World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has been handed a tough draw at the 2024 US Open, which was released on Thursday, as the Italian could likely face former champion Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinal before taking on four-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz in the semis.
Sinner and Medvedev could face each other for the fourth time in 2024 and third time in a major. Sinner won the opening two ties, which included the thrilling five-setter Australian Open final, before the Russian avenged his loss in the quarterfinal clash at Wimbledon, winning in five sets. Overall, Medvedev leads 7-5 in head-to-head tie, none of which happened at the US Open or during a North American hardcourt swing.
If Sinner can negate the Medvedev threat in the quarters, he could be possibly up against Alcaraz. The duo had played one of the most memorable matches in recent times in the 2022 US Open quarterfinals, which went late into the night, lasting more than five hours in front of an electric Arthur Ashe crowd, where the Spaniard prevailed and later went on to win the trophy. Alcaraz currently leads the head-to-head tie 5-4, which includes wins in both of their meetings this year, both of which were in the semifinals, one of which was a five-setter at the Roland Garros.
Top seed Sinner will begin his campaign against American Mackenzie McDonald, before potentially meeting 9-year-old Alex Michelsen, in the second round and Stan Wawrinka in the third. Medvedev, on the other hand, will kickoff his tournament against Dusan Lajovic.
Also in the top quarter is Stefanos Tsitsipas, who will be hoping to go beyond the third round in New York for the first time in his career. He will begin with a tough test against Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis. American 14th seed Tommy Paul also lurks in the same section. He, too, will face a tough opening test against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.
Third seed Alcaraz, who was stunned by Gael Monfils in his Cincinnati opener last week, will open against a qualifier. His section of the quarter has seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz, who made the quarters in both Cincinnati and Montreal after recovering from meniscus surgery, and Alex de Minaur, who is set to play his first tournament since withdrawing from the Wimbledon quarterfinals with a hip injury.
Former finalists Alexander Zverev (2020) and Casper Ruud (2022) could face each other in the quarters. The German, who had lost to Dominic Thiem four years back in the final, will open his New York campaign against Emil Ruusuvuori. Ruud, on the other hand, will play against a qualifier in his opener before potentially meeting Monfils in the second round. Top-ranked American Taylor Fritz is also part of the same quarter.
Defending champion Djokovic, who recently clinched the Olympic gold in Paris earlier this month, has been handed a tricky draw. Although he starts against a qualifier, could face Alexei Popyrin, who claimed the Montreal Masters title, in the third round, before taking on one between Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe in the fourth. India’s Sumit Nagal is also part of the same quarter and will be opening his campaign against Tallon Griekspoor.
