Expect sparks to fly at this year’s last Grand Slam

CHENNAI: As the prestigious US Open beckons upon the sporting world, the entire tennis fraternity will expect another exciting tournament. Novak Djokovic will be up against some formidable names in the race to win his fourth US Open Grand Slam title.

On that note, DT Next caught up with former Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Somdev Devvarman for a small chat to discuss Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and the upcoming US Open.

The recently concluded Cincinnati Open has been the talk of the town in the recent past, and in a thrilling final between Djokovic and Alcaraz, Novak battled the sweltering heat of Cincinnati to come back from behind to beat Alcaraz in what was an evenly contested match.

Excerpts:

• How do you think the hot weather will affect the players and how should one prepare mentally and physical for such conditions?

Somdev: The conditions will definitely play a key role; the players who progress to the latter stages of the tournament are generally those who adapt to the rough conditions, which require a lot of fitness because it’s going to be hot, there will be humidity, and it’ll be physically demanding. Players would have to dig deep and find strengths to overcome tough situations. If we look at the players who have tasted success in New York, they are generally good at throwing powerful shots, and serving with raw power helps a lot. For example, Juan Martin Del Potro has a massive forehand; back in 2014, Marin Cilic who came out and surprised everyone, so it is mostly about how one adapts to the situation.

Coming back, players like Alcaraz and Stan Wawrinka possess a lot of raw power, and having that in your arsenal is definitely an added advantage in the hot conditions in New York, and I’d say it is similar for the women, the likes of Emma Raducanu, the year she won it, there were a lot of new players coming up and firing big shots. I’d say that powerful players definitely make an impact at the US Open, and we should also note that in the New York heat, the ball travels quicker and the courts are bouncier, so watch out for players that are dominating with their serves and their forehands. You might even witness a few long points, but the heat draws a different kind of energy out of a player, and over the course of two weeks, the ones that handle these factors the best, engage with the crowd, reel in their energy, and dwell in passion will prevail over the others.

Alcaraz has done it in the past by electrifying the stadium he plays in, and Djokovic takes everyone by surprise with his exquisite shots. Every player has their own personality, and they have to find their own style.

• Do you think Alcaraz will be able to successfully defend the title coming into the tournament as the youngest ever men’s number 1 seed in US open history?

Somdev: The one thing I’ve noticed about Alcaraz is that he is never unsure about himself; he carries a lot of humility, and I think he has these traits because he has a fantastic team around him; they have watched him grow and prepared him for the big stages since he was 14 years old. Success came sooner than expected for him, where he played some amazing games and went on to win the US Open back in 2022, and he was continuing that same form in 2023 as well. When it comes to Alcaraz, we should accept that the guy is surrounded by the right people. I have to add that the guy is confident about himself, but one should not mistake that for overconfidence. He is a very easy-going person, and he is lovely to watch when he plays.

I think he has a perfect mix, and the success hasn’t gotten into him. He looks motivated, and this doesn’t happen overnight. His team and his family deserve credit for the work they have put into him, and that’s the reason he is an absolute force to reckon with every time he steps foot on a court.

On the outset, the final Grand Slam tournament of the year is sure to be packed with surprises and a lot of exciting tennis. Djokovic avenged his Wimbledon loss at the Cincinnati Masters against Alcaraz, and it’d be exciting to see who fares the farthest in the US Open starting Monday on the Sony Sports Network.

Men’s and Women’s First Round Morning Session: Live on Sony Sports Ten 2 and Sony Sports Ten 5 from 8:30PM on August 28.