Filip Bondy: The top storylines to follow at the 2023 U.S. Open

Even before the U.S. Open starts on Monday, most tennis fans have eyes on the final match, 13 days later. The date is circled, the tickets are sold, the world awaits Carlos Alcaraz vs. Novak Djokovic, Fifth Edition.

Sure, there could be an upset before then. Alcaraz has a brutal draw. Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev are all in his half of the brackets. Not fair.

But Alcaraz, the defending champ, and three-time titlist Djokovic are so far ahead of the field on current form, a knockout blow would require a mighty effort by an opponent and a rare, stinko performance by one of the two heavy favorites.

So far, they have split their four encounters. Their contests have produced breathtaking tennis, and it will be worth the wait to experience that again. Alcaraz is a true showman, combining the angled, running forehands of Roger Federer, the legs of Rafa Nadal, and the touch volleys of John McEnroe. Djokovic is more a ruthless, indefatigable machine. But when they play each other, Djokovic is forced out of his comfort zone and becomes, by necessity, an innovator and brilliant shot-maker.

The American men? It has now been 20 years since Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open, as his then-girlfriend, Mandy Moore, cheered him on from the stands. Realistically, it may be 20 more years before another red-white-and-blue-blooded male wins any Grand Slam tournament.

The American women have a much better shot here. Their brackets are far less predictable. Eight different women have won the last 11 majors. Four different women have captured the last four Opens. Jessica Pegula is ranked third in the world. Coco Gauff, No. 6, is on a tear.

Gauff recently beat No. 1 Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati, and now has the cred to topple the Big Three — Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.

Chris Evert, commentating for ESPN, picks Gauff to take it all. She likes Gauff’s chances better than Pegula’s.

“Coco just has a few more weapons that are needed,” Evert said. “She can win easier points on her serve when it’s on. With Brad Gilbert on her team, one of the most accomplished coaches out there, that has given her an edge. Her attitude and her confidence have grown to the point where she believes she can win it.”

A warning: Like Alcaraz, Gauff is in a very tough section of the draw. She could face rising, Russian teen Mirra Andreeva in the second round, and then Swiatek in the quarterfinals. If Gauff survives those matches, she will drive the hometown narrative.

There are other story lines at the Open, of course. Plenty of them. Here are 10:

The typically unbearable heat during this tournament has become an annual challenge to players — along with the background noise and general chaos. But this year, at least for the first week, the forecast is for modest temperatures in the 70s and low 80s.

That is particularly important for the men, who play best-of-five sets and have been known to wilt and puke during afternoon matches. Alcaraz, in particular, may benefit from the milder weather. He cramped at the French Open and again this month at Cincinnati in a tough, searing three-setter against Djokovic. His playing hand always seems to be the first to seize up.

Djokovic already has 23 Grand Slam titles, more than Nadal or Federer. It is hard to imagine anyone (except maybe Alcaraz) coming close to that number in the near or distant future. But since there always must be some convenient, statistical milestone within reach, hypsters have pointed out that Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 is dangling out there.

“Apples and oranges,” McEnroe said, and he’s absolutely right. Court’s record has nothing to do with anything. She played on a different tour, at a different time. She won 11 Australian Open titles when many of her top rivals didn’t bother to make the trip. Twenty-four was a target for Serena Williams, not Djokovic.

Nothing is more boring than players complaining about the balls, but the grumping already has begun. Unlike last year, women are now playing with the same balls as the men, and there’s talk from all genders that these balls are heavier than those used at recent hardcourt tournaments.

Such fluffiness is likely to slow down serves and groundstrokes, hurting the pure power players and increasing the length of rallies. All good news, for the grinding Djokovic.

Ukrainian players do not shake hands with Russian or Belarusian players after matches, which will cause fans to stop eating their ice cream and jeer.

Get over it, people. They’re at war.

Tiafoe was a shining light at the 2022 Open, reaching the semifinal while pumping up the home crowds. He’s still around, ranked a very respectable 10th in the world. Tiafoe has been way off top form this summer, however. He might be helped by an easy, early draw.

If you’re searching for Raducanu, the shock 2021 winner, you won’t find her at the National Tennis Center. The Brit’s game plummeted after her triumph, and then she suffered ankle and wrist injuries. She is out of the game for now, recovering from several surgeries. Don’t feel too bad for her, though. Emma racked up a ton of endorsements.

A nation of just 10 million, the Czechs have somehow become a prodigious factory turning out limitless, contending women of all ages. At the moment, Czech women are ranked 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th. Marketa Vondrousova won Wimbledon. Karolina Muchova reached the final of the French. They are quite capable of going the distance again.

Looking for heartfelt tales? Look no further. Caroline Wozniacki, always a big fan favorite, is starting a comeback at age 33 after giving birth to two children. We remember how her racket got stuck on her ponytail at the Open. She won us over, right then and there. Plus: The poor woman was dumped many years ago by Rory McIlroy.

Elina Svitolina only gave birth to one child, but she gets extra points because the father is French star Gael Monfils. Everybody loves Monfils. Everybody loves Svitolina, who also has to endure the war in her Ukrainian homeland.

Of the two women, Svitolina is a far better bet to make some noise.

Williams, at age 43, is ranked 409th in the world. Should she have been given a wild card?

“I would hand her out the wild cards on a silver platter,” Evert said.

You can understand why. Venus is a two-time Open champ, a seven-time Grand Slam titlist, who still serves with authority. She is a top draw, too, and is certain to surprise with another fashion statement. Recently, her bright red lipstick and pink hair extensions on court have created quite a stir.

The 6-10, gentle giant, 38 years old, will retire from tennis after this tournament as the all-tine ace king He has 14,411 already to his credit. He also will hold the record, forever, for the longest Wimbledon match in 2010 against Nicolas Mahut. It lasted 11 hours, 5 minutes over three days, before Isner won the fifth set 70-68. New tiebreaker rules will never allow that to happen again.

Now ranked 157th, Isner required a wild card to get into the Open. He has never reached the semis in this tournament, and only a miracle will get him there this time.

Now that players can’t complain about line calls from nonexistent judges (those calls are all made electronically), the most likely blowups will come over time violations or when a trailing player takes an extended break. That habit becomes particularly annoying to opponents waiting to serve the next game.

The problem could be solved with a simple innovation: Give the waiting player an extra, third serve, if necessary, on the first point when play resumes.

That will never happen, of course. Meantime, enjoy the high-end food, the fancy drinks, the half volleys. The Open is a two-week, inclusive festival — as long as you can afford the ticket.