US OPEN ‘18: Nadal aims for 2nd title in a row in New York

Men to watch at the U.S. Open, where play begins Monday:

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RAFAEL NADAL

Seeded: 1

Ranked: 1

Age: 32

Country: Spain

2018 Match Record: 40-3

2018 Singles Titles: 5

Career Singles Titles: 80

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 17 - U.S. Open (’10, ’13, ’17), Wimbledon (’08, ’10), French Open (’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’17, ’18), Australian Open (’09)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: ’17-Won Championship, ’16-Lost in 4th Round, ’15-3rd, ’14-Did Not Play, ’13-W

Aces: Won the U.S. Open as No. 1 seed in 2010, 2017. … Trying to become first man to repeat as champion in New York since Roger Federer won his fifth in a row in 2008.

Topspin: Beat two past U.S. Open champions and two future stars en route to tuneup title at Toronto Masters this month.

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ROGER FEDERER

Seeded: 2

Ranked: 2

Age: 37

Country: Switzerland

2018 Match Record: 33-5

2018 Singles Titles: 3

Career Singles Titles: 98

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 20 - U.S. Open (’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08), Wimbledon (’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’09, ’12, ’17), Australian Open (’04, ’06, ’07, ’10, ’17, ’18), French Open (’09)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: ’17-QF, ’16-DNP, ’15-RU, ’14-SF, ’13-4th

Aces: Made it to the final at Flushing Meadows only once in the decade since his last title. … Could face Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

Topspin: Still has never played Rafael Nadal at the U.S. Open. If they meet this year, it would be for the title.

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JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

Seeded: 3

Ranked: 3

Age: 29

Country: Argentina

2018 Match Record: 37-10

2018 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 22

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1 - U.S. Open (’09)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: ’17-SF, ’16-QF, ’15-DNP, ’14-DNP, ’13-2nd

Aces: Playing in his 22nd major tournament since his lone such title. If he gets a second, he would set an Open era record for most Slam appearances before No. 2.

Topspin: Biggest forehand in the game makes him ever-dangerous on hard courts. Just needs his oft-repaired left wrist to hold up on backhands.

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ALEXANDER ZVEREV

Ranked: 4

Seeded: 4

Age: 21

Country: Germany

2018 Match Record: 43-13

2018 Singles Titles: 3

Career Singles Titles: 9

Major Titles: 0 - Best: QF, French Open (’18)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: ’17-2nd, ’16-2nd, ’15-1st, ’14-DNP, ’13-DNP

Aces: Recently started working with Ivan Lendl, saying: “He’s a smart man, a great guy. Done it as a player, done it as a coach, so he knows what it takes.”

Topspin: Has won three Masters titles. Now it’s time to step up at a Grand Slam tournament and get to his first semifinal.

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KEVIN ANDERSON

Seeded: 5

Ranked: 5

Age: 32

Country: South Africa

2018 Match Record: 33-1

2018 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 4

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: RU, U.S. Open (’17)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: ’17-RU, ’16-3rd, ’15-QF, ’14-3rd, ’13-2nd

Aces: Runner-up at two of the past four majors, including in New York last year, then again at Wimbledon last month.

Topspin: Coming into his own late in his career, he’s shown that with a big serve and consistent groundstrokes, he is a contender on fast surfaces.

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NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Seeded: 6

Ranked: 6

Age: 31

Country: Serbia

2018 Match Record: 33-10

2018 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 70

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 13 - U.S. Open (’11, ’15), Wimbledon (’11, ’14, ’15, ’18), Australian Open (’08, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’15, ’16), French Open (’16)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: ’17-DNP, ’16-RU, ’15-W, ’14-SF, ’13-RU

Aces: Since starting the year 6-6, has gone 27-4. … Titles at Wimbledon and Cincinnati Masters (beating Federer in the final) make him a popular pick.

Topspin: Sure seems very close to being right back at his best after a lull caused at least in part by an injured right elbow.

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JOHN ISNER

Seeded: 11

Ranked: 11

Age: 33

Country: United States

2018 Match Record: 26-5

2018 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 14

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: QF, U.S. Open (’11)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: ’17-3rd, ’16-3rd, ’15-4th, ’14-3rd, ’13-3rd

Aces: 12 of 14 titles have come in the U.S. … Just one quarterfinal appearance in New York, back in 2011.

Topspin: Says playing with calm and not fretting over results helped him have his best season, including first Slam semifinal at Wimbledon.

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Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

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