The 2022 US Open was one of the most exciting in recent history, setting an all-time attendance record of over 700,000 fans. It was packed with excitement from the early rounds, which were full of upsets and unexpected turns of events, to the second week, which contained some of the most memorable matches in tennis history. The first shock came before the tournament even started, when 3-time US Open champion and 9-time finalist Novak Djokovic withdrew from the tournament as he could not travel to the United States due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Upsets Galore
On the first day of the tournament, No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who was in contention for the world No. 1 singles ranking, lost in four sets to Daniel Elahi Galán, marking the first of many upsets to come. Later in the week, Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios defeated the defending champion, Daniil Medvedev, in four sets. After the match, Kyrgios, who is known for his controversial antics both on and off the court, asserted that the world rankings do not truly reflect who the best players are. “Tonight was another message that rankings don’t matter,” said the 23-seed Kyrgios. “They reward consistency … not skill and form.”
In the fourth round, the rising American superstar Frances Tiafoe defeated 22-time grand slam champion, Rafael Nadal. On his impressive US Open campaign, which drew the attention and support of several American professional athletes such as LeBron James, he also defeated top players Diego Schwartzman and Andrey Rublev before losing to the eventual champion, Carlos Alcaraz, in the semifinals. Tiafoe became the first African-American man to reach the US Open semifinals since Arthur Ashe, the icon after whom the US Open’s largest stadium is named, in 1972. After the loss, Tiafoe boldly vowed, “I am going to come back, and I will win this thing one day.”
On the Women’s side, three of the top four seeds lost in the second round: No. 2 seed Anna Kontaveit lost to Serena Williams, No. 3 seed Maria Sakkari lost to Xiy Wang, and No. 4 seed Paula Badosa lost to Petra Martić. Furthermore, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, perhaps still hungover from her first major title, lost her first-round match to Clara Burel in straight sets, and defending champion Emma Raducanu lost to Alizé Cornet in the first round, marking the third time a defending US Open champion lost in the first round.
Serena’s Farewell
Serena Williams is not only the greatest female tennis player of all time; she is on the Mount Rushmore, so to speak, of the greatest athletes in history. Williams has won 23 grand slam titles, one short of Margaret Court’s 24, and along with her sister, Venus, she has dominated the last 20 years of women’s tennis. The Williams sisters are an inspiration to young athletes, especially female athletes, all over the world and will forever remain in the pantheon of tennis legends.
Williams announced before the US Open that this tournament would be her last. Sports fans across the globe tuned in to watch her matches, cheering her on and hoping that each match would not be her last. In the second round of her farewell tour, Williams defeated No. 2 seed Anna Kontaveit in a tough three-set battle. Many analysts and commentators considered her victory an upset; in fact, in her on-court interview after the match, a reporter asked her if she was surprising herself with her performance. Much to the delight of the loud and supportive New York crowd, Williams simply chuckled and said, “I’m just Serena.”
In the third round of the tournament, Williams’ legendary career — one that defined an entire era of tennis and will be remembered forever — came to an end as she lost in three sets to Ajla Tomljanović. After the tournament ended, Williams was asked if she would ever consider a return to tennis. “I mean, you never know,” she said. “I think Tom Brady started a really cool trend,” referring to Brady’s decision to un-retire after a brief break from the NFL.
Who knows? Maybe this match was not Williams’ last after all.
Up-and-coming American talent Coco Gauff, who made her first breakthrough earlier in the season, making the final of the French Open but losing to world No. 1 Iga Świątek, is widely considered a possible successor to Williams. At only 18 years old, she is already showing hints of her talent and potential. Despite losing in the quarterfinals to Caroline Garcia, Gauff’s performance at the US Open was incredible, and she played at a higher level than ever before. Through young American players like Gauff, Williams’ legacy will live on.
Iga’s Third Major Title
Iga Świątek has been the shining star of the 2022 WTA tour. She kicked off the year by making the semifinals of the Australian Open, then won her second French Open of the last three years. After a shaky showing at Wimbledon, Świątek arrived in New York ready to compete. In an incredible display of dominance, she lost only two sets in the whole tournament, capping off the season with her first US Open championship and third grand slam title.
In the final, Świątek defeated Ons Jabeur 6-2; 7-6 (5). Jabeur, now ranked No. 2 in the WTA standings, also had a successful 2022, making two grand slam finals. After losing both the Wimbledon and US Open finals, Jabeur is undoubtedly entering the 2023 tour craving that grand slam breakthrough.
The New World No. 1
19-year-old sensation Carlos Alcaraz has taken the tennis world by storm. The Spanish superstar had been making his way up the ranking ladder for months, and by winning this US Open, he earned the world No. 1 ranking, becoming the youngest player since his compatriot Rafael Nadal to hold the spot.
En route to the final, Alcaraz competed in several thrilling matches. First, he defeated former US Open champion Marin Cilic in five sets — a match which I had the privilege of attending. Then, he beat Jannik Sinner in another five-set battle, saving a Sinner match point in the fourth set. In the semifinal, he faced off against Frances Tiafoe, who was coming off two huge wins against Nadal and Andrey Rublev. Alcaraz got the better of Tiafoe, winning yet another five-set back-and-forth clash. Young players such as Alcaraz, Sinner, Tiafoe, and Rublev, amongst others, are kick-starting the new era of tennis in the post-Big-Three world.
The final was set. Alcaraz versus 2022 French Open finalist Casper Ruud — two formidable young players, each seeking their first grand slam title. To make this matchup even more intriguing, the two finalists would also be competing for the world No. 1 spot. The match was tense from the start, with Alcaraz narrowly coming out with the first set, 6-4. Ruud struck back in the second set to win it comfortably, 6-2. The third set was the highlight of the match, reaching a tiebreaker which Alcaraz won 7-1. In the fourth set, Alcaraz proved that he is the best player in the world with a display of practically flawless tennis, winning it 6-3.
At nearly 24 on-court hours, Alcaraz spent the longest total time on the court in a single tournament in tennis history. His limitless energy, as well as his speed, strength, and athleticism, are unmatched — and he is only 19 years old. This will certainly not be the last we hear of Alcaraz and Ruud, both of whom will certainly win several grand slams in their careers.
Looking Forward
Roger Federer, arguably the greatest player of all time, announced his retirement on social media earlier today. He will play his final tournament at the Laver Cup, which runs from September 23 to 25. Federer’s retirement from tennis marks the end of an era, and opens the doors for more young players to break through.
The question is: with the 2022 major tournaments wide open, who will be the next to step up and win one for themselves?
