US Open 2023: 3 dark horses for men's singles title ft. Alexander Zverev

Main draw action at the 2023 US Open is scheduled to kick off on August 28, with the final Major tournament of the year promising to be a cracker on the men's side.

While Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are the overwhelming favourites to triumph at the New York Slam, the depth of the field ensures that there will be a few other players with an outside chance of going all the way in Flushing Meadows.

The US Open has historically seen relatively more surprise champions than the other three Grand Slam tournaments that precede it. In that context, there will be several dark horses who could have an inspiring run in New York city over the course of the next two weeks.

Without further ado, here's a look at three such players:

#3 Stefanos Tsitsipas

Stefanos Tsitsipas is yet to reach the second week of the US Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas will be looking to flip the script on his 2023 season this coming fortnight. The Greek, who has accumulated a 40-15 win/loss record on the ATP Tour this year, has failed to make an impact at a big tournament since the Australian Open in January - where he finished as the runner-up to Novak Djokovic.

While the Greek has had middling results since January (barring an ATP 250 title victory at Los Cabos and a run to the final at the Barcelona Open), his game will still ensure that he is in with a minuscule chance of going all the way at the 2023 US Open.

He possesses one of the best forehands in men's tennis right now, which will likely earn him rich rewards on the medium-paced hardcourts of Flushing Meadows. The 25-year-old also has a reliable first serve, which would likely come in handy in keeping his opponents at bay.

Perhaps, if Tsitsipas employs aggressive tactics on his return and keeps his backhand sharp, he could end up going deep at the tournament. He will also be looking to make up for his first-round shock loss to qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan at last year's US Open.

#2 Hubert Hurkacz

Hubert Hurkacz will be hopeful of a good showing at the 2023 US Open

Hubert Hurkacz, who is one of the best big-match players on the ATP Tour, has become notorious recently for being ranked below his potential. The Pole began the season ranked inside the top 10 of the men's rankings, but inconsistent results led to him dropping to as low as No. 20 in the world earlier this month.

The former World No. 9, however, redeemed himself with his Cincinnati run last week. The 26-year-old beat the likes of Tsitsipas and World No. 16 Borna Coric en route to the semifinals, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in three sets after having held a match point.

Hurkacz has by far the best serve on the men's tour currently; he has won nearly 80% of his first serve points this season, while hitting a whopping 15.5 aces on average. The Pole also has a good second serve and possesses the ability to hit the mark with his serves on crucial points.

In that aspect, the Pole's spot serving is likely to put him in good stead for the last Major tournament of the year. If the World No. 17 can improve his focus during baseline rallies and not pull the trigger at inopportune moments, he could end up doing some serious damage to the top seeds at the 2023 US Open.

#1 Alexander Zverev (former US Open finalist)

Alexander Zverev has had ideal preparation for his 2023 US Open campaign

Alexander Zverev is one opponent that no top-seeded player would fancy facing at this year's US Open. The German was looking well-primed for Grand Slam glory last year, but suffered a serious setback as he tore his right ankle ligaments during the semifinals of the 2022 French Open.

Zverev was subsequently out of action for the rest of the 2022 season before making his return to competitive tennis this year. The German was a shadow of his past self for the first five months this year but has since hit a rich vein of form.

The 26-year-old reached the semifinals at the 2023 French Open in June and won the ATP 500 tournament in Hamburg in July. Zverev then hit top form at last week's Cincinnati Open, beating familiar foe and World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev en route to a last-four result at the Masters 1000 tournament.

The 6'6" German employs high-margin, deep groundstrokes from both wings, while also maintaining a high degree of consistency from the back of the court. He also possesses one of the best first serves in men's tennis, solidifying his game's status as one of the most efficient on tour.

Zverev never shies from an excruciatingly long exchange, which is a quality that could make him the most dangerous player to not be a top seed at the New York Slam. Currently ranked No. 12 in the world, he will most likely not face a top-four seed before the quarterfinals of the 2023 US Open.