10 Things to Know for the US Open
Top topics to know about the Grand Slam tournament.
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Talking Points - A look at 10 of the top topics at the US Open, the hard-court Grand Slam tennis tournament that begins Monday and ends Sept. 9. — Associated Press(Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images for the USTA)
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Andy Murray's First Defense - For the first time, Andy Murray will be the defending champion at a Grand Slam tournament — and he suspects he'll be more nervous than usual in the early rounds. Will be intriguing to see if that's true. His championship at the 2012 U.S. Open made him the first man from Britain to win a major title since Fred Perry in 1936. And last month, Murray ended Britain's 77-year wait for a male champion at Wimbledon. (Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images for the USTA)
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Rafa Returns - Rafael Nadal has gone through all manner of ups and downs over the past two seasons, including a seven-month absence because of knee trouble — he missed two Grand Slam tournaments, including last year's U.S. Open — plus two more French Open titles and two quick exits at Wimbledon. He's looked terrific lately, improving to 15-0 on hard courts in 2013 by winning the Montreal and Cincinnati tournaments this month. He's back up to No. 2 in the rankings, behind only Novak Djokovic, who has reached at least the semifinals in each of his past six visits to Flushing Meadows. (Photo: AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Roger Federer at No. 7 - Roger Federer's 17 Grand Slam titles include five at the U.S. Open. He was ranked No. 1 for more weeks than any man in history. He was seeded No. 1 at 18 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments from 2004-08. And now? Well, he turned 32 this month, has fiddled around with a bigger racket, is coming off his earliest loss at a Grand Slam tournament in a decade, and is seeded No. 7 at the U.S. Open. If he makes it to the quarterfinals, he'd face his nemesis, Nadal. (Photo: AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Anyone Outside the Big 4? - The so-called Big 4 of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have combined to win 33 of the past 34 Grand Slam titles, a stretch that began in 2005. Is there any chance anyone else breaks through at this tournament? Any discussion of other contenders must begin with the guy who kept it from being 34 of 34 — Juan Martin del Potro, the 6-foot-6 Argentine with the booming forehand who surprised Federer in five sets in the 2009 U.S. Open final. Another big hitter to keep an eye on? No. 5 Tomas Berdych, the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up, although consistency is not his strong suit. (Photos from left: Julian Finney/Getty Images, Matthew Stockman/Getty Images, Matthew Stockman/Getty Images, Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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