New York is definitely the place where your chances to win the grand slam is biggest if you are not named Federer, Djokovic, or Nadal.
Carlos Alcaraz’s win at US Open was the third in a row, when someone not named Federer, Djokovic, or Nadal claimed the trophy. And that is quite unusual even with age, injuries, and covid restrictions taking their toll on the situation of the great-of-all-times trio.
Dominic Thiem in 2020, Daniil Medvedev in 2021, and Carlos Alcaraz in 2022 won their first Grand Slam title in New York at US Open. It is incomparable to 63 grand slam titles taken by Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer together, but it is quite interesting that it happened in New York.
Read more about the road from the 1st to 20th (21st(22nd)) Grand Slam title here.
Grand Slam Winners in the past 20 years
Look at the number of wins in the last twenty editions of all four Grand Slam tournaments.
Last 20 winners of every Grand Slam
Australian Open 2003 – 2022 [Number of Wins]:
Djokovic 9 – Federer 6 – Nadal 2 – Other players 3
French Open 2003 – 2022 [Number of Wins]:
Nadal 14 – Djokovic 2 – Federer 1 – Other players 3
Wimbledon 2003 – 2022 [Number of Wins]:
Federer 8 – Djokovic 7 – Nadal 2 – Murray 2 – not played 1
US Open 2003 – 2022 [Number of Wins]:
Other players 8 – Federer 5 – Nadal 4 – Djokovic 3
The last time Australian Open was won by another player was in 2014, it was the 2015 or French Open, and 2016 for Wimbledon. The dominance of Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic is overwhelming. If we add Wawrinka and Murray, then we see a clear tennis “oligopoly” for 20 years in those three tournaments.
Though, US Open is different. Except for Murray [2012] and Wawrinka [2016], also Del Potro, Cilic, Theim, Medvedev, and Alcaraz won it.
Reasons?
We can discuss the reasons why the US Open is different.
My most favored is, that US Open is the last of all four grand slams with players more tired and more injury prone. Additionally, it is really hard to keep your performance at the highest level all year long [e.g. Djokovic in 2021].
And I believe, you can find another two or three good reasons too.
But above all, courts at Flushing Meadows offers hope for anybody looking for a Grand Slam title in the next 20 year.
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