With Novak Djokovic officially out of the draw and Rafael Nadal playing with a chronic foot injury, the US Open is going to be a huge opportunity for each competitor looking for their first slam title. Here is a ratings-based ranking of the matches that could be the toughest and most watchable in the first two rounds.

With the 2022 US Open set to be Serena Williams’s farewell event, all attention will be on the GOAT and the coda she ends her career with. If Williams does want to get into the second week, it is going to be a real challenge given the difficulty of her draw. And if the Wilson balls are flying as unusually this year as last, it could be another wild two weeks at Flushing Meadows. Here are some guesses at the matches that could be the toughest and most watchable in the first two rounds.

The serve return is the shot that begins the defensive battle of any receiving point. This makes the serve return one of the most important shots of the return game. So why do patterns on serve return get so little attention?

The 2022 Wimbledon Championships could be one of the more controversial years for the storied event, with Russian and Belarusian players unable to compete. But with Nadal committing to another Grand Slam venture this year and Djokovic awaiting him on the other side of the draw, it is not likely to be long before politics is replaced with the simple fascination with who will win. And here are the watchability stats for the first two rounds of the men’s draw.

Even with all the storylines swirling around the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, Serena Williams has managed to top the headlines with her decision to return to SW19 after more than a year from competition. All eyes will be on Williams, the true wildcard of the draw, as she makes her way towards the title. Here are some of the other most watchable contenders for the first week.