Defending champion Djokovic can become the oldest Open era champion at the tournament if he secures a fifth title, a record he would share with Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. The 37-year-old would also move to 25 Grand Slam triumphs, taking him clear of the 24 he currently shares with Margaret Court.

The final major of the year comes at a critical time for Djokovic. This year he was succeeded as Australian Open champion by Sinner who also relieved him of his world number one ranking.

Carlos Alcaraz took his French Open title by sweeping Djokovic off the court in a one-sided Wimbledon final. However, Djokovic, returned to the clay courts of Roland Garros to stun Alcaraz in the Olympic final.

His tearful victory in Paris allowed him to become only the fifth player to complete a career Golden Slam of all four majors and Olympic gold. The victory also silenced the increasing number of doubters who had written off the Serb as a spent force in a new era where Sinner, 23, and 21-year-old Alcaraz are steadily moving centre stage.

Djokovic, who underwent surgery on his right knee in June, described his Olympic victory as his "biggest sporting success".

It was also the 99th title of his professional career.

"Biggest success"

"At the age of 37 and facing a 21-year-old who is probably the best player in the world right now, winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back, I can say that this is probably the biggest sporting success I have ever had," insisted Djokovic.

Sinner arrives at the final Slam of the season having captured the Cincinnati Masters title. However, that triumph was quickly overshadowed when it emerged he had been cleared of any wrongdoing after twice testing positive for a banned substance earlier in the season.

Sinner tested positive for clostebol, an anabolic agent prohibited at all times by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). However, he escaped a lengthy ban after officials accepted his explanation that the substance had entered his system as a result of contamination from a support team member.

"I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me," said Sinner.

The green light for him to continue playing was blasted as "ridiculous" by Australian player Nick Kyrgios.

Alcaraz, who won his first major at the US Open in 2022, was badly bruised by his defeat to Djokovic in the Olympic final. He broke down in tears on court before admitting he felt he had "let Spain down".

His build-up to New York wasn't helped by a second-round exit in Cincinnati to Gael Monfils in a match which saw the usually composed Alcaraz smash his racquet on the court. He described the defeat as the "worst match" of his career.

Now the world No. 3 could face No. 1 Sinner in the US Open semi-finals, according to Thursday's draw for the final Grand Slam tournament of the year. Before his probable duel with Alcaraz, Sinner will face Daniil Medvedev (5th), winner of the 2021 edition and runner-up in 2019 and 2023, in the quarter-finals.

In the women's draw, the defending champion Coco Gauff is likely to fight with the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, whom she defeated in last year's final. The American will make her debut in the New York tournament against Varvara Gracheva (66th), while Sabalenka will do so against a player from the qualifying phase.

The other semi-final could be played by the world No. 1, the Polish Iga Swiatek, winner in 2022, with Elena Rybakina or Jasmine Paolini, finalists this year at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. 

Swiatek will begin her journey in the US Open against a player from the qualifying phase and will face for the first time in the third round the Russian Mirra Andreeva, whom she defeated in three sets in the Cincinnati quarter-finals last week.