Five Talking Points Ahead Of The US Open Tennis Championships

The US Open brings down the curtain on the 2024 Grand Slam season with newly minted Olympic gold medallist Novak Djokovic aiming to add to his cache of major titles after failing to do so since bagging No. 24 at Flushing Meadows last year. Out to stop him will be Italian Jannik Sinner, the Australian Open winner who seized Djokovic's world number one ranking this year, and Spain's third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz -- who succeeded Djokovic as French Open champion then dominated Djokovic in the Wimbledon final.

The women's draw, headlined by world number one Iga Swiatek, looks wide open. With defending champion Coco Gauff struggling to find consistency, the array of contenders includes Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, Wimbledon winner Barbora Krejcikova and Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen.

Let's have a look at five talking points before the US Open begins in Monday:

Can Djokovic keep Slam streak alive?

It's been seven years since Novak Djokovic finished a season without a single Grand Slam title, but the 37-year-old Serb isn't ready to pass the torch to a new generation just yet.

After the euphoria of his Paris Olympics triumph he is ready to get down to business in his first hard court tournament since a third-round exit at Indian Wells in March.

"Grand Slams and representing my country -- that's what actually motivates me the most," Djokovic said.

Alcaraz brings a 14-match major winning streak to Flushing Meadows, where the 21-year-old has never been knocked out before the quarter-finals in three appearances. He won his maiden Grand Slam title here in 2022 and reached the semis last year.

Trying to regroup after a devastating Olympic defeat, Alcaraz cut short a practice session when he twisted an ankle on