Monday, December 23, 2024

US Open draw: Emma Raducanu faces Sofia Kenin, Katie Boulter to play qualifier, Jack Draper v Zhang Zhizhen

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Novak Djokovic begins his title defence – and hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam – against a qualifier, while women’s champion Coco Gauff opens against France’s Varvara Gracheva.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, world number one Jannik Sinner, French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz and former US Open winner Daniil Medvedev are all in the same half.

Australian Open champion Sinner could meet last year’s runner-up Medvedev in the quarter-finals before facing Alcaraz for a place in the final.

Alcaraz and Sinner have been touted as the new rivalry to watch on the ATP Tour and played a five-hour quarter-final epic in New York in 2022, when Alcaraz went on to win the title.

Italy’s Sinner was cleared of any wrongdoing earlier this week after twice testing positive for a banned substance in March.

Olympic champion Djokovic also has a tricky draw, with recent Montreal Open champion Alexei Popyrin potentially waiting in the third round, followed by home hopes Frances Tiafoe or Ben Shelton.

In the women’s tournament, top seed Iga Swiatek opens against a qualifier, as does in-form favourite Aryna Sabalenka.

Second seed Sabalenka could potentially set up a rematch of last year’s final against Gauff in the semis, but the American 20-year-old has landed in the same half as Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova and compatriot Emma Navarro, who beat her at SW19 earlier this year.

If Raducanu beats Kenin she will face an even tougher task in the second round – sixth seed and title contender Jessica Pegula.

American Pegula has never gone beyond the quarter-finals at a major but is in good touch, having won the Canadian Open title earlier in August, and opens against compatriot Shelby Rogers.

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