Ahead of the 2016 US Open, The National looks at the tournament's youngest entrants, examining whether they may be future stars and whether they may even be ready to make an impact at Flushing Meadows this year.
Alexander Zverev, Germany, 19 years, 4 months, 8 days
The towering (6ft 6in) young German has risen fastest among his young peers and looks already on a surefire path to superstardom. Zverev has a serve befitting his size, but it’s a beyond-his-years court vision and awareness and an excellent backhand – an accurate, two-handed laser with remarkable touch when the moment calls for it – that has been one of the keys in reaching No 24 in the world. The 2014 Australian Open junior champion has already been to the third round at the French Open and Wimbledon this year and, seeded 27th, would go farther than he ever has if he can oust Stan Wawrinka in a possible third-round match.
Belinda Bencic, Switzerland, 19 years, 5 months, 18 days
The Swiss has accomplished a remarkable amount already in her career – she has 154 singles victories and two WTA titles, including a Premier 5 win in Toronto. But it’s been a difficult year, in which she’s battled injuries and has won more than one match in a tournament just once since February, at ‘s-Hertogenbosh in June. In fact, sans that one tournament in the Netherlands, she only has two wins since that early February trip to the St Petersburg final. Still, Bencic remains a skilled, versatile player with an advanced knowledge of how to work the angles. Garbine Muguruza and Johanna Konta, both in her section of the draw, should be cautious.
Taylor Fritz, United States, 18 years, 10 months, 0 days
The lanky 6ft 4in American has advanced quickly this season, racking up a 12-16 record with quarter-final trips in Atlanta, Acapulco and Memphis (where he reached the final). He’s beginning to sniff the top 50, too, currently ranked 54 in the world. Fritz has an appropriately American big serve and even more powerful forehand, but for now still tends to live around the baseline. Considered one of America’s next best hopes, he faces another man who once held that distinction, Jack Sock, in the first round.
Ana Konjuh, Croatia, 18 years, 8 months, 1 day
Konjuh won her first title last year at Nottingham when she was just 17. In her pro career she’s already accumulated 107 singles victories and risen as high as 55th in the world. She has a mature all-around game and subtle power with a nasty control on drop shots. She enters the US Open having won four matches en route to the round of 16 in New Haven and faces Kiki Bertens in an interesting first round affair.
Borna Coric, Croatia, 19 years, 9 months, 14 days
If it feels like Coric has been around for a while, it was three years ago he won the US Open junior tournament and two years ago that he announced his arrival by beating Rafael Nadal in Basel. He’s speedy and already comfortable playing all over the court and has a lovely, well-rounded game that bodes well for his continued ascent. Coric has been ranked as high as No 33 and counts as a real threat to 16th-seeded Feliciano Lopez in the opener.
Daria Kasatkina, Russia, 19 years, 3 months, 21 days
Kasatkina holds the distinction of already owning third-round trips at each of the grand slams and, at No 24 in the world, she owns a whopping 115 career singles titles. She reached the Olympic and Wimbledon quarter-finals recently, displaying great control and feel for her sport. Seeded 23rd, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her at least reach the fourth round – any farther would come as a shock, though, as she’s been drawn in the same section as Serena Williams. Still, she could maybe make the queen sweat if she gets a shot at her.
Jared Donaldson, United States, 19 years, 10 months, 19 days
Donaldson is still looking to break into the top 100, with his current No 122 representing a career high ranking. He’s had moments to hang his hat on this year, getting to the round of 16 at the Toronto Masters and beating Fabio Fognini along the way, topping Nicolas Almagro in Cincinnati and going three sets with Stan Wawrinka in his subsequent loss. He qualified his way into this tournament, as well, beating Eduardo Struvay, Jordi Samper-Montana and Santiago Giraldo along the way. Strong returning and a dangerous forehand will be his weapons in a tough draw with 12-seed David Goffin in the first round.
Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, 19 years, 1 month, 20 days
Ostapenko is another with a full record under her belt already. The Latvian has 135 career singles wins and is currently a career-high No 34 in the rankings. She’s beaten the likes of Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova just in the past couple months. With a fierce serve and an endearingly aggressive forehand, she could be dangerous yet again against Kvitova in an enticing first-round pairing.
Frances Tiafoe, United States, 18 years, 7 months, 8 days
Tiafoe has been billed as America’s Next Big Thing for nearly three years now, after becoming the youngest Orange Bowl winner ever. His backstory is compelling as well – his parents are immigrants from Sierra Leone and he literally grew up at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in Maryland, as his father worked as a custodian there. His progress has come along in fits and starts, and at this stage he only owns two ATP level singles wins and is currently ranked No 124. Tiafoe has been winning regularly on the Challenger Tour this year, though, and his power and potential are undeniable. He faces John Isner in the first round, whom he very well could upset.
Naomi Osaka, Japan, 18 years, 10 months, 12 days
Osaka has hit her stride this year, reaching the third round at both the Australian and French Opens. She’s now a career-best No 82 in the world, with a 25-17 record on the season. She’s reached the quarter-finals at Florianapolis and Acapulco this year, but it’s probably a lot to ask that she make much of a dent against 28th-seeded Coco Vandeweghe in her first round match.
Michael Mmoh, United States, 18 years, 7 months, 18 days
Mmoh is a wonderful representation of American diversity – born in Saudi Arabia to a Nigerian father and an Irish mother (who also has Australian citizenship). Mmoh’s father Tony represented Nigeria at the Olympics, and Michael has been playing since the age of three. Ranked No 377 in the world, Mmoh has not yet won an ATP level match. The wild card will have a tough time of notching that first victory in New York, matched up against Jeremy Chardy in the first round.
CiCi Bellis, United States, 17 years, 4 months, 20 days
Bellis is maybe best remembered for beating Dominika Cibulkova in the main draw at the 2014 US Open, which made her the youngest match winner at the tournament since 15-year-old Anna Kournikova. The San Francisco-born talent has mostly competed on the ITF circuit this season, but notably reached the quarter-finals at Stanford in July, where she lost to Venus Williams. She very well could score a win against Viktorija Golubic in her first-round match.
Nadia Podoroska, Argentina, 19 years, 6 months, 18 days
Podoroska hails from Rosario, the home made famous by football superstar Lionel Messi. She has eight ITF titles to her name and a current career-high ranking of 242, thanks in part to reaching the round of 32 both at Florianapolis and Bucharest this season. She qualified her way in by beating Donna Vekic and a slightly more high-profile teen, Ocean Dodin. She gets Anett Kontaveit in the opener.
Sofia Kenin, United States, 17 years, 9 months, 14 days
Moscow-born Kenin is ranked No 247 in the world, and has reached the junior French Open and Wimbledon quarter-finals in her career. She hasn’t registered a WTA level win this year, and as a wild card has been drawn with a tall, tall task in 10th-seeded Karolina Pliskova.
Kayla Day, United States, 16 years, 11 months, 0 days
The youngest competitor at the US Open, California native Day went to the Orange Bowl final last year and the junior Wimbledon semi-finals this year. Another wild card, she faces fellow American Madison Brengle at Flushing Meadows. She got a chance to test herself as a lucky loser against fellow teen Ana Konjuh at New Haven last week, where she fell 6-0, 6-3.
