Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka chasing rare repeats as US Open gets under way
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Both Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner (pictured) are attempting to become the first players to successfully defend their titles for more than a decade.
PHOTO: AFP
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NEW YORK – Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are chasing rare repeat US Open triumphs as the final Grand Slam of the season got under way in New York on Aug 24.
Women’s world No. 1 Sabalenka opened the defence of her 2024 crown on the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre’s Arthur Ashe Stadium showcourt against unseeded Swiss player Rebeka Masarova in one of the highlights of the opening day of the singles, which was being held on a Sunday for the first time in the Open era.
Italy’s world No. 1 Sinner, meanwhile, begins his bid for back-to-back titles on Aug 26, when the 24-year-old takes on unseeded Czech Vit Kopriva.
Both Sabalenka and Sinner are attempting to become the first players to successfully defend their titles for more than a decade.
No woman has repeated at the US Open since Serena Williams won the last of a hat-trick of titles in 2014, following wins in 2013 and 2012.
On the men’s side, it has been 17 long years since a successful title defence, with Roger Federer’s 2008 victory capping a remarkable run of five straight championships.
Sabalenka, 27, believes difficulty in repeating is part of the challenge of Flushing Meadows fortnight, where everything is noisier, flashier and simply bigger than other Grand Slams.
“I think it’s a lot of pressure, definitely,” the Belarusian said. “Just because this place is so big, and it feels bigger than the other Slams in some ways.
“Maybe every time defending champions come and they put so much pressure on themselves. But I feel like I’m experienced enough to just focus on myself and try to replicate that result.”
Asked for her thoughts on the fact that the last 11 US Open titles have been split by 10 players, Sabalenka quipped: “My thought is to change it.”
Both Aryna Sabalenka (above) and Jannik Sinner are attempting to become the first players to successfully defend their titles for more than a decade.
PHOTO: AFP
Sinner echoed Sabalenka’s comments, attributing the difficulty of repeating in New York to a combination of factors – season-ending fatigue, scheduling of games and size.
“We are heading towards the end of the season, so some players, they are tired,” Sinner said.
“It’s also the last big trophy of the year. Things can change... I don’t know what’s gonna happen this time. But of course it’s a very, very difficult tournament to play.”
Sinner and Sabalenka are the top seeds in a field that will be rewarded with a record US$90 million (S$115.4 million) purse, making the US Open the richest tournament in the world. The men’s and women’s singles champions will receive US$5 million each.
The biggest threat to Sinner’s hopes of defending his title is likely to come from Spain’s second seed Carlos Alcaraz.
The 22-year-old, winner of the US Open in 2022, has already faced Sinner twice in Grand Slam finals this season, winning a five-set classic in the French Open in June before losing to the Italian in the Wimbledon final in July. AFP
