Nick Kyrgios is one of the favourites to win the US Open later this month, but the Australian hasn’t picked himself to win the final Grand Slam of the year.
While Novak Djokovic is the bookies pick to win at Flushing Meadows, ahead of world No.1 Daniil Medvedev, Kyrgios feels there will be a first time winner at the major – which commences on August 29.
Via his Instagram stories, Kyrgios selected Spanish teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz to win his first Grand Slam at the US Open.
Nick Kyrgios picks Carlos Alcaraz to win the #USOpen pic.twitter.com/r3jEmu4rxv
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 22, 2022
The 19-year-old has already reached a career-high ranking of No.4 at such a tender age after an extraordinary start to his tennis journey.
Alcaraz has won five career titles already – including four in 2022 – with triumphs two Masters 1000 events in Miami and Madrid.
The Spaniard hasn’t been able to maintain his winning form during five-set tennis at Grand Slam level as of yet, but has still produced quality results at the majors, reaching quarter-finals at the US Open (2021) and the French Open (2022).
Alcaraz – who is fourth in the line of betting to win the US Open – will be hoping to have built the fitness base to challenge across the two weeks at a Grand Slam, with his best tennis capable of beating any player in the world.
Kyrgios himself is fifth-favourite to claim his first major in New York after the best season of his career, which has seen the enigmatic Aussie reach the final of Wimbledon, win a title at Washington and make semi finals at Halle, Stuttgart and Houston.
Fifth seed Djokovic could still yet be a withdrawal for the US Open, while Alexander Zverev has recently pulled out with injury.
US Open men’s singles seeds
1. Daniil Medvedev
2. Rafael Nadal
3. Carlos Alcaraz
4. Stefanos Tsitsipas
5. Novak Djokovic
6. Casper Ruud
7. Félix Auger-Aliassime
8. Cameron Norrie
9. Hubert Hurkacz
10. Andrey Rublev
11. Taylor Fritz
12. Jannik Sinner
13. Pablo Carreño Busta
14. Matteo Berrettini
15. Diego Schwartzman
16. Marin Čilić
17. Roberto Bautista Agut
18. Grigor Dimitrov
19. Alex de Minaur
20. Denis Shapovalov
21. Dan Evans
22. Botic van de Zandschulp
23. Frances Tiafoe
24. Nick Kyrgios
25. Francisco Cerúndolo
26. Borna Ćorić
27. Lorenzo Musetti
28. Karen Khachanov
29. Holger Rune
30. Tommy Paul
31. Maxime Cressy
32. Nikoloz Basilashvili
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