Top US Open Series Breakout Contenders: D.C. & San Jose

ATP players from around the world are making their way to North America to compete in the 16th edition of the US Open Series. Beginning last year, the US Open Series recognized one man and one woman in the early stages of their career for “Breakout Performance.”

There's a lot of tennis to be played all summer long, but everyone will keep an eye out on any breakout star potential. Here are a few possible contenders playing this week in Washington, D.C. and San Jose.

1

Amanda Anisimova

The 17-year-old American is flying under the radar this summer thanks to the colossal breakthrough of fellow teenager Coco Gauff.

Anisimova proved she can compete with the world’s best when she made the semifinals at Roland Garros, losing to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty. Anisimova is as clean a ball striker as they come and finishes points with sharp, powerful angles from both wings. Seeded No. 4 this week in Washington, she is a strong WTA frontrunner for this year’s Breakout Performer award.

2

Maria Sakkari

Maria Sakkari has been a consistent performer all year. She owns a 23-15 singles record including huge Top-10 wins over Petra Kvitova and Kiki Bertens.

Sakkari will be primed for the true bouncing and often gritty hard courts. She is a powerful mover, and hits a heavier forehand than almost anyone on tour. The 24-year-old Greek won her first title in Rabat this May and should be tough to beat during the North American hard-court swing.

3

Cori "Coco" Gauff

Defeating Venus Williams as a 15-year-old is impressive. But defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon, where she is a five-time champion and owns a career 89-17 record is insanity. At the All England Club, Gauff became a true overnight celebrity. Last weekend, she blitzed through the qualifying draw in D.C. losing just nine games in her two matches. The hype is warranted, and Gauff could make another huge splash this week at the Citi Open.

4

Felix Auger-Aliassime

After starting the season ranked No. 109, Auger-Aliassime cracked the Top 30 before May. He may be the best young tennis prospect since Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal. Compared to them at exactly 18 years and ten months old, only Nadal was ranked higher (No. 7) than Auger-Aliassime (No. 21). At that age, Federer was ranked No. 35 and Djokovic was No. 65.

The Canadian stands 6’4” with catlike quickness and emotional maturity beyond his years. The ball sounds different when he hits it, especially on his forehand. He could become the male frontrunner for the Breakout Performer award.

5

Hubert Hurkacz

Hubert Hurkacz owns a very dangerous game. If he gets hot, the 6’5” Pole can take the racquet out of anyone’s hands. Armed with a serve that creeps up into the 140 mph territory, the 22-year-old will be a force on the hot hard courts during the US Open Series.

This time last year, Hurkacz was ranked No. 120 in the world. He now sits at No. 44 and judging by his rapid rate of improvement, a Breakout Performer award could certainly be on the horizon.

Last year, Stefanos Tsitsipas earned his Breakout Performer award with his rocket-ride to the Rogers Cup final in Toronto, where he took out Dominic Thiem, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Kevin Anderson.

Arnya Sabalenka was awarded Breakout Performer after her sizzling summer where she reached the semifinals of Cincinnati by defeating three Top-15 players: Caroline Garcia, Karolina Pliskova, and Madison Keys. The very next week she captured her first WTA Premier title in New Haven.