
# 5: Alexander Zverev
Sascha Zverev is another dark horse for the US Open title. The two-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, three-time Masters 1000 titlist, and reigning 2018 ATP Finals winner has never got past the third round in four previous appearances at Flushing Meadows.
The German opens his campaign against Moldovan Radu Albot before an explosive second round against Frances Tiafoe or Ivo Karlovic.
Frenchman Benoit Paire is the first seeded player in Zverev's quarter of the draw. Khachanov is a possible fourth-round opponent ahead of a quarterfinal against Cilic, Isner or Nadal.
In his first Grand Slam semifinal, Tsitsipas, Kyrgios or Thiem could lie in wait, before Federer or Djokovic looms large in the final.
The dangerous floaters
# 1: Stan Wawrinka (2016 US Open winner)
Stan Wawrinka is one of five Grand Slam champions and former winners at Flushing Meadows this time. The 'other' Swiss beat Djokovic in the 2016 final to win his only title at the US Open.
Seeded 23rd this year, he could have a rematch with the top-seeded Serb in the fourth round, to reach a sixth quarterfinal at the last Grand Slam of the year.
Wawrinka's recent form has been patchy. He has only reached the second week at a Grand Slam once (2019 French Open QF) since finishing runner-up at the 2017 French Open. The Swiss opens his 15th US Open campaign against a qualifier.
# 2: Marin Cilic (2014 US Open winner)
Marin Cilic is one of five men in the 2019 US Open draw to have won the title at Flushing Meadows. The Croat is also a two-time Grand Slam finalist (2017 Wimbledon and 2018 Australian Open).
Cilic opens his 11th US Open campaign against a qualifier and could face three-time winner Nadal in the fourth round, whom he beat in their last Grand Slam meeting at the 2018 Australian Open quarterfinals.
# 3: Kei Nishikori
The seventh-seeded Nishikori opens his tenth US Open campaign against a qualifier and could face five-time winner Federer in the quarterfinals.
The Japanese is one of seven players in the 2019 US Open draw to have reached the title match at Flushing Meadows. Nishikori lost to Cilic in his only Grand Slam final appearance at the 2014 US Open.
# 4: Roberto Bautista Agut
The newest entrant in the top-ten of the ATP rankings has had a career-best season, winning a title in Doha, beating world no. 1 Djokovic twice, and reaching a maiden Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon where he lost to the eventual champion Djokovic.
The tenth seed opens his seventh US Open campaign against Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin and could face Tsitsipas in the fourth round, Thiem in the quarterfinals and compatriot Nadal in the semis.
# 5: Fabio Fognini
Fognini became the oldest player to triumph at a Masters 1000 tournament when he beat 11-time champion Nadal in the semis and first-time Masters finalist Lajovic in the final in Monte Carlo. Weeks later Fognini became the first Italian player in the top ten of the ATP rankings in over four decades.
The Italian's best performance at a Grand Slam is a quarterfinal appearance at the 2011 French Open. In 11 previous appearances at the US Open, Fognini has gone past the third round only once (2015). That was the year when the Italian overhauled a two-set deficit to upset two-time champion, Rafael Nadal.
Fognini opens his 2019 campaign against big-serving American Reilly Opelka and could face Cincinnati winner Medvedev in the fourth round and defending champion Djokovic in the quarterfinals.
# 6: Nick Kyrgios
The Brisbane and Washington winner is a two-time quarter-finalist at Grand Slams. His most famous win came as a 19-year-old when he stunned two-time winner Nadal at 2014 Wimbledon.
The world no. 29 opens his 7th US Open campaign against American Steve Johnson and could face eighth seed Tsitsipas in the third round, Thiem in the quarterfinals and Nadal in the semis.
The temperamental Australian is not a serious contender for the 2019 US Open title but on his day he has beaten the best players on the grandest of stages.
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