In a world of AI, deep fakes, misinformation and disinformation, here comes the 2024 U.S. Open, with truth in advertising. We have plenty of U.S.—the tournament is not only based in America, but this year features a welter of homegrown players still in contention. As we write this, the lot includes, defending champion Coco Gauff, hot pick Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz and unsung Brandon Nakashima.
And, heaven knows, the tournament is open. Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz—winners of eight of the last nine majors—didn’t survive Week 1. No men’s champion has defended his title since 2008 (Roger Federer) and it won’t be the case this year. And the women’s draw remains swollen with possibility.
The openness may be bad news for ratings, but it’s good news for the remaining field. And good news for tennis fans, a record number of which will attend this year’s event. The school year is about to start, but the tournament is mid-semester. Here's our U.S. Open midterm grades:
A
Alexei Popyrin: Top marks—a belle grade, if you will; and I hope you will—for building on his Montreal success, and, bloated with confidence, beating Djokovic in Round 3.
The top two seeds: For two very different reasons, they both came to New York accompanied by questions. But, so far, both Iga Świątek and Jannik Sinner are doing convincing impersonations of top players.
Karolina Muchová: A semifinalist last year, she gets points for specifics and general excellence including a win over Naomi Osaka.
Botic van de Zandschulp: Perhaps even more than Popyrin, the Dutchman scored the upset of Week 1, taking out Alcaraz.
Aussies: In addition to Popyrin, a healthy Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson remain. Thanasi Kokkinakis knocked off a seed in Round 1. And allegedly the best of the lot (Nick Kyrgios) seems content never competing again, preferring the halcyon world of media.
Valedictorians: It’s not the beginning of the end, it’s the end of the beginning. Farewell to … Dominic Thiem, the 2020 U.S. Open winner … Danielle Collins, a truth-teller to the end … Shelby Rogers, hailing from the South Carolina Lowcountry—the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, (as opposed to him)—is as well-liked a player/person as you will meet … Diego Schwartzman, such an admirable talent maximizer.
Female Olympians: A lot has been made of the fact that the men’s gold (Djokovic), silver (Alcaraz) and bronze (Lorenzo Musetti) medal winners are out. But the three women who topped the podium in Paris (Qinwen Zheng, Donna Vekić and Świątek) are doing just fine.
Iva Jovic: The 16-year-old Californian won her first match and, more importantly, strikes the ideal balance between respect and I-deserve-to-be-here confidence.
Nick Pachelli: Congrats on a fine tennis book. You can order it here.
Molly McElwee: A worthy winner of this year’s Tom Perrotta prize, given to excellent young tennis journalists.
B+
Krueger (not related): Mitchell Krueger qualified, won a match and took a 2–0 sets lead on dangerous Jiri Lehecka before failing to close. Ashlyn Krueger, pulled off a big upset, hitting through Mirra Andreeva.
Tsitsi-dosa: He (Stefanos Tsitsipas) exited in Round 1 as his swan dive down the rankings continues. She (Paula Badosa) remains in the women’s draw, as her summer resurgence continues. And they had fun in mixed doubles.
B
Commerce: H/t to @joepompliano … If the U.S. Open sells 500,000 Honey Deuces (as projected) at $22 (as priced) that’s more than $10 million, roughly the prize money paid to both winners and finalists.
Naomi Osaka: It’s like her game is trying to make a jailbreak and keeps getting caught. She charged to a fine win over Jelena Ostapenko. Then—in keeping with her blinkering 2024 results—was defeated by Muchová.
Attendance: It’s so crowded no one goes there anymore. Discuss: If your mission is to grow and promote tennis—and you are a non-profit—should you focus on maximizing revenues, charging what the market bears and letting in the most people possible? Or, should you make the pinnacle event accessible and affordable?
B-
Our neighbors to the north: A major winner (Bianca Andreescu), a major finalist (Leylah Fernandez) and two once-ascending stars (Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov) failed to escape Round 1. But, here comes Gabriel Diallo, a 6'8" Kentucky Wildcat, blasting into the middle weekend.
C
Sports gamblers: Tennis has to deal with the unfairness of the state of play. Players provide the action. They get virtually none of the revenue. And all the online abuse.
Carlos Alcaraz: What a strange, vacant few weeks, losing three of his last four matches, here to Van de Zandschulp. The check engine light is blinking. Maybe it’s time to rethink the schedule and power down for 2024.
Holger Rune: He put on a strange and abysmal performance in his first-rounder against Nakashima. Just ask him.
Injury mania: The fourth seed, Elena Rybakina, failed to post for her second match. Through Week 1, the tournament hit double-digit retirements. A former finalist played three points and retired. The trainers got their 10,000 steps (does anyone still do this?) by noon.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2024 U.S. Open Midterm Grades: Jannik Sinner, Iga Świątek Earn Top Marks .
