Novak Djokovic has stated he feels as prepared as he can be for the US Open, where he will pursue a potential 25th Grand Slam title. The Serb believes an early loss at the Cincinnati Open gave him crucial time to train and get into optimal shape for the tournament.
The men's draw is considered wide open, with Jannik Sinner absent due to injury and Carlos Alcaraz competing for the first time since being sidelined for four and a half months with a right wrist problem. Djokovic has reached at least the semi-finals in six of his last seven Grand Slam tournaments.
In the women's draw, Elena Rybakina has declared herself healthy after recovering from a foot injury. The second seed, who is currently No 1 in the live rankings, is aiming to secure the world No 1 spot for the first time. She can be overtaken only if Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, or Jessica Pegula win the title and Rybakina fails to reach the semi-finals.
Rybakina emphasised the importance of staying healthy and focusing on one match at a time, especially after her recent injury in Cincinnati.