The US Open 2024: Five Key Take-Aways

The US Open didn't unfold as expected this year, but it still delivered plenty of surprises. From Djokovic and Alcaraz's early losses, to Sabalenka's compelling victory, to Americans shining under the bright lights of New York—it was all a lot to take in. Before we swivel our heads to the fall swing, let's examine the calendar's biggest tournament one more time. 

Party in the USA

Photo credit: Todd Pechter for Florida Tennis.

While no American touched the precious champion's silverware, this year provided a hope for our home fans that was overdue. We were graced with a brutal men's semifinal that sent Taylor Fritz to the final and Frances Tiafoe back home. Emma Navarro and Jessica Pegula reached the semi-finals, and while they didn't play each other, Pegula scraped by Karolina Muchova and Navarro lost out to the eventual champion in Sabalenka. Unfortunately, there wasn't much either American could do in the final against their red hot opponents who clearly and convincingly overplayed them. But this tournament lit a spark in our minds. Both the crop of men's and women's American players is strengthening. With Coco Gauff, who let us not forget is a major champion herself, and Fritz, the only American man to be currently ranked in the top ten, leading their respective packs, we could see American major champions in the future. In addition, more and more lower ranked players are making deep runs in important tournaments, including Brandon Nakashima, Ashlyn Krueger, Peyton Stearns, and Sebastian Korda. So with time, we'll see how these players career's progress and maybe, just maybe, another American will join Coco Gauff in the exclusive champion's club.

A Different Feeling

Photo credit: © Rolex.

The US Open has worked hard over the past few years to prioritize the fan experience by creating an engaging atmosphere through events and activities, like Kid's Day, Fan Week, warm-up events, and more. And the efforts have been paying off. Just over 1 million people came to view tennis on it's biggest stage, which beats all records—not just at the US Open. In addition, coverage of the tournament was exceptionally good this year. There were plenty of ways to keep up with the action on the US Open website, but for the best coverage—you hopefully tuned into the Florida Tennis news section where daily updates were provided. So what does this mean? Providing a more unique and appealing environment will continue to sell out tickets each year, giving fans that travel far and wide the best experience possible. So even if you live in Florida, taking a trip up the coast to see the best tennis is a must, especially as the tournament becomes more and more exciting each year. 

Is the Big Three Era Over?

Photo credit:  Porsche.

Federer is gone. Nadal is, well, close to the end. And Djokovic? Who knows. This year was a historic one, with Alcaraz and Sinner splitting the pot at two slams each. And it's been a while since this has been done, since one of the "big three" has not won at least one slam a year. Actually since 2003! Over 20 years we've been blessed with an era of greatness, but now more than ever, it feels as if this era is fading—not forgotten—but fading. Right now, it seems as though the only man to still carry the Big Three torch is Novak Djokovic. But what a year it has been for him. While he didn't win a tour-level title this year (including grand slams), he did snatch the Olympic gold medal right out of the hands of Carlos Alcaraz, a feat that Djokovic has been waiting to achieve for a long time. So after winning the gold, is he less hungry for wins? Or does he still want more? After beating Alcaraz in Paris, he said: “It’s true, I would love to play in Los Angeles in 2028. I want to play in Los Angeles, I enjoy playing for my country in the Olympic Games, in the Davis Cup.” What do you make of that? At 41 one years old? Can we count on the Serb achieving this goal? A lot can happen in three years. But because of the confidence in this statement—it's safe to say there's more in the tank, for now. 

Sabalenka vs Swiatek. A rivalry intensifies. 

Photo credit: Todd Pechter for Florida Tennis.

No, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka did not play each other at the US Open this year, but their rivalry still got more intense, if that is even possible. And that's because Sabalenka won her third major, and third on hard courts, sending out a message to other contenders on the tour of what a danger she is. And this message was loud and clear for Iga Swiatek, who, at a current tally of 5 slams, is facing some serious competition. The two have battled 12 times before, and currently, they've already played three times this year. Swiatek does have a 8-4 advantage in their head-to-head, and a 2-1 advantage in their 2024 seasonal head-to-head, but it is fair to note that Sabalenka won their last meeting---a semifinal in Cincinatti—just a few weeks ago. And in just a few months, Sabalenka will be on title defense for the second year in a row in Australia. If she can take the trophy home for the third year, that would send an even bigger statement. But right now, a general pattern to follow is that Swiatek dominates Sabalenka on clay, and the opposite is true for hard courts. So which player will be able to step up their game on their weaker surface? And would what a potential Wimbledon match-up look like? Those are all questions to ask in the coming season, which promises to be even more engaging than the ongoing 2024 season. 

Muchova is on the Rise

Photo credit: Knawder, CC0 1.0 Universal, via Wikimedia Commons

The US Open was a changing point for Karolina Muchova, who has recently been sidelined for nine months due to a wrist injury. This time last year, she was playing top-level tennis when she got injured, and didn't play her first match back until the beginning of the summer. But quickly, Muchova raced to the US Open semi-finals, an incredibly, fairy-tale-like story. Returning to the place that could have ended her career may be daunting, but Muchova payed no attention to question marks surrounding her career. She stepped out, and quietly took care of business, and defeated top seeds like Jasmine Paolini and Beatriz Haddad-Maia, which boosted her back up the rankings to #52. And there seems to be a newfound energy and excitement that she brings to the court, making her more of a dangerous player than even a year ago. So if there's one thing to note, it's to keep our eyes peeled over the next few months because the Czech may make more than a stir. 

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Written by Will Turvey. Top photo: US Open Tennis Championships.