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US OPEN 2020: Novak Djokovic seeded No. 1, eyes 18th Slam

Posted August 29, 2020 7:00 am

By HOWARD FENDRICH

FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, file photo, Serbia's Novak Djokovic makes a forehand return to Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff during their first round singles match the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. Djokovic is scheduled to play in the U.S. Open, scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File) The Associated Press

Men to watch at the U.S. Open in New York, where play is scheduled to begin Monday:

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Ranked: 1

Country: Serbia

Age: 33

Career Singles Titles: 80

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 17 - U.S. Open (3: 2011, 2015, 2018), Australian Open (7: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020), French Open (1: 2016), Wimbledon (5: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2019-Lost in 4th Round, 2018-Won Championship, 2017-Did Not Play, 2016-Runner-Up, 2015-W

Aces: 23-0 in 2020, best start to a season by a man since Djokovic opened 41-0 in 2011. ... Has won 5 of past 7 Grand Slam tournaments. ... Had reached at least the semifinals in 11 consecutive U.S. Open appearances until departing while hampered by injury last year. ... Can gain on rivals Roger Federer (men's-record 20 Grand Slam titles) and Rafael Nadal (19), neither of whom entered the U.S. Open.

Matchup to Watch For: Could play big-serving John Isner in fourth round.

Words: 'œRight now it's not something I'm thinking about. It's not my goal, actually, to go unbeaten, but I wouldn't complain if I do.'ť - Djokovic on the prospect of not losing a match in 2020.

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DOMINIC THIEM

Ranked: 3

Country: Austria

Age: 26

Career Singles Titles: 16

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: RU, French Open (2018, 2019), Australian Open (2020)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2019-1st, 2018-QF, 2017-4th, 2016-4th, 2015-3rd

Aces: 0-3 in Grand Slam finals so far, with two losses to Rafael Nadal at the French Open and one to Novak Djokovic at this year's Australian Open. ... Played 28 exhibition matches while sanctioned tennis was shut down because of the pandemic. ... His physical baseline game can wear down many opponents.

Matchup to Watch For: Could play 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic in the third round.

Words: 'œI stayed home before for two months and that was enough, I guess, and I was ready to compete again, ready to travel again.'ť - Thiem, on his full exhibition schedule.

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DANIIL MEDVEDEV

Ranked: 5

Country: Russia

Age: 24

Career Singles Titles: 7

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: RU, U.S. Open (2019)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2019-RU, 2018-3rd, 2017-1st, 2016-DNP, 2015-DNP

Aces: Reached the finals at six consecutive hard-court tournaments a year ago, including a five-set loss to Rafael Nadal at Flushing Meadows. ... His versatile game and in-match adjustments make things tough for any opponent.

Matchup to Watch For: Could play Grigor Dimitrov or Frances Tiafoe - two players who each tested positive for the coronavirus - in the fourth round.

Words: 'œI'm quite happy with my level of tennis. I honestly thought it would be worse, so that's the good part.'ť - Medvedev on returning to competition after so many months away because of the pandemic.

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STEFANOS TSITSIPAS

Ranked: 6

Country: Greece

Age: 22

Career Singles Titles: 5

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: SF, Australian Open (2019)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2019-1st, 2018-2nd, 2017-DNP, 2016-DNP, 2015-DNP

Aces: With great hands and a free-flowing game, seems poised for a long run at the top of tennis. ... Ranks just 62nd on tour over the past 52 weeks in percentage of return games won at 35.9%.

Matchup to Watch For: Could play Alexander Zverev in a quarterfinal between two younger players people have pegged as future Grand Slam champs.

Words: 'œIt is great to be back on court, even without fans. I still feel the joy and the happiness of me being able to play.'ť - Tsitsipas.

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ALEXANDER ZVEREV

Ranked: 7

Country: United States

Age: 23

Career Singles Titles: 11

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: SF, Australian Open (2020)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2019-4th, 2018-3rd, 2017-2nd, 2016-2nd, 2015-1st

Aces: Averaging 6 double-faults per match over the past 12 months; only two players are hitting more over that span. ... If he can figure out that weakness, could do big things, because the rest of his game is solid. ... Made career-best Grand Slam run in January at the Australian Open, erasing some questions about his performances on the sport's most important stages.

Matchup to Watch For: Plays two-time Grand Slam runner-up Kevin Anderson in the first round.

Words: 'œHe moves well for a big guy, solid off the ground. ... When he's serving well, he's obviously one of the top players in the world.'ť - Andy Murray on Zverev.

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ANDY MURRAY

Ranked: 134

Country: Britain

Age: 33

Career Singles Titles: 46

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 3 - U.S. Open (1: 2012), Wimbledon (2: 2013, 2016)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: 2019-DNP, 2018-2nd, 2017-DNP, 2016-QF, 2015-4th

Aces: Still working his way back from two hip operations, one in January 2018, the next in January 2019, that he thought would force him to retire. ... Missed two of the last three U.S. Opens, a tournament he won eight years ago for his first Grand Slam title. ... Showed in two match wins at Western & Southern Open that he can move fairly well and certainly still thinks his way through a match as well as anyone.

Matchup to Watch For: Plays 48th-ranked Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan in the first round, a tough opening assignment.

Words: 'œI know the tennis will come, but it's also not going to come back immediately. So yeah, it's just not to expect, like, straight off the bat, to be playing perfect.'ť - Murray about himself.

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More AP tennis coverage: https://www.apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2020, file photo, Austria's Dominic Thiem celebrates after defeating Germany's Alexander Zverev in their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. Thiem is scheduled to play in the U.S. Open, scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 13, 2020.(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2020, file photo, Russia's Daniil Medvedev makes a forehand return to Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka during their fourth round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. Medvedev is scheduled to play in the U.S. Open, scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 13, 2020.(AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Nov. 11, 2019, file photo, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece celebrates winning a point against Daniil Medvedev of Russia during their ATP World Tour Finals singles tennis match at the O2 Arena in London. Tsitsipas is scheduled to play in the U.S. Open, scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 13, 2020.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, file photo, Germany's Alexander Zverev returns a shot during a practice session at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament in New York. Zverev is scheduled to play in the U.S. Open, scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 13, 2020.(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2019, file photo, Andy Murray of Britain hits a shot against Dominic Thiem of Austria during their men's singles quarterfinal match in the China Open tennis tournament at the Diamond Court in Beijing. Murray is scheduled to play in the U.S. Open, scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 13, 2020.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) The Associated Press

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