NEW YORK – South Africa’s Kevin Anderson if he wins his matches will be on course for a quarterfinal clash with Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the US Open In New York, USA.
The tournament begins on Monday, and the fifth-seeded Anderson will have the daunting prospect of playing the top seed if he makes it through to the last eight. The pair famously met in the final of the US Open in 2017, when Nadal prevailed.
Anderson, already a Wimbledon and US Open runner-up, faces unseeded Ryan Harrison of the USA on Monday.
The big-hitting 32-year-old only reclaimed a place in the world's top five on Monday following his run to the last-16 of last week's Cincinnati Masters, where he was beaten by Belgium's David Goffin.
Novak Djokovic and Kevin Anderson after the men's singles final of Wimbledon 2018. Photo: Nic Bothma/EPA
As he enters the United States Open with a career-high ranking of fifth, his lifetime goal feels closer than ever.
“Projecting forward to the U.S. Open and next year, I just feel a little more comfortable saying, ‘I’m here to compete for the win,’” Anderson said. “I would have said it before, but now I can say it with more self-assurance.”
That belief comes at the end of a long, steady climb for Anderson, who has reached two of the last four Grand Slam finals, including last year’s US Open.