With a number of
high-profile absentees, a spectator-less US Open, which will be the first major
of the coronavirus period, provides the perfect platform for World Number one
Novak Djokovic to catch up on the all-time Grand Slam singles title record.

Swiss maestro Roger
Federer and Spanish ace Rafael Nadal, ranked fourth and second in the ATP
player rankings respectively, lead the race with 20 and 19 singles titles each.

While Federer misses
the tournament with an injury, Nadal has given New York a miss to focus on next
month’s Roland Garros (French Open).

Also read: No Ashleigh Barty, no Rafael Nadal: Several top-ranked players to give US Open 2020 a miss

This gives Djokovic
the perfect opportunity to seal his second Grand Slam of the year and his 18th
overall, having also emerged victorious in the Australian Open earlier this
year.

The Serbian has been
in formidable form in 2020 and is currently on a 23-match winning streak, during
which he beat Canada’s Milos Raonic at the ATP Western and Southern final on
Saturday.

Having won five of the
previous seven Grand Slam titles, Djokovic comes into the US Open as the
overwhelming favourite, although a number of rising stars could spoil his
party.

Third-seed Daniil
Medvedev nearly scripted a fairytale comeback in last year’s US Open final
against Nadal. Being two sets and a break down, the 24-year-old Russian sent
shockwaves throughout the tennis world as he forced the gripping final to the
fifth and final set.

Also read: US Open 2019 Recap: Triumph for Rafael Nadal, heartbreak for Serena Williams

A relatively unknown
figure before that tournament, Medvedev swayed a raucous Arthur Ashe stadium in
his favour and nearly capped a famous first Grand Slam win, although Nadal
eventually emerged victorious.

Second-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem, fourth-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and Germany’s fifth-seeded
Alexander Zverev are among the other challengers for the title this year.

Djokovic could face
either Tsitsipas or Zverev in the semi-final with a possible repeat of the
Australian Open final against Theim also on the cards. The Serbian sealed his
17th Grand Slam title after a thrilling five-set final at
Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena in February.

The top 10 seeded
players in Men’s singles are:

1. Novak Djokovic
(Serbia)

2. Dominic Thiem
(Austria)

3. Daniil Medvedev
(Russia)

4. Stefanos Tsitsipas
(Greece)

5. Alexander Zverev
(Germany)

6. Matteo Berrettini
(Italy)

7. David Goffin
(Belgium)

8. Roberto
BatistutaAgut (Spain)

9. Diego Schwartzman
(Argentina)

10. Andrey Rublev
(Russia)