Jannik Sinner makes shock withdrawal, Novak Djokovic wins his last Slam | 5 bold predictions for US Open 2025

The who's who of tennis is assembled in New York for the US Open 2025. While the tournament gets underway from August 24, the new version of mixed doubles is already done and dusted. The two-day event wrapped up on Wednesday, August 20, with Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori winning the title.

Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are the defending champions in singles. Along with the title, they're also defending their No. 1 ranking. The former faces a threat from Carlos Alcaraz, while Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are challenging the latter.

There are numerous storylines to follow over the next two weeks. As the season's final Major gets underway, here are five bold predictions that may or may not come to fruition at the US Open 2025:

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#1. Jannik Sinner to potentially withdraw from the US Open at the last minute

Sinner won the Australian Open at the start of the season, and was sidelined for three months after that on account of his positive doping test from a year ago. Upon his return to the tour, he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the finals of the Italian Open and French Open. He avenged his loss to the Spaniard by beating him in the Wimbledon final.

The two met in the Cincinnati Open final a few days ago, where Sinner was the defending champion. The final was on Monday, August 18, and he started to feel a little under the weather on Sunday. He still showed up to compete but clearly was in no shape to do so, and ultimately retired after going down 5-0.

Sinner then pulled out of the mixed doubles at the US Open in order to recover. The full extent of his illness isn't known, and if it is serious, then his title defense in New York could be over in an instant. He still has time on his hands, though it wouldn't be surprising to see him withdraw at the last minute if he's not feeling fully fit.

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#2. Iga Swiatek to possibly make an early exit from the US Open

Iga Swiatek at the Cincinnati Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Despite some strong results in the first half of the season, Iga Swiatek didn't have any silverware to show for her efforts. She turned her season around by claiming her sixth Major title at Wimbledon, and recently won the Cincinnati Open as well.

The Cincinnati champion has won the US Open as well for the past two years. Aside from her Wimbledon triumph, Swiatek made the semifinals of the Australian Open and the French Open. She has reached at least the fourth round in New York every year since 2021, and won the title in 2022.

Given her current form, Swiatek could easily make a deep run here. However, she has never made the second week of all four Majors in the same season. If the trend continues, then she's due for an early exit after making deep runs at the previous three Majors this year.

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#3. Novak Djokovic to potentially capture his 25th Major title, while the women's side has a surprise winner

When Novak Djokovic claimed his 24th Major title at the US Open 2023, it appeared as if he would add another couple to his resume at the very least. He also won three Major titles that year, so even one Major title a year would've helped him achieve the feat.

However, Djokovic has reached only one Major final since then, going down to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon 2024 final. He has lost in the semifinals of all three Majors this year. While his tally of 24 Major titles is the all-time record on the men's tour, he is currently tied with Margaret Court, who also has 24 Major titles on the all-time list.

This could be Djokovic's opportunity to finally wrap up his mission. He chased the Olympic gold medal for so long and ultimately won it at last year's Paris Olympics. History could repeat itself in New York. He has landed in the same half as Alcaraz, and he has always beaten him on hardcourts. Sinner could be potentially hindered, making this the perfect time for him to strike and capture his long-awaited 25th Major crown.

Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are the top picks to win the women's singles title. However, there hasn't been a surprise winner in quite some time now. Even though Madison Keys was a first-time Major champion at the Australian Open, she was always in the running to win a Major. This year's US Open could finally snap the trend of repeat winners with the crowning of a new champion.

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#4. Venus Williams to potentially make a deep run in New York

Venus Williams at the US Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Venus Williams is still going strong at the age of 45. She embarked on her latest comeback at the Citi DC Open in July, and even beat a top 40 player in the form of Peyton Stearns. The competitive fire still burns strong within her even after being on the tour for close to three decades.

Williams will face 11th seed Karolina Muchova in the first round. A tough opener for sure, though one cannot count out a player of her caliber. The American is possibly waiting for one final hurrah, and that motivation could inspire her to roll back the years and make a deep run at her home Slam this time. Doing so would be an amazing achievement in the twilight of her career.

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#5. Ben Shelton to potentially stun Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals

Based on the draw, Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz are on a collision course in the quarterfinals of the US Open. The latter has won all three of their matches so far, including their most recent tussle at this year's French Open.

However, Shelton has improved a lot this year, and clinched his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open a couple of weeks ago. This could be his time to shine, and with the backing of the home crowd, an upset win over Alcaraz doesn't seem so far-fetched. He's due for a big win, and it could happen as soon as next week.