The United States Open began on Monday in Flushing Meadows, Queens. Not all of the fan favorites are there. The women’s singles draw is without Serena Williams, who will soon give birth to her first child. Five of the top 11 men in the rankings — including last year’s finalists, Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic, and No. 2 Andy Murray — will miss the tournament because of injuries.
But Monday’s order of play provides plenty of opportunities for young players to become new fan favorites, and even offers a marquee first-round matchup worthy of a major final, featuring Simona Halep and Maria Sharapova.