Sinner Begins US Open Title Defence as Swiatek and Gauff Eye Glory

The US Open opening week is already alive with anticipation as Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff step onto the hard courts of New York chasing history. For men’s world number one and top seed Sinner, it marks the start of his title defence, while Swiatek and Gauff set out to dethrone defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka.

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For Sinner, the stakes are particularly high. It has been more than a year since a men’s Grand Slam final was contested without him, and in that span the Italian has collected three of the last four majors. Now 24, he is widely favoured to repeat his triumph at Flushing Meadows. Yet his recent retirement in the Cincinnati Open final against long-time rival Carlos Alcaraz has left some uncertainty. After trailing 5-0 and pulling out due to illness, Sinner admitted he was not at his best, though he has since declared himself fit to compete.

His rivalry with Alcaraz has become one of the defining storylines in men’s tennis, the two splitting recent major finals and setting the stage for another potential clash in New York. “At the moment, me and Carlos, we are sharing big trophies,” Sinner said before the tournament. “But at the same time, things can change … the way to the final, it’s very difficult to get there.” His opening test comes against Vit Kopriva, a first-round opponent unlikely to trouble him if his health holds steady.

In the women’s draw, Swiatek arrives with renewed momentum. Although her quest for a fourth consecutive French Open ended in disappointment earlier this year, the world number two rebounded by reaching two Slam semi-finals and capturing Wimbledon for her sixth career major. Fresh off her Cincinnati Open victory, Swiatek has reminded her rivals that while she may be nicknamed the “Queen of Clay,” most of her WTA titles have actually come on hard courts. “Honestly, I already think it doesn’t make sense to call anyone the favourite,” she said, emphasizing the depth of competition in the women’s game. “There are many players that play really good and can win the tournament.”

Her first-round opponent is Camila Osorio Arango, making her main draw debut at the US Open. While the Colombian newcomer is untested at this level, her run to the Merida Open final earlier this year shows she is capable of upsetting established names. Swiatek, however, appears in peak form and full of confidence.

For Coco Gauff, this US Open is both a chance at redemption and a celebration of progress. The 21-year-old American stunned the tennis world with her maiden Slam victory at Roland Garros in June, but inconsistency in her serve has been her greatest hurdle since. She leads the WTA Tour in double faults this season, and her struggles were exposed at Wimbledon, where she was knocked out in the first round, and again in Cincinnati, where she served 16 double faults in a loss to Jasmine Paolini.

In a bid to fix her serve, Gauff split from long-time coach Matthew Daly just days before arriving in New York, bringing in Gavin MacMillan, formerly Sabalenka’s serving coach. “It was a very sudden decision,” Gauff explained. “But I just felt this was the best decision for my game.” For the American star, who won her first major at the US Open in 2023, the return to Flushing Meadows is more than symbolic—it is the place where she first proved herself on the grandest stage.

“I’m obsessed with the process of getting better,” Gauff admitted. “Yeah, sometimes maybe it hurts because I get obsessed with it too much. But I know I’m close to my best again.”

With Sinner defending his crown, Swiatek surging with confidence, and Gauff eager to deliver in front of her home crowd, the US Open is shaping up for a thrilling fortnight.