Boris Becker names player other than Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic who is top of US Open favourites list
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are considered the clear favourites for the 2023 US Open title, but Boris Becker has added another name to the list.
The Alcaraz-Djokovic rivalry has encapsulated the tennis world in recent months with the former winning their five-set clash in the Wimbledon final before Djokovic hit back by winning their Cincinnati Open final encounter over the weekend.
And the pair are rightly the bookies’ favourites to walk away with the US Open crown in just over a fortnight.
However, tennis great Becker says there is another player who should not be discounted and that player is Jannik Sinner.
World No 6 Sinner won the biggest title of his career at the beginning of August as he lifted the Canadian Open trophy while he also finished runner-up to Daniil Medvedev at the Miami Open in March, having beaten world No 1 and favourite Alcaraz in the semi-final.
The Italian has always been rated highly, but he appears to have made a step up this year as he also reached the semi-final of Wimbledon.
Talking during the Eurosport Germany’s Das Gelbe vom Ball podcast: Becker feels Sinner will also a major contender in New York.
“When you win a 1000 competition, that’s a breakthrough – especially in the case of Jannik Sinner, who has been considered Djokovic’s predestined successor for the past two years,” he said.
Sinner, though, was unable to follow up his Canadian Open title with a long run at the Cincinnati Open as he lost his opener, but former world No 1 Becker says it gave him “more time” to prepare for Flushing Meadows.
The six-time major champion added: “He has the self-confidence and physical fitness for that. For me, he’s at the top of the list of favourites.”
Sinner at the US Open
The Italian will make his fifth appearance at the season-ending Grand Slam this year and has a 7-4 record, although he has made steady progress.
After losing in the opening round on his first two visits to Flushing Meadows, Sinner reached the fourth round in 2021 where he went down in three sets against Alexander Zverev.
Last year he made it to the quarter-final and lost a brilliant encounter against eventual champion Alcaraz, going down 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-7(0), 7-5, 6-3 in a clash that ended up being the second-longest US Open match ever as it lasted five hours and 15 minutes.
READ MORE: Tim Henman offers alternative view on Novak Djokovic’s relationship with tennis fans
