The final Major of the season, the US Open 2024, is just around the corner, kicking off on August 26. Carlos Alcaraz, fresh off victories in the last two Majors, arrives in New York following a disappointing early exit at the Cincinnati Open.
Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, and gold medalist at the Paris Olympics, returns to the court for the first time since that historic victory. Djokovic is in pursuit of his 25th Major title and his 100th career title, setting the stage for a highly anticipated tournament.
On the women’s side, defending champion Coco Gauff has hit a rough patch. Despite her hardcourt success last summer, Gauff has struggled this season, most recently exiting the Cincinnati Open without a win. Although she has made some deep runs in tournaments, she hasn’t reached a final since claiming the title in Auckland back in January.
While the top players are largely confirmed to participate in this year’s US Open, a few notable names will be absent. Here’s a look at five players who won’t be competing in the 2024 US Open:
#5 – Zhu Lin
Zhu Lin made headlines last year by upsetting two-time Major champion Victoria Azarenka on her way to the third round of the US Open. 2023 was a breakthrough year for Zhu, highlighted by her first WTA title, a fourth-round finish at the Australian Open, and a climb into the top 40 of the WTA rankings. Unfortunately, an injury will prevent the Chinese star from participating in this year’s US Open.
#4 – Sorana Cirstea
Sorana Cirstea reached her first US Open quarterfinal last year, marking her best Major performance since her 2009 French Open quarterfinal run. Despite some strong showings this season, including semifinals in Dubai and a fourth-round finish in Miami, Cirstea has been hampered by persistent foot pain. The issue required surgery, sidelining her for the remainder of the season. She plans to make a comeback at the start of next year.
#3 – Cameron Norrie
Cameron Norrie has had a disappointing season, compiling a 17-15 record thus far. His most notable achievements include a semifinal finish at the Rio Open and a fourth-round appearance at the Australian Open. However, Norrie announced on August 16 that he would withdraw from the US Open due to a forearm injury. His best performance at the US Open was a fourth-round finish in 2022, followed by a third-round appearance last year. Norrie has not competed since mid-July and has yet to set a timeline for his return.
#2 – Marketa Vondrousova
Marketa Vondrousova has had a challenging season with few highlights. A quarterfinal run at the French Open and a semifinal in Stuttgart have been her best results this year. Her struggles culminated at Wimbledon, where she was knocked out in the first round, ending her title defense with a loss to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Vondrousova has not played since Wimbledon and announced her withdrawal from the US Open on August 16 due to a hand injury. Despite her setbacks, the Czech star is no stranger to comebacks, having overcome various injuries throughout her career.
#1 – Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal’s return to the tour this season after a year-long injury layoff has been marred by setbacks. While he reached the quarterfinals in Brisbane, an injury forced him to miss the Australian Open. His return during the clay season was similarly underwhelming, with a fourth-round finish at the Madrid Open as his best result. Nadal exited in the first round of the French Open and later reached his first final of the season at the Nordea Open in Bastad, where he lost to Nuno Borges. At the Paris Olympics, Nadal left without a medal, losing to Djokovic in the second round of singles and in the quarterfinals of doubles alongside Alcaraz.
Initially, Nadal used his protected ranking to enter the US Open, but after his Olympic campaign ended, he decided to withdraw from the tournament. Nadal, a four-time US Open champion, last won in New York in 2019. He is expected to compete next at the Laver Cup, scheduled for September 20-22.
