NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will face potential tough American opponents after they start their quest for an additional US Open title.
Venus Williams, in the meantime, returns to the occasion at age 45 towards No. 11 seed Karolina Muchova, a previous French Open finalist who has reached the semifinals in New York the previous two years.
That was one of many early spotlight matches after the attracts have been performed Thursday for the lads’s and ladies’s singles tournaments.
These start Sunday, a day sooner than prior to now, and a pair of latest US Open champions might be examined early.
Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, begins towards Reilly Opelka. Opelka, a former top-20 participant earlier than accidents, is 6-foot-11 with a robust serve that he rode to the fourth spherical in New York in 2021.
Alcaraz received his lone US Open title the next yr and has gone on so as to add 4 extra Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic owns a males’s report 24 of them, together with 4 on the US Open. Seeded seventh, he’ll face Learner Tien, a 19-year-old left-hander who upset Daniil Medvedev en path to the fourth spherical of this yr’s Australian Open.
Now enjoying occasionally outdoors of the majors at 38 and having fallen to No. 7 within the rankings, Djokovic may need to beat 2024 US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz, the No. 4 seed, within the quarterfinals, then Alcaraz within the semifinals and No. 1 Jannik Sinner, the defending champion, within the last.
Williams was given a wild card by the U.S. Tennis Affiliation right into a match the place she received two of her seven Grand Slam singles titles, and he or she would be the oldest participant to compete in singles at Flushing Meadows since 1981.
However she faces somebody who has proven the flexibility to boost her recreation within the largest tournaments. Muchova, after falling within the 2023 French Open last, bought to the semis in New York later that summer time and once more final yr.
No. 3 seed Coco Gauff, who received her first main title within the 2023 U.S. Open, will first face Ajla Tomljanovic, the Australian who beat Williams’ youthful sister, Serena, in her last match in 2022.
The potential quarterfinals on the lads’s aspect are Sinner vs. No. 5 Jack Draper, and No. 3 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 8 Alex de Minaur within the high half of the bracket. The underside half might be Alcaraz vs. No. 6 Ben Shelton, and Fritz vs. Djokovic.
The ladies’s quarters might be defending champion and No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, and No. 4 Jessica Pegula vs. No. 5 Mirra Andreeva on the highest half. The opposite aspect might see No. 2 Iga Swiatek vs. No. 8 Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of Swiatek’s romp within the Wimbledon last, and Gauff vs. No. 6 Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion.
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