A negative run that hits the stomach

When Dominic Thiem won the US Open in 2020, many thought it would be just the first of several major titles. Three years and a complicated wrist operation later, however, the reality is completely different: The almost 30-year-old from Lower Austria is fighting for the connection in the world rankings (81st) and has not yet won a single match at Grand Slam level this year. Thiem gets the last chance to change at least the latter today at the US Open mentioned at the beginning.

From 5 p.m. the Austrian will face a difficult opponent in New York in Kazakh Alexander Bublik. Especially since there is a question mark behind Thiem’s ​​fitness, the Kitzbühel finalist had to cancel his appearance in Winston-Salem because of “a kind of gastritis”, as manager Moritz Thiem explained. Thiem got a picture of the Grandstand – the court on which the US Open opening game takes place – during a training session with Thanasi Kokkinakis.

A duo is in the role of favourites

The two other Austrians in the main field of the $ 65 million major are also already in action on Monday: Sebastian Ofner (world rankings 58th) is from 5 p.m. against the Portuguese Nuno Borges (79th), who will join the Davis Cup in a few weeks in Schwechat against Austria will arrive as the only top 200 player, favourite. For the 27-year-old Ofner, the red-white-red number one, it is the first appearance in the US Open main draw.

For women, Julia Grabher had a similarly strong 2023 as Ofner, and this was rewarded with 54th place in the world rankings. For the 27-year-old from Vorarlberg, it is her first main competition in Queens, New York. She is a favorite against Wang Xiyu, who she just beat.