On the one hand, Djokovic, despite making the semifinals or better at the last eight Opens, has won the title just once. While he has always loved the buzz inside Ashe Stadium, he hasn’t always loved the wind that swirls there. In each of the last three years, he has been caught and passed by a hot opponent—Andy Murray in 2012, Rafael Nadal in 2013, Nishikori in 2014—on the final weekend.
On the other hand, Djokovic’s lone title came in 2011, a brilliant season much like the one he’s having this year. And that infamous wind in Ashe may not swirl the same way now that there’s a roof on top of the stadium. Whatever the conditions, these days it’s pretty much a given that Djokovic is going to be in the mix at the end of any tournament he enters.
Djokovic’s draw looks OK. He starts against Joao Souza of Brazil; he could play Vasek Pospisil in the second round; the first seed he could face is Andreas Seppi; the highest seed in his half is David Goffin; and he’s slated to play Nadal in the quarters.
That is, of course, if Rafa makes it there. Nadal begins against Borna Coric, a teenager who beat him last year in Basel. The two seeds in Rafa’s half, Fabio Fognini and Milos Raonic, also own wins over him this year.
Also here: Mardy Fish, who will begin his final tournament against Marco Cecchinato of Italy.
First-round matches to watch:
—Nadal vs. Coric
—Fernando Verdasco vs. Tommy Haas