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2016 U.S. Open: 5 storylines to watch for

U.S. Open
The new retractable roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium will prevent a finals rain delay. (Getty)

The end of summer brings about the final Grand Slam of the year, the U.S. Open. Starting Monday, all eyes will be fixated on Queens, N.Y., as tennis’ best take to Flushing Meadows.

As recent results this summer showed us, no one, not even Novak Djokovic, is untouchable, setting up for an exciting fortnight of tennis, even if Roger Federer won’t be there.

Here’s what to watch for in New York:

Djokovic’s summer slump

Two months ago, Djokovic looked more tennis-playing machine than human.

Now, after a shocking third-round exit at Wimbledon and a disappointing Olympics, the world No. 1 might not even be the favorite to win in Flushing Meadows. Though he did prevail at last month’s Rogers Cup in Montreal, there’s no doubt Djokovic’s star has fallen this summer. The defending U.S. Open champion needs a strong showing to regain his hold over the rest of the field.

Red-hot Murray

No one has benefitted more from Djokovic’s stumble than Andy Murray. The Scotsman stormed to his second Wimbledon title and followed it up by defending his Olympic singles gold in Rio. With Djokovic looking more and more human and Federer missing his first U.S. Open since 1999, don’t be surprised if Murray ends his summer on a high note.

This time, it’s personal

Like Djokovic, Serena Williams is aiming for a rebound. After a world-class performance at Wimbledon, Williams struggled in Rio. Chalk it up to illness, fatigue or injury, but the four-time gold medalist looked uninspired in Brazil, crashing out in the third round in singles and in the opening doubles round.

Serena Williams
Serena Williams is trying to rebound from a rough showing at the Olympics. (Getty)

Now, she returns to New York, the same place where she was deprived of the calendar Grand Slam a year ago. Not only will Williams want to erase that loss, a win would move her past Steffi Graf for most Grand Slam singles titles with 23.

And if that pressure wasn’t enough, Williams also must have a top performance to stay atop the WTA rankings. Should she slip up, 2016 Australian Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up Angelique Kerber could move past Williams to become the new world No. 1.

Olympic momentum

Juan Martin del Potro has been the feel-good story of summer, as the Argentinian took silver in Rio and finally looks to be in top form following three wrist surgeries and a prolonged tour absence. The former world No. 4 has a 2009 U.S. Open championship to his name, but enters this year’s tournament unseeded. Look for him to make some noise in Queens.

On the women’s side, Monica Puig is also hoping to ride the momentum from a stellar Olympic showing. Puig, with a world ranking of No. 35, shocked 2016 French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, Petra Kvitova and Kerber to win Puerto Rico’s first-ever gold medal. The celebrations are over, though, and it’s up to Puig to prove her performance in Rio was no fluke.

One last sister showdown?

The two Williams sisters are in the same half of the singles draw, with the elder Venus Williams seeded sixth. This means we could be set up for another Williams vs. Williams match-up in the semifinals.

The sisters have defied history by continuing to perform at a high level well into their thirties, but one has to wonder how many more chances they’ll have to face off against each other in a major.