7 men to watch at the US Open

Men to watch at the U.S. Open, where play begins Monday:

---

RAFAEL NADAL

Seeded: 1

Ranked: 1

Age: 32

Country: Spain

2018 Match Record: 40-3

2018 Singles Titles: 5

Career Singles Titles: 80

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 17 - U.S. Open ('10, `13, `17), Wimbledon ('08, `10), French Open ('05, `06, `07, `08, `10, `11, `12, `13, `14, `17, `18), Australian Open ('09)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-Won Championship,'16-Lost in 4th Round,'15-3rd,'14-Did Not Play,'13-W

Aces: Won the U.S. Open as No. 1 seed in 2010, 2017. ... Trying to become first man to repeat as champion in New York since Roger Federer won his fifth in a row in 2008.

Topspin: Beat two past U.S. Open champions and two future stars en route to tuneup title at Toronto Masters this month.

---

ROGER FEDERER

Seeded: 2

Ranked: 2

Age: 37

Country: Switzerland

2018 Match Record: 33-5

2018 Singles Titles: 3

Career Singles Titles: 98

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 20 - U.S. Open ('04, `05, `06, `07, `08), Wimbledon ('03, `04, `05, `06, `07, `09, `12, `17), Australian Open ('04, `06, `07, `10, `17, `18), French Open ('09)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-QF,'16-DNP,'15-RU,'14-SF,'13-4th

Aces: Only made it to the final at Flushing Meadows once in the decade since his last title. ... Could face Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

Topspin: Still has never played Nadal at the U.S. Open. If they meet this year, it would be for the title.

---

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

Seeded: 3

Ranked: 3

Age: 29

Country: Argentina

2018 Match Record: 37-10

2018 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 22

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 1 - U.S. Open ('09)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-SF, `16-QF, `15-DNP, `14-DNP, `13-2nd

Aces: Playing in his 22nd major tournament since his lone such title. If he gets a second, he would set an Open era record for most Slam appearances before No. 2.

Topspin: Biggest forehand in the game makes him ever-dangerous on hard courts. Just needs his oft-repaired left wrist to hold up on backhands.

---

ALEXANDER ZVEREV

Ranked: 4

Seeded: 4

Age: 21

Country: Germany

2018 Match Record: 43-13

2018 Singles Titles: 3

Career Singles Titles: 9

Major Titles: 0 - Best: QF, French Open ('18)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-2nd,'16-2nd,'15-1st,'14-DNP,'13-DNP

Aces: Recently started working with Ivan Lendl, saying: ''He's a smart man, a great guy. Done it as a player, done it as a coach, so he knows what it takes.''

Topspin: Has won three Masters titles. Now it's time to step up at a Grand Slam tournament and get to his first semifinal.

---

KEVIN ANDERSON

Seeded: 5

Ranked: 5

Age: 32

Country: South Africa

2018 Match Record: 33-1

2018 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 4

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: RU, U.S. Open ('17)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-RU, `16-3rd, `15-QF, `14-3rd, `13-2nd

Aces: Runner-up at two of the past four majors, including in New York last year, then again at Wimbledon last month.

Topspin: Coming into his own late in his career, he's shown that with a big serve and consistent groundstrokes, he is a contender on fast surfaces.

---

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Seeded: 6

Ranked: 6

Age: 31

Country: Serbia

2018 Match Record: 33-10

2018 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 70

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 13 - U.S. Open ('11, `15), Wimbledon ('11, `14, `15, `18), Australian Open ('08, `11, `12, `13, `15, `16), French Open ('16)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-DNP, `16-RU, `15-W, `14-SF, `13-RU

Aces: Since starting the year 6-6, has gone 27-4. ... Titles at Wimbledon and Cincinnati Masters (beating Federer in the final) make him a popular pick.

Topspin: Sure seems very close to being right back at his best after a lull caused at least in part by an injured right elbow.

---

JOHN ISNER

Seeded: 11

Ranked: 11

Age: 33

Country: United States

2018 Match Record: 26-5

2018 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 14

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 - Best: QF, U.S. Open ('11)

Last 5 U.S. Opens: `17-3rd, `16-3rd, `15-4th, `14-3rd, `13-3rd

Aces: 12 of 14 titles have come in the U.S. ... Just one quarterfinal appearance in New York, way back in 2011.

Topspin: Says playing with calm and not fretting over results helped him have his best season, including first Slam semifinal at Wimbledon.

---

Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

---

More AP tennis coverage: https://www.apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis