New Delhi: Roger Federer and Serena Williams will begin the defence of their US Open titles at Flushing Meadows on Monday, while Kim Clijsters returns to Grand Slam tennis for the first time in two years.
Federer has had a great year and a US Open title will be the perfect gift for his twin daughters.
In the women's section defending champion Serena Williams is determined to keep the trophy with her.
No one in the open era has won a Grand Slam title six times in a row and defending US Open champion Federer will be looking to accomplish that feat at the Flushing Meadows.
The World No. 1 is in top form as he reclaimed his Wimbledon crown last month and with it an unprecedented 15th Grand Slam title.
"Today I find myself number one in the world, and you know, defending champion, thanks to how great I played last year. So I'm looking forward, I'm feeling well, playing great, playing offensive tennis," said Federer on the eve of the start of US Open, which is the fourth and the final Grand Slam of the year.
Meanwhile, a career Grand Slam awaits former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal. But having returned from the longest lay-off after a knee injury, Nadal is certainly not at his best.
On the other hand world No. 2 Andy Murray is yearning for his first Grand Slam after a fairytale climb to the top. He came quite close to winning the US Open last year.
"Up until sort of Wimbledon last year, I was playing I guess top 10 tennis but not tennis that, you know, that was consistent enough to get me sort of to two in the world. So I think that my consistency has been a lot better, and you know, physically I feel stronger than I was last year," said Murray.
The women's draw holds more surprises.
The biggest contender for this year's crown is undoubtedly Serena. Even though she knows that she will have to stop her sister Venus on the way to the final.
The sisters have faced off at Wimbledon, too, this year.
"I definitely want it more. Wimbledon was a while ago. Yeah, I won it, but it seems like a lifetime ago already. It's just been such a whirlwind but I would love to do well here," said Serena.
World No. 1 but without a Grand Slam title, Dinara Safina will most definitely want to change that detail on her CV.
Also vying for top honours are Safina's compatriots, the consistent Elena Dementieva and French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
But all eyes will also be on former World No. 1 Clijsters. She is returning after a two-year break to the courts where she won her only Grand Slam in 2005.
"When you've been up there, that's something that you've experienced those emotions and feelings and playing those big matches, that's what you do it for," said Clijsters.
Meanwhile, the Indian challege will be led by Somdev Devvarman in the men's draw and Sania Mirza in the women's draw.
Somdev has made it to the singles main draw of a Grand Slam event for the first time in his career and is the first Indian male tennis player at the US Open in seven years after Prakash Amritraj played in 2002 edition of the event.
Somdev will play world No. 110 Portugal's Fredrico Gil in the first round of men's singles.
The Indian player won three qualifying rounds to make the main draw. Sania will face Belrus's Olga Govortsova in the first round of women's singles on Monday.
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