NEW DELHI: The eagerly anticipatedUS Openis poised to commence on Monday at the renownedFlushing Meadows, with reigning championsNovak DjokovicandCoco Gaufftaking center stage as the year's concludingGrand Slamkicks off with a dazzling array of top-tier talent.Djokovic, aiming to etch his name in the annals of tennis history by securing an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title, is slated to conclude the evening session beneath the glaring spotlights ofArthur Ashe Stadium, squaring off against Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot.Despite not having participated in any competitive matches since clinching the Olympic gold medal in Paris a mere three weeks ago, the Serbian world number two remains a formidable contender to achieve the feat of being the first player to triumphantly defend his New York crown sinceRoger Federeraccomplished the same in 2008."The goal is always for me to try to go all the way to the finals and fight for the trophy. That kind of mindset is no different for me this year," Reuters quoted Djokovic as saying in the pre-tournament news conference.Coco Gauff, aiming to bounce back from a series of subpar performances, will wrap up the day session on Arthur Ashe Stadium against Varvara Gracheva of France.Prior to their match, former champion Dominic Thiem, who has announced his retirement at the end of the season, will face American 13th seed Ben Shelton on the main court.Shelton, who had an impressive run to the semi-finals last year, is among the 17 American men in the draw hoping to end the nation's Grand Slam drought. Andy Roddick triumphed at the 2003 US Open, marking the last time an American man won a major title.Under the lights of Louis Armstrong Stadium, Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed and Australian Open champion, will begin her quest for the title against Australia's Priscilla Hon.Sabalenka, who finished as the runner-up last year, enters the tournament with confidence after her recent victory in Cincinnati. She aims to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win both hardcourt majors in the same year.China's Zheng Qinwen, the Olympic champion and seventh seed, will open the day's play on Louis Armstrong Stadium against Amanda Anisimova.Other notable players in action on Monday include former finalist Alexander Zverev, sixth seed Andrey Rublev, three-time runner-upVictoria Azarenka, and American stars Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys, and Frances Tiafoe.
