How deep can ‘rested’ Draper go at US Open?

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Sky Sports Tennis’ Gigi Salmon previews the US Open, looking at the prospects of Jack Draper, Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka and more, plus assessing the jazzed-up mixed doubles event…

I was asked the other day if I was packed and ready for the US Open.

My answer to the first part was definitely not packed, which isn’t unusual for me, but I’m more than ready!

There is a handful of tournaments this week for those who want or need some more tennis but the majority are already in New York, with qualifying under way, fan week in full swing and all eyes on the revamped mixed doubles competition, featuring some of the biggest names in the sport.

Largely players who are focused on singles – Jack Draper, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina to name but a few – with a smattering of doubles specialists including the defending US Open champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.

Two days, two venues, best of three sets, first to four games, and the winning team walking away with $1m before the main event begins.

I’m looking forward to watching it and I’m interested to see how many more withdraw after we lost the likes of Jasmine Paolini, Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul. As to whether it should be rolled out across all four Grand Slams I will reserve judgement!

A lot depends on the draw and how things shake out but it is worth taking a closer look at some of the storylines going into the final Grand Slam of the year, which you can see live on Sky Sports Tennis.

No 25 for Djokovic or more Sinner-Alcaraz dominance?

Will Novak Djokovic get his hands on Grand Slam title number 25, having not played since Wimbledon and the quest likely to get harder not easier as each Slam passes?

Will we get a fifth consecutive final, when they have both been in the draw, between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz? Will Jack Draper be able to defend his semi-final points having been sidelined with injury since Wimbledon?

Could the US Open get its first home men’s champion since Andy Roddick in 2003, with four Americans in the top 20 and two including champion in Canada, Ben Shelton, in the top 10?

Crazy to think that this time last year the news was just sinking in about Sinner’s failed drug tests.

We had spoken to him on court in Cincinnati just after he had won, thinking that there might be some lingering hip trouble, then the next day the statement was released.

Despite everything swirling around him he would go on and win his second Grand Slam title, before heading to Australia at the start of the following season and winning there, prior to starting a three-month suspension.

Sinner and Alcaraz missed Canada to return in Cincinnati and once again they were the last men standing, but only just in the case of Sinner who was ill and retired at 0-5 down in the first set, giving Alcaraz his eighth Masters 1000 title, a sixth title this year and quite possibly the upper hand going into New York.

Despite Sinner’s illness, and he still does have a good amount of time to fully recover, it is hard to see a winner coming from outside of the top two.

They are the best players in the world by far and it will take a special something to derail their respective charges to the final. For my winner, I will go with Sinner to defend his title.

Who are the dark horses?

Normally a dark horse couldn’t come from a player inside the top 10 but with the two at the top pulling away, I will say Ben Shelton – if his energy levels are good and his body is healthy.

For those of you wondering why I haven’t gone with Draper, semi-finalist last year, I will talk about Jack a little later but having not seen him since Wimbledon, it’s too much of an unknown.

In the women’s draw this intriguing season continues: three Grand Slams so far with three different champions and former US Open champion and now runner-up in Canada, Naomi Osaka, finding form at just the right time.

However, Osaka seemingly surrendered the Montreal final before it was over with the way she played from the middle of the second set onwards, and then gave a disappointing 45-word runners-up speech in which she failed to mention 18-year-old winner Victoria Mboko, who explained that Osaka was her idol.

Osaka said later when she did congratulate Mboko that she had simply forgotten to do so at the time.

She is a former champion, back on her favoured hard courts, has had a change in the coaching box, will be seeded and will be dangerous – if she can park what happened in Montreal.

Now I will try and state the case for a few but there are more than a handful that can put their hat in the ring…

Sabalenka gets balance of work and play right

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka – finalist in two of the three Slams this year – is defending champion in New York and I don’t think that losing in the quarter-finals in Cincy where she was also the defending champion was the worst thing to happen.

It gives her a few more days to prepare for the US Open and she’s not involved in the mixed doubles. She does seem to be getting the mix of work and play just right.

Tennis-free holidays, her favourite margaritas and shopping all help her get back on track after tough losses. Sometimes, as I’m sure many people who are reading this can relate to, it’s tough getting the right work-life balance.

Iga Swiatek won Wimbledon for her first title since the 2024 French Ooen and has now become Cincinnati champion for the first time, winning her 11th WTA 1000 tournament and a 24th career titles and at the age of just 24.

It’s a result that takes her back to world No 2 and she seems more relaxed in her game and in herself, which is when she is at her most dangerous. She is also very comfortable and settled with coach Wim Fisette.

