Kevin’s shot at US Open redemption
Women’s champion Sloane starts defence against Rodina
● The US Open offers South African Kevin Anderson a shot at redemption as he bids to claim his first Grand Slam title after twice coming close in the past 12 months.
Anderson burst through the tournament to make his Grand Slam final debut at Flushing Meadows last year at the age of 31, only to be crushed in straight sets by Rafael Nadal.
He then stunned Roger Federer in a nailbiting Wimbledon quarterfinal and survived the tournament’s longest ever semifinal — a punishing six hours and 36 minutes against American John Isner — before the battleweary South African lost in the final to Novak Djokovic.
On Friday Nadal praised Anderson’s huge serve and told reporters he was one of the best players in the world.
“He plays so aggressively,” said the Spanish top seed. “He’s dangerous for everybody.” Anderson’s performances have attracted the attention of some of the most acclaimed players in the history of the sport.
Hall-of-famer Rod Laver told Reuters this week that he was among his top picks to win the US Open, with Djokovic and Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.
“Kevin Anderson has got a lot to be proud of,” tennis great John McEnroe told reporters at a Laver Cup event in New York on Tuesday. “He came here and got to the finals of the US Open last year and he backed it up with a great run at Wimbledon.” But if Anderson has grown frustrated with his thwarted Grand Slam title efforts, it has hardly shown ahead of the US Open.
“The experience and the confidence (last year’s tournament) gives me is very valuable,” he told CBS Sports this week. “I’m just really excited to get out there and give myself another good shot.” Defeating Sam Querrey in February’s New York Open to end a threeyear title drought has increased Anderson’s confidence.
Richard Glover, CEO of Tennis SA, told
Kevin Anderson has got a lot to be proud of John McEnroe
Former tennis great
Reuters there had been “a massive spotlight on tennis in SA” since Anderson reached the US Open final last year.
“He is in a very good place and I think making the final at Flushing Meadows last year was a massive breakthrough,” Glover said. “He realises he can compete with the very best.”
World No 1 Nadal plays fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the opening match of his title defence, and second seed Roger Federer meets Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in a first contest between the pair.
Nadal, 32, and Federer, 37, cannot meet until the final — if they get that far — in what would be their first encounter at Flushing Meadows. Federer could face Novak Djokovic, who is looking to move level with Pete Sampras on 14 Slam triumphs, in the quarterfinals.
Djokovic, who beat the Swiss in the Cincinnati Open final last week, plays Marton Fucsovics of Hungary in the first round.
Bulgarian eighth seed Grigor Dimitrov faces three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, who is a wildcard as he continues to rebuild his career after injury, in the first round — a repeat of their Wimbledon opener this year, which the Swiss won.
Serena could meet Venus
Serena Williams, 36, is seeded 17th as she continues to make her comeback after giving birth last September — and could meet older sister Venus, seeded 16th, in the third round.
One of the Williams sisters could then face world No 1 Simona Halep, who plays Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi, in the last 16.
Serena, bidding for her seventh US Open title, plays Poland’s world No 60 Magda Linette in her opener.
Defending women’s champion Sloane Stephens starts her defence against Evgeniya Rodina. — bbc -Reuters