Donald Oliver Young Jr. is an American professional tennis and pickleball player with the American League PPA. Young had a career-high ATP singles ranking of World No. 38 achieved on 27 February 2012 and doubles ranking of No. 43 achieved on 14 August 2017. As a junior he was ranked No. 1 in the world in 2005. His best singles performance in the Grand Slams was reaching the fourth round of the 2011 US Open, as well as the 2015 US Open. In doubles he reached the final of the 2017 French Open partnering Santiago González.

Novak Djokovic defeated the defending champion Rafael Nadal in a rematch of the previous year's final, 6–2, 6–4, 6–7(3–7), 6–1 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 2011 US Open. It was his first US Open title and fourth major title overall. Djokovic saved match points en route to the title, saving two against Roger Federer in the semifinals. This was the second consecutive US Open where Djokovic saved two match points against Federer to reach the final, and the fifth consecutive US Open where Djokovic and Federer played each other. With the loss, Federer failed to win a major in a calendar year for the first time since 2002.