Coco Gauff, despite the much-documented frailties in her game, is a two-time Grand Slam champion, most recently in Paris, and has won in New York before. She is tougher mentally than any other player on the tour male or female.

My women’s winner was nailed on to be Sabalenka, until I saw Elena Rybakina take her down in Cincinnati. I think I will still go with Sabalenka and for my dark horse – and I really need to get a definition of what qualifies as one – I will say Osaka.

As for the Brits, straight into the main draw on the men’s side are Draper, Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley, while in the women’s we have Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal.

Draper a ‘slight unknown’ after injury break

Draper is a slight unknown only because of his absence from the court in recent weeks due to a left arm injury, which in his own words was “nothing serious”. It was all about making sure he recovers fully for the rest of the season.

He will go into the US Open as world No 5, with semi-final points to defend and moving forward from that there is a place in the end-of-season ATP Finals in Turin to secure – he is currently seventh in the race with the top eight qualifying – while he is also part of the lucrative 6 Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia in October.

There is a new world that Jack has played his way into, with more demands on his time, increased sponsorship deals and fan recognition, all of which come with more pressure and possible distractions.

He does love these courts and how they play, though. Reports are he has looked great in training and has happy memories from his run at Flushing Meadows last year. Plus, he will be fully rested having not played since Wimbledon.

Norrie had been going through somewhat of a resurgence starting just before the French Open and leading to a quarter-final showing at Wimbledon which meant he was seeded in both Toronto and Cincinnati.

He won’t be seeded at the US Open where his previous best is reaching the last 16 in 2022 and he didn’t play last year due to a forearm injury. The slight worry is an illness that took its toll on him in recent events.

The third Brit straight in is Jacob Fearnley, who despite a recent run of losses has made great strides up the rankings.

This time last year he was world No 158 and lost in the first round of US Open qualifying to fellow Brit Paul Jubb. Fast forward 12 months and he’s sitting at 59 and will be making his main draw debut in New York, after he has finished at the ATP 250 in Winston-Salem this week.

Raducanu capable of another deep run in New York?

Raducanu only just missed out on being seeded and this time last year as world No 72 lost in the first round to Sofia Kenin.

Raducanu has been playing a great level of tennis since Miami back in March where she reached the quarter-finals. Some good wins on clay, a last-eight showing on the grass of Queen’s and then a semi-final at the 500-level Washington tournament has taken her to 39 in the rankings.

Again, a lot of this is draw dependent made tougher with not getting a seeding, but why not a deep run at a place where all her tennis dreams came true in 2021?

We must not forget the new coaching partnership with Francisco Roig, formerly of team Nadal, who she hopes can help her beat the top players while saying that their connection is based on trust and a shared understanding for the need for improvement.

The other thing to remember is that Raducanu has hardly any points to defend for the rest of the season, so as long as she stays fit she can continue to make good inroads with her ranking.

This time last year Kartal was ranked 161st in the world and would fall in the final round of qualifying for the US Open. Now she will be making her main-draw debut with a ranking of 51 and a game that can make players feel uncomfortable. After a first-round loss in Cleveland this week at the WTA 250, it’s over to Flushing Meadows.

Also playing in Cleveland is Boulter, who after a run of four consecutive losses will be looking for some wins and confidence.

Keep an eye on the Brits in the doubles

I also want to talk about our chances in the men’s doubles going into the US Open as we are with the top two players in the world in Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash, the current Wimbledon champions who went on a run of 22 consecutive wins, comprising four titles in a row.

They have six trophies for the year and qualification for the Tour Finals. The closest pair to them this season has been Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski who, while not winning a title in their first year together, have reached five finals including at the French Open.

There are currently five Brits in the Race to Turin. And we have the return of the wheelchair competitions after last year’s clash with the Paralympics.

And just a word on the prize money and why I might encourage my children to play more tennis, the men’s and women’s singles champions will get $5m (£3.7m) each an increase of 39 per cent from last year, the largest winning pay-out in tennis.

I really hope you can join us as we bring the whole of the Sky Sports Tennis team together including Martina Navratilova, Tim Henman, Laura Robson, Marion Bartoli and Ryan Harrison to name just a few.

We always have a lot of fun and you can watch the action including the mixed doubles this week, starting with Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu playing against each other from 7pm on Tuesday.

Then make sure you’re with us Sunday afternoon from 3pm for day one of the 2025 US Open, with every ball live on Sky Sports Tennis.

Watch the US Open live on Sky Sports from this Sunday through to September 7. Not got Sky? Stream without a contract.

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