The transition from Olympic glory to Grand Slam success has proven challenging for recent medalists, as evidenced by their struggles at the ongoing US Open. Zheng Qinwen, Lorenzo Musetti, and Felix Auger-Aliassime, all medalists in Tokyo, have faced early exits or labored through their matches in New York.
Zheng, who won gold in Paris, has been pushed to three sets in both her outings, while Musetti, who took bronze, has needed four and five sets to advance. Auger-Aliassime, who finished fourth, was eliminated in the first round.
The challenges faced by these athletes highlight the physical and mental toll of the Olympics, which can make it difficult to maintain peak performance in the subsequent Grand Slam. Zheng acknowledged the emotional impact of her Olympic triumph, saying, “It’s not like you get a gold medal before. It’s the first one, so of course that successful feeling will stay with you for a long time.”
Adding to the difficulty this year is the change in surfaces from clay to grass to hard courts, which has disrupted the rhythm of top players. Alcaraz, Musetti, and Djokovic have all struggled in the transition, while the women’s medalists from Paris have also faced challenges.
“It’s a little tricky this year (for) people coming from Paris,” said Jessica Pegula, who has performed well in the lead-up to the US Open. “People are just a little bit maybe not as prepared, just with the surface change as well.”
The Tokyo Olympics also saw similar struggles for medalists in the subsequent US Open, with two of the three men’s singles medalists crashing out in the first round. This year’s Olympic medalists have more Grand Slam experience, but they will need to draw on that experience to overcome the challenges of the US Open and replicate their success in New York.
