US Open predictions: Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff? The Sky Sports Tennis panel pick their winners and dark horses ahead of the Grand Slam in New York

Tim Henman, Laura Robson, Ryan Harrison, Naomi Broady and Martina Navratilova are just some of the names who have picked their winners for this year's final Grand Slam of the year.

Sascha Zverev: He's gone up a level since winning his first Grand Slam title at the French Open and I reflect on his improvements in the last 12 months. He's so much more aggressive, proactive, taking the ball on from the back of the court. His serve is so consistent and I think this is so much more wide open because Jannik Sinner is not here and Carlos Alcaraz is coming back from a long injury lay-off so I think he has confidence to take advantage.

Aryna Sabalenka: She hasn't been playing particularly well but I think a player of her stature when she gets to the Grand Slams and the biggest and best events you find that there's an extra gear to her game and there's also an extra intensity to her focus and concentration. You go back to that old saying: Form is temporary, class is permanent.

Arthur Fils: I did choose Fils when he was in the quarter-finals of Cincinnati so for him to go on and take the title there, I mean that's a huge step up and he's struggled with injury so potentially seven best-of-five-set matches, he's got to stay healthy but he's got a good shot.

Alex Eala: Unbelievable competitor. The improvement she's made in her game and add to that the support that she has, she really is great to watch. I love her attitude and that spirit. So as an outsider I'm very happy with that pick.

Novak Djokovic: I think it's a great opportunity. He's had a couple of losses and didn't look amazing in Cincinnati but if you look at the way he's played at the majors. I'm throwing out the one on clay because clay has never been his favourite surface but if you look at his last hardcourt major he made the Australian Open final and was a set up on Carlos Alcaraz. I think Novak goes all the way!

Coco Gauff: I expect her to continue on her trend of hot form.

Lerner Tien: He's been in great form and won a lot of matches and he's got the right emotional temperament in three-out- of-five-sets. He's also had some big wins at the Australian Open.

Sorana Cirstea: It's been a great year for her and it's a year which she said is going to be her last on season and probably her best year ever. I just think coming in for potentially the last major of her career, it just feels like a good Cinderella story.

Arthur Fils: He's in form. He possibly would have won a Grand Slam now had he not had the injuries that he had. His trajectory is so high.

Iga Swiatek: She's Iga. She's playing really well, and I think her ball does a lot of damage on these lively hard courts with the spin and I just feel over the last few weeks she's got her star power back a bit.

Ben Shelton: American. Playing well. Home crowd. He will really vibe off the energy.

Marta Kostyuk: She's had a great year. I feel like the next thing to put in her hat would be a Slam.

Carlos Alcaraz: Surely he's the favourite coming into the tournament!? As long as he's fit and healthy then I think he's going to be absolutely fine. Almost always with the multiple Slam champions, whether it's been Serena Williams or Rafael Nadal, or whoever it is... whenever they turn up, you go 'Oh yeah, they're just exactly how they've always been'. Maybe it takes a match or two to get there, but I'm confident he's going to be great.

Jessica Pegula: She's playing great and she's going to put herself in a great position as she always does. Super consistent and if other players just have a wobble at the wrong moment they get themselves taken out or don't perform against Pegula then she's going to be ready to pounce. She's been a finalist before and she's super consistent.

Ann Lee: She's had a sneaky good season. She's been moving up the rankings and she's seeded coming into the US Open. She's an American player with lovely shots and she's been settling into life on tour. I project bigger and better things for her. I think she's a great talent. She could be playing Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals.

Thiago Tirante: He is one of my absolute favourite players. He hits the ball harder than anyone out there. He hit a 120mph forehand earlier this year with his serve at around 145mph. He's such an exciting player. There's no way he cannot be in the top 20. He's going to be great!

Arthur Fils: Cincinnati has been a pretty good marker for form but it's a wild prediction, asking him to go seven best-of-five matches so relatively fresh from his injury, having missed so many Grand Slams. Could he win this US Open? In the absence of Sinner and the uncertainly of Alcaraz he's absolutely in the conversation.

Coco Gauff: She won in Cincinnati and then won the US Open in 2023 so why can't she do it again this year. I've been of the opinion that it will all come together for her in the sense that these technical deficiencies that we so often discuss and see on the court in front of our eyes will not so much disappear but will become less obvious.

I find it hard to believe Gauff will go her entire career with continued deficiencies.

Frances Tiafoe: I like the way he has knuckled down and increased the professionalism. The off-court work he has done has been rewarded. He knows he can go the distance and with some form coming in, I think he could be one to watch.

Iva Jovic: She's a terrific young player and is a Grand Slam winner in the future. This one might be too soon for her but you just never know how the draw might open up.

The US Open is live on Sky Sports from August 30. Stream tennis with no contract on NOW and the Sky Sports App . You can also watch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from 25-27 September live on Sky Sports.