5 takeaways from the first week of the 2023 US Open

New York is bringing the heat into the second week of the U.S. Open -- quite literally.

As the tournament's stakes get higher, so will the temperature with most days set to be blistering hot.

From upsets to Americans on the rise, the U.S. Open has delivered for tennis fans around the world.

As we head into the second week of the last Grand Slam of the year, let's take a look at the best takeaways from week 1:

Caroline Wozniacki made the most of her comeback

Talk about an epic comeback!

Wozniacki made very good use of her 2023 U.S. Open wild card to book a spot in the Round of 16, where she fell to American Coco Gauff.

The 33-year-old legend returned to New York with a couple of years of marriage under her belt and two kids -- making the return even more spectacular.

Some of her most impressive wins this week were against No. 11 seed Petra Kvitova and American Jennifer Brady.

During her run, tennis fans saw vintage Wozniacki fighting back and grinding even when it looked like she was out of the match.

"I think I'm exactly where I want to be," Wozniacki said after her loss to Gauff. "There's still a few things that I want to work on and I can do better. But in general I think it's very positive. Every match I played here, I played a little bit better each time. A lot of positives I can bring with me."

Never count Wozniacki out -- she returns to the tennis tour in 2024.

American men are peaking at the U.S. Open

Talk about encouraging tennis from the American men!

There are three U.S. men in the quarterfinals, including No. 9 Taylor Fritz, No. 10 Frances Tiafoe and unseeded Ben Shelton.

With Tiafoe and Shelton set to face off, fans are guaranteed at least one American in the semifinals. Fritz, on the other hand, has to get through No. 2 Novak Djokovic to make it to the final four. If he does, it will be an all-American semifinal.

For the first time since 2004, the men's main draw featured five American seeds, including No. 9 Fritz, No. 10 Frances Tiafoe, No. 14 Tommy Paul, No. 28 Christopher Eubanks and No. 31 Sebastian Korda.

So while an American has not lifted a U.S. Open trophy since 2003 in Andy Roddick, they are getting closer and closer by the round.

An American woman may win the 2023 U.S. Open

On the same wavelength, American women have been playing some dominant tennis.

First, we must highlight teenage sensation No. 6 Coco Gauff and No. 17 Madison Keys. Not only are these two women in the quarterfinals, they are each serious contenders to win the tournament.

Gauff is set to face No. 20 Jelena Ostapenko -- the Latvian who upset No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the Round of 16. Keys will face 2023 Wimbledon champ No. 9 Marketa Vondrousova. Keys upset fellow American No. 3 Jessica Pegula in a convincing fashion on Monday.

If Gauff or Keys win the U.S. Open, it will be the first American women's champion since Sloane Stephens in 2017 (who beat Keys in the final).

Aryna Sabalenka is the new world No. 1

Sabalenka has been waiting for her moment at the top of the WTA rankings for some time now.

The 25-year-old from Belarus won the Australian Open earlier this year but has been lingering at world No. 2 (behind Swiatek) for some time now.

After Swiatek fell in the Round of 16 to Ostapenko, Sabalenka clinched her top spot.

Sabalenka returns to the court as the new No. 1 and faces No. 13 Russian Daria Kasatkina for a spot in the quarterfinals.

The Carlos Alcaraz-Novak Djokovic final is becoming real

New York would love to see a Carlos Alcaraz-Novak Djokovic final (if all the Americans are eliminated, of course).

The two are looking rock solid in their matches and are playing with a certain confidence that even when opponents come for them, they find a way to win.

The few opponents that could potentially take the two power players out include Tiafoe, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner, but it still seems unlikely.

Djokovic is playing for his 24th Grand Slam title while Alcaraz, the defending champion, is eyeing his third.