Tuesday 29 August 2017 15:23, UK
Roger Federer and new world No 1 Rafael Nadal will headline the final Grand Slam of the year in New York and will believe they are well placed to continue their renaissance.
The pair have dominated the three previous major championships - Federer won in Melbourne before claiming his 19th Grand Slam at Wimbledon while Nadal secured his 10th title at Roland Garros.
Their chances of further tightening their stranglehold over the coveted Grand Slams in 2017 have been aided with the withdrawals of high-profile names in Flushing Meadows - Novak Djokovic has been ruled out for the rest of the season while defending champion Stan Wawrinka is absent through injury.
Andy Murray has missed the entirety of the American hard-court swing, recovering from a hip injury, and will be low in vital match practice having not played since his disappointing five-set defeat to America's Sam Querrey at the All England Club.
Federer last won at Flushing Meadows in 2008 when he defeated first-time Grand Slam finalist Murray while Nadal was last victorious in 2013 when the Spaniard proved too strong for Djokovic to claim his 13th Grand Slam title.
Nadal, who started the year struggling to overcome constant knee injury woes and just inside the world's top 10, has regained new vigour and put his name at the top of the rankings while Federer has managed his season in order to deliver his best performances when it counts.
So who can stop their control of the Grand Slams in 2017? We take a look at three contenders…
The Bulgarian will travel to New York full of confidence and buoyed by the knowledge he is beginning to regularly fulfil his undoubted talent on the big stage.
The 26-year-old defeated Nick Kyrgios 6-3 7-5 in the Western & Southern Open final in Cincinnati to claim his third ATP World Tour crown of 2017 and most significantly his maiden Masters 1000 title.
"I'm just happy and I'm humbled to have that trophy in my hands, and especially to win here, my first Masters 1000," said Dimitrov.
"It's just amazing. I always like this tournament. I have played it quite a few times and always thought this can be maybe one of the first ones, and it is the first one."
There is no doubt that the career of the world No 9 has taken an upturn in form since he paired up with Murray's former coach Dani Valverdu a year ago. The Venezuelan has brought focus and a calmness to the Dimitrov game and it's paying dividends.
"Going to the Open, it's for sure a lot of positivity with it, but the most important thing now is just to stay grounded, keep on doing the same work, believe in myself, and just prepare the best way that I can for the Open," Dimitrov said on his chances ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year.
The 20-year-old from Germany continues to impress despite an early loss in Cincinnati. Prior to his defeat to Frances Tiafoe, Zverev had enjoyed a 10-match winning streak which included back-to-back titles at the Citi Open and the Coupe Rogers.
The #NextGenATP favourite has made a promising start to his partnership with former Grand Slam champion Juan Carlos Ferrero and Zverev's impressive summer form has seen him jump to world No 6 and become the first player to defeat Federer in a final this year.
Zverev is under no illusions about who are the favourites at Flushing Meadows: "I think Roger and Rafa are the strongest ones and a few guys coming after that.
"I think I am involved in that group. I am in that small group of players. Obviously, the two favourites are Roger and Rafa.
"So I feel very confident the way I was playing in the last two weeks. I feel very confident how I am playing right now. And I think going into the US Open, I feel the best I have ever felt maybe going into a Slam. That gives me a lot of confidence, and hopefully I can show that on court, as well."
The Australian has endured a tough summer but responded in fine fashion with a run to the final in Cincinnati.
Kyrgios retired injured in the opening round at Wimbledon before retiring from a second-round match against unheralded American Tennys Sandgren in Washington.
However, a few weeks later, the 22-year-old was celebrating reaching his maiden Masters 1000 final.
"Gradually, I just feel back to where I should feel on a tennis court," said Kyrgios.
"I wasn't enjoying it at all, didn't want to be out there. External things were affecting how I was feeling. It really didn't make sense. I feel great where I'm at right now."
Kyrgios, who continues to divide the tennis public despite his undoubted ability, will be aiming to improve on last year's third-round defeat in NYC and improve on his career best run, the quarter-finals, at a Grand Slam.
"I'm feeling good," Kyrgios said. "I'm pretty excited for the US Open. I'm just happy, being out there and getting some wins again."
Since 2005, 12 years ago and a span of 55 major tournaments, there have only been three occasions where a player from outside the world's 'big five' players, Federer, Nadal, Murray, Djokovic and Wawrinka, have won a Grand Slam - two have happened at Flushing Meadows.
At the 2005 Australian Open Marat Safin claimed his second and final Grand Slam, five years after his first, with victory in Melbourne over home favourite Lleyton Hewitt.
The Russian, who retired in 2009, defeated Federer in an absorbing five-set semi-final where he faced a match point only to stun the Swiss defending champion before overcoming Hewitt in the final.
The 2009 US Open was memorable for the breakthrough in the career of Juan Martin del Potro where he defeated Nadal and five-time defending champion Federer.
Del Potro, at the age of 20, became the first player to defeat both Nadal and Federer, who was featuring in his sixth consecutive US Open final, in the same Grand Slam. However, he has since been plagued with long-term injuries which have prevented the popular Argentinian from fulfilling his capabilities during the prime of his career.
Marin Cilic won his maiden Grand Slam title with a shock run to the 2014 US Open final where the Croatian convincingly defeated fellow first-time Grand Slam finalist Kei Nishikori from Japan in straight sets.
Cilic became the second Croatian to win a major men's singles final after his former coach Goran Ivanisevic claimed the 2001 Wimbledon title.
Sky Sports Tennis will have all the action from the US Open covered via our website www.skysports.com/tennis with our live blogs and updates throughout the fortnight as the Grand Slam year reaches its climax.
On the move? Head to our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsTennis to join in the conversation. Who will win the US Open titles this year? Have your say...
We will also have coverage of the World Tour Finals in November with every match live on Sky Sports.
