{"id":63421,"date":"2024-08-26T12:25:16","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T16:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ripped.topps.com\/?p=63421"},"modified":"2024-10-17T01:22:45","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T05:22:45","slug":"2024-topps-chrome-tennis-us-open-players-to-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ripped.topps.com\/uk\/2024-topps-chrome-tennis-us-open-players-to-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 Topps Chrome\u00ae Tennis | US Open Players to Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Stars of the Season’s Last Grand Slam Tournament<\/h2>\n
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Date:<\/span> Aug 26, 2024<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tAuthor:<\/span> Michael Terry\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Topics:<\/span> 2024 Chrome Tennis, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Tennis<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Length:<\/span> 493 \tWords<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Reading Time:<\/span> ~3 Minutes<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The main draw of the US Open begins play today, kicking off two weeks of action culminating with the singles’ finals on the 7th and 8th of September at the hallowed Arthur Ashe Stadium. While on the men’s side, most experts are expecting, and fans are hoping, that Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz get a chance to renew their budding rivalry, the women’s tournament looks to be wide open, with American Coco Gauff aiming to defend her crown. Let’s look at some of the players who could have plenty to say at the year’s final grand slam championship. <\/p>\n\n

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Coco Gauff, USA<\/h2>\n\n

Buy Coco Gauff Cards Now at Fanatics Collect<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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u.s. Open History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 defending champion \u2022 first American to win US Open since 2017 \u2022 14-4 career record<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What’s at stake?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 must recapture mid-season form (has not made a semi-final or better in last four tournaments\u2022 could become first back-to-back women’s singles champion since serena williams (’13, ’14) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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the draw<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 easiest early draw on paper\u2022 intriguing opponents loom in quarters, including three-time US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka and 2017 champion Sloane Stephens<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Carlos Alcaraz, Spain<\/h2>\n\n

Buy Carlos Alcaraz Cards Now at Fanatics Collect<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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u.s. Open History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 2022 Champion \u2022 lost in semi-final last year to Daniil Medvedev\u2022 16-2 career record<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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what’s at stake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 become first men’s singles player to win three straight grand slams since Novak Djokovic (”21)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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the draw<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 potentially tricky second-round match against talented Denis Shapovalov\u2022 looks to have easiest quarter of the draw\u2022 could face top-seed Jannick Sinner in semi (Alcaraz leads head-to-head 5-4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aryna Sabalenka, Belarus<\/h2>\n\n
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u.s. Open History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 lost last year’s final to Gauff \u2022 Made back-to-back semis in ’21 and ’22\u2022 21-6 career record<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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what’s at stake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 must capitalize on great recent play (did not drop a set en route to recent Cincinnati masters title)\u2022 can avenge tough three-set defeat to Gauff in last year’s final<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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the draw<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 loaded quarter to contend with, including former world No. 2 ons Jabeur, former US Open finalist Madison Keys, and recent Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Ben Shelton, USA<\/h2>\n\n
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u.s. Open History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 made semi-final last year (had not made it out of first round in previous two opens)\u2022 5-2 career record<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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what’s at stake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 maintain solid hard-court play (Made QF in Cincinnati, SF in Washington)\u2022 no American has made the men’s singles final since 2006 (Andy Roddick)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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the draw<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 tough first round battle against soon-to-be retiring Dominic Thiem (won US Open in 2020)\u2022 could face Djokovic in round of 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Naomi Osaka, Japan<\/h2>\n\n
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u.s. Open History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 two-time champion (’18 and ’20)\u2022 has not gone beyond the third round since 2020\u2022 22-5 career record<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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what’s at stake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 rediscover champion form (has only made 2 QF this season\u2022 show tennis world she can still compete at the highest level<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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the draw<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 tough opener against 10-seed Je\u013cena Ostapenko<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More Tennis<\/h2>\n\n
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