Defending champion Novak Djokovic got a major break when the U.S. Open draw was released on Thursday.
With world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in the top half of the draw,
the 24-time Grand Slam champion would not have to face either player until the final as he bids for a record 25th major title.
Sinner, the Australian Open champion, and Alcaraz, who won the French Open and Wimbledon, were drawn to meet in the semifinals in the top half,
while Djokovic, the Olympic gold medalist, was drawn to face No. 4 Alexander Zverev in the bottom half of the draw.
It’s the third consecutive major that Sinner and Alcaraz share the same half of the draw.
“The two favorites are Sinner and Alcaraz and they’re in the top half of the draw,” ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe said on air.
“Overall, I would say very good news for Djokovic because now he’s only got to beat one of those guys to win the tournament.”
Added Mary Joe Fernandez: “It’s a break for him for sure, not to have to play back-to-back against Alcaraz and Sinner. If it goes five sets, you just never know. I think Novak’s going to be happy with how the draw turned out.”
No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion and 2023 runner-up, is also in the top half of the draw and could face Sinner in the quarterfinals.
Sinner, who was found this week to have “No Fault or Negligence for two Anti-Doping Rule Violations,” faces a potentially brutal draw where he could have to beat American Tommy Paul, Medvedev, Alcaraz and Djokovic in the last four rounds to win his second major title.
Djokovic, seeking a record 25th major title, opens against a qualifier and could be tested by Australian world No. 23 Alexei Popyrin in the third round.
The Serb could then meet one of two Americans, Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe, in the fourth round. Shelton beat Tiafoe in four sets in the quarterfinals a year ago before losing to Djokovic in straight sets in the semis.
Shelton opens against 2020 U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem, now ranked No. 209 in the world.
“I don’t think Thiem’s gonna give Shelton that much trouble,” Patrick McEnroe said. “He hasn’t played well all year. But I’d like to see a Shelton-Tiafoe rematch in the third round to play Djokovic in the fourth round.”
If Djokovic wins a 25th major next month in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Chrissie Evert has suggested he could retire.
“I think if he wins the 25th major, I would think that he would leave the game,” Evert, who won 18 major singles titles during her career, said Tuesday on an ESPN conference call ahead of the start of the Open on Monday. “He’d break that tie with Margaret Court.”
Evert added: “I would allow him to retire after that. OK, you have everybody in the world’s permission to retire. That would be epic if he could do that. But he’s a very driven person beyond anybody that I’ve ever seen.”
As for the American men, five are ranked inside the Top 20 of the ATP rankings but it appears No. 12 Taylor Fritz may have the most favorable draw. He is in Zverev’s quarter that also includes No. 5 Holger Rune.
Fritz opens against Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina and could meet former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini in the second round and world No. 8 Casper Rudd in the fourth round.
“I think he’s got the best section of the draw [among Americans] to make a deep run,” said Fernandez.
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Source: Tampa Bay Times
