The US Open is now underway, with several ATP and WTA stars eyeing the top prize at the hard-court Grand Slam.
And ATP legend Dominic Thiem knows exactly how it feels to lift the US Open trophy, having won the tournament in 2020.
He came from behind in stunning fashion to defeat Alexander Zverev, winning their final 2–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6(8–6).
It represents his only career Grand Slam success, with Thiem having previously lost three Grand Slam finals before that unforgettable triumph at Flushing Meadows.
The Austrian legend, who reached as high as number three in the world rankings, retired last year aged just 31.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesDominic Thiem predicts the two US Open champions
But the 17-time ATP champion is still keeping a close eye on the sport, and has now offered his verdict on this year’s US Open winners.
Asked for his picks on Tennis Channel’s Instagram, Thiem among other icons responded: “I’ll go for Carlos [Alcaraz] in the men’s and Iga [Swiatek] in the women’s.”
Both players enter the US Open as champions, having triumphed at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month.
Jim Courier and Lindsay Davenport pick the US Open winners
Also representing Tennis Channel and sharing their ATP and WTA predictions were a trio of former players; Lindsay Davenport, Chanda Rubin and Jim Courier.
Making her picks, Davenport said: “I’m playing it straight down the fairway, going with Swiatek and Sinner.
“Iga has looked so good, winning Wimbledon, also winning in Cincinnati, coming with all this confidence. Sinner, does he ever lose on hard courts? Not really. I think those are some pretty safe bets.”
Photo by Frey/TPN/Getty Images
Rubin added: “I am not going out on a limb either. I’m going to go with Sinner and Sabalenka,” with Courier noting: “Lindsay talked about playing it right down the middle of the fairway. I play a fair bit of golf, I don’t see the fairways very often, but I’m going to try and get there with you.
“I’m going to go with Sinner and Sabalenka, the Cincinnati champions. No sorry, actually Sinner lost to Alcaraz, but I think the draw for Alcaraz is tougher, so I think that Sinner is more likely to make it out of his section and into the final.
“And what I love about Swiatek is I love the first serve pop. I love that Wim Fissette, her coach, has got her to kind of go a little bit bigger. So for me I’m a fan of that.”
Courier was quick to correct himself regarding Alcaraz’s Cincinnati Open final win over Sinner, although he mistakenly also labelled Sabalenka a champion of that event before analysing Swiatek’s work with Fissette.
It seems then that the former world number one has agreed with Davenport in predicting US Open wins for Sinner and Swiatek.
Sinner is chasing his fifth career Grand Slam title at this year’s US Open, while Alcaraz is looking for a sixth.
Sabalenka meanwhile is chasing down a fourth such success, while her WTA rival Swiatek is eyeing a seventh Grand Slam title.