The incredible curse of the US Open that Alcaraz will seek to break this year

The arrival of a new US Open places us at the feet of one of the most incredible streaks in recent Grand Slam history. The last Grand Slam of the year has had a very clear reputation since its beginnings: it is the Major of surprises, of discoveries, the opportunity for several players to claim their first major titles. Many of them, in fact, took their chance in Flushing Meadows: in the last two decades, it was in New York where names like Juan Martín del Potro, Dominic Thiem, and Daniil Medvedev won their first and only Grand Slam.

That Flushing Meadows is the place of opportunities comes at a cost. For some, of course: it represents the variability and unpredictability that arises when the best step onto the North American hard courts. Its timing throughout the year, which causes the top players to arrive with a certain amount of fatigue, has been a factor that has intensified as tennis has become more physical: all of this contributes to us facing, once again, a kind of curse that only one man can break: Carlos Alcaraz.

What is the 'curse' of the US Open, and why is Alcaraz the one who can break it?

When Roger Federer established an incomprehensible dominance in the mid-2000s, this streak seemed like an authentic utopia. The reign of the Swiss, who won five consecutive titles between 2004 and 2008, gave way to an era in which the trophies have been shared more equally. Indeed. Since 2008, no US Open champion has been able to defend their title the following year. There have been 17 editions without anyone defending their crown, creating a kind of cabal that has so far withstood all kinds of attempts.

Several names have come close, missing out by just one match, or even a couple of sets, from achieving it. Roger himself was unable to defend his title for the sixth time in 2009, in a match he still remembers and describes as the most painful final of his career. That unexpected title by Juan Martín del Potro opened the floodgates: since then, Rafael Nadal (lost the 2011 final to Djokovic after winning in 2010) and Jannik Sinner (lost last year's final to Alcaraz after winning in 2024) have both been just two sets away on one occasion from achieving this feat.

The one holding the record, however, is Novak Djokovic, who has had two opportunities to break this streak, two finals where he also fell short: 2012 against Andy Murray, who would also start his own count in New York (having defeated Rafa in the unforgettable 2011 final), and the often-mentioned 2016 final against Stan Wawrinka: the Serbian was the only one, along with Roger, who led the final in which he could have secured the double, only to be subdued 1-3 after winning the first set.

The weight of history is conjured against Alcaraz: many have been the futile attempts along the way, with even absurd situations (Nadal did not defend his 2019 title because he did not travel to the United States for the first tournament post-pandemic; Carlos himself lost the opportunity in 2023 with one of the most surprising defeats of his career against van de Zandschulp). Will 2026 be the moment to break from the established norm? It does not seem like the best timing... but if there is someone capable of facing history head-on and surprising it, it is Carlos Alcaraz himself.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La increíble maldición del US Open que Alcaraz buscará romper este año