In-form Zverev: Djokovic is still the U.S. Open favourite

The
German
world
number
four
defeated
Andrey
Rublev
in
straight
sets
on
Sunday
to
win
the
Western
and
Southern
Open,
claiming
his
fourth
title
of
the
ATP
season.

The
2021
U.S.
Open
begins
next
Monday
with
Dominic
Thiem,
who
defeated
Zverev
in
the
2020
final,
withdrawing
from
the
men’s
draw
along
with
superstar
Roger
Federer
and
Rafael
Nadal.

Their
absences
have
opened
up
an
opportunity
for
the
in-form
Zverev
to
have
a
run
at
the
title
but
the
German
insisted
Djokovic,
who
he
defeated
in
the
Olympic
semi-finals,
is
the
player
to
beat.

“I
do
think
that
he’s
still
the
favourite,”
Zverev
told
reporters
after
his
win
in
Cincinnati.

“I
do
think
he’s
going
to
be
playing
incredible
tennis
there.
He’s
going
to
be
fresh,
and
I
think
there
is
also
other
guys
that
are
in
very
good
form.
I
think
Rublev
is
in
very
good
form,
[Daniil]
Medvedev,
[Stefanos]
Tsitsipas,
all
those
guys
are
playing
great
tennis.

“It’s
definitely
going
to
be
an
interesting
US
Open.
But
I’m
also
looking
forward
to
it,
because
I
know
where
I
stand,
I
know
how
I’m
playing,
and
I
hope
I
can
continue
the
work
and
hopefully
play
even
better
in
New
York.”

Champion
????@AlexZverev
claims
a
first
Cincinnati
title,
defeating
Rublev
6-2,
6-3.#CincyTennis
pic.twitter.com/RHAbXuqnvU

—
Western
&
Southern
Open
(@CincyTennis)

August
22,
2021

Djokovic
has
not
played
since
Tokyo
2020,
where
he
lost
his
bronze
medal
match
to
Pablo
Carreno
Busta
after
his
semi-final
defeat
to
Zverev.

The
Serbian
world
number
one
opted
to
withdraw
from
the
mixed
doubles’ semi-final
afterwards,
citing
a
left
shoulder
injury.

“I
think
Novak
will
be
back.
He’s
obviously
going
to
be
the
favourite
but
I
think
other
guys
are
going
to
be
in
great
shape,”
Zverev
said.

“I’m
looking
forward
to
the
week.
Let’s
see
how
it
goes.
But
there
is
still
one
week
to
go.
I
still
have
a
lot
of
work
ahead
of
me.
I
have
to
find
my
rhythm
in
New
York,
as
well.”

Zverev,
who
had
never
won
a
match
in
Cincinnati
prior
to
this
year’s
event,
has
not
lost
a
match
since
his
Wimbledon
fourth-round
exit
to
Felix
Auger-Aliassime
in
July.