Men to watch at the U.S. Open, which begins Monday:
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Seeded: 1
Age: 28
Country: Serbia
2015 Match Record: 56-5
2015 Singles Titles: 6
Career Singles Titles: 54
Major Titles: 9 - U.S. Open ('11), Wimbledon ('11, `14, `15), Australian Open ('08, `11, `12, `13, `15)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `14-Lost in Semifinals, `13-F, `12-F, `11-Won Championship, `10-F
Topspin: Reached the semifinals or better each of the last eight years at Flushing Meadows, including five appearances in the final, but has only one title to show for it. ... Is 20-1 in Grand Slam matches this season. ... Made the final at past 10 tournaments, but lost hard-court title matches at Montreal and Cincinnati in August.
ROGER FEDERER
Seeded: 2
Age: 34
Country: Switzerland
2015 Match Record: 45-7
2015 Singles Titles: 5
Career Singles Titles: 87
Major Titles: 17 - U.S. Open ('04, `05, `06, `07, `08), Wimbledon ('03, `04, `05, `06, `07, `09, `12), Australian Open ('04, `06, `07, `10), French Open ('09)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `14-SF, `13-4th, `12-QF, `11-SF, `10-SF
Topspin: Self-deprecatingly noted he hasn't been to New York final since 2009. True, but that was sixth year in a row he played for U.S. Open title, winning five times. ... Appearing in record 64th consecutive major. ... Sat out Montreal tournament to rest up and prepare for New York, then beat Djokovic in Cincinnati final.
ANDY MURRAY
Seeded: 3
Age: 28
Country: Britain
2015 Match Record: 56-9
2015 Singles Titles: 4
Career Singles Titles: 35
Major Titles: 2 - U.S. Open ('12), Wimbledon ('13)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `14-QF, `13-QF, `12-W, `11-SF, `10-3rd
Topspin: Back near the top of the game after nearly falling out of top 10 a year ago at this time. ... He and wife, Kim Sears, expecting first child early next year.
KEI NISHIKORI
Seeded: 4
Age: 25
Country: Japan
2015 Match Record: 46-10
2015 Singles Titles: 3
Career Singles Titles: 10
Major Titles: 0 - Best: F, U.S. Open ('14)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `14-F, `13-1st, `12-3rd, `11-1st, `10-3rd
Topspin: A year ago at U.S. Open, beat Djokovic in semifinals and became first man born in Asia to reach a Grand Slam singles final. ... Only Djokovic has won more hard-court matches in 2015, and only Djokovic, Federer and Murray have won more titles.
STAN WAWRINKA
Seeded: 5
Age: 30
Country: Switzerland
2015 Match Record: 36-12
2015 Singles Titles: 3
Career Singles Titles: 10
Major Titles: 2 - Australian Open ('14), French Open ('15)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `14-QF, `13-SF, `12-4th, `11-2nd, `10-QF
Topspin: Began his late-career surge at Flushing Meadows two years ago, reaching his first Grand Slam semifinal in his 35th appearance at a major tournament. ... In his 36th, he won the 2014 Australian Open, and then proved he wasn't a one-Slam wonder by winning another major championship at this year's French Open. ... Embroiled in a bizarre episode involving an on-court insult from Nick Kyrgios at a tournament in Montreal this month.
RAFAEL NADAL
Seeded: 8
Age: 29
Country: Spain
2015 Match Record: 42-14
2015 Singles Titles: 3
Career Singles Titles: 67
Major Titles: 14 - Wimbledon ('08, `10), U.S. Open ('10, `13), Australian Open ('09), French Open ('05, `06, `07, `08, `10, `11, `12, `13, `14)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `14-Did Not Play, `13-W, `12-DNP, `11-F, `10-W
Topspin: This is the first season since 2011 that Nadal participated in all four major tournaments; he missed last year's U.S. Open with an injured right wrist. ... Each of the last three times he played in New York - he also missed 2012 - he reached the final, winning titles in 2010 and 2013.
MARIN CILIC
Seeded: 9
Age: 26
Country: Croatia
2015 Match Record: 18-13
2015 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 13
Major Titles: 1 - U.S. Open ('14)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `14-W, `13-DNP, `12-QF, `11-3rd, `10-2nd
Topspin: Only had reached one major semifinal before last year's run to the championship in New York, including a victory over Federer in the semifinals. ... Missed the 2013 U.S. Open because of a doping suspension. ... At 6-foot-6 (1.98 meters), equipped with a big serve and flat groundstrokes that translate well on hard courts.
JOHN ISNER
Seeded: 13
Age: 30
Country: United States
2015 Match Record: 34-19
2015 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 10
Major Titles: 0 - Best: QF, at U.S. Open ('11)
Last 5 U.S. Opens: `14-3rd, `13-3rd, `12-3rd, `11-QF, `10-3rd
Topspin: Top-ranked U.S. man. ... For each of the last three years, Isner's U.S. Open ended with a third-round loss to Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber. This year, if they met, it would happen in the fourth round - but Isner's more likely opponent if he were to make it that far would be Federer.
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