The world number one insisted those issues, which he was reluctant to divulge, are now resolved but admits the wrist injury remains a concern, with the final grand slam of the year less than three days away. He has struggled recently due to a wrist injury and was ousted in the first round of singles play at the recent Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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“I had to win one set and I was completely too much pressure on myself”. She was eliminated within the first three rounds of the Summer Olympics – in both singles and doubles play – and lost in the finals of both the Australian Open and French Open earlier in the year. “So I need to try and keep that going, and the U.S. Open is always the next big goal”.
“I’m OK with it”, Williams said about the draw.
There was talk of a changing of the guard when the legendary American lost the Australian Open and French Open titles this year, but she responded by matching Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22 major singles crowns at Wimbledon in July. “I’ve just got to do the best I can”. In Federer’s absence, Stan Wawrinka, beaten Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic, as well as 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori and victor Cilic, loom as the other likely challengers.
After suffering an upset at the hands of Kevin Anderson in last year’s fourth round, Murray’s first match this week is against Lukas Rosol, the world number 82 Czech, with whom he had a verbal altercation with at the 2015 BMW Open in Munich.
Williams will begin her US Open bid with a match against Ekaterina Makarova, who she beat en route to the title in 2012 and 2014. With only 200-point gap, the German could easily take her spot if Williams loses another match.
The British number five will earn 43,313 U.S. dollars (£33,000) for her progress, but also invaluable confidence, the victory coming after she won an ITF event in Landisville earlier this month. “I’m just hoping that Monday when the tournament starts I’ll be able to get as close to the maximum of executing my backhand shot as possible”. I played her I think in the semis I think before. Seeded second in NY, she is one of three players with a chance to seize the number one ranking if Williams falters. “I prefer to play more coming into the final Grand Slam of the year. there is nothing we can do about it”.
Her run to the semi-finals in NY in 2011 was the catalyst for her rise up the rankings, but it was a trip to see former world number one Steffi Graf in Las Vegas in early 2015 that really did the trick.
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The physical cracks are starting to show – Djokovic and Nadal have been bothered by wrist problems in recent weeks while 35-year-old Federer has shut down his 2016 season due to a knee injury. Australian Open champ Angelique Kerber and French Open victor Garbine Muguruza are on the other side of the draw.
