The 2024 US Open men’s singles draw has set the stage for a tantalizing tournament, with top contenders Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev all placed in the top half of the draw. Notably, the reigning Australian Open champion Sinner and 2021 US Open winner Medvedev find themselves in the same quarter, promising a potential blockbuster clash.
Potential Blockbuster Clash Between Sinner and Medvedev
Sinner, who recently captured the Cincinnati Open title, is coming off a dramatic five-set victory over Medvedev in the Australian Open final. However, Medvedev gained revenge in a thrilling Wimbledon quarterfinal. Their rivalry, which has seen them face each other 12 times on tour, could continue in the US Open quarterfinals, where they have never previously met. Sinner’s path to this potential encounter begins with American Mackenzie McDonald, while Medvedev will start against Dusan Lajovic.
In addition to Sinner and Medvedev, the top quarter includes Stefanos Tsitsipas, who faces a challenging opener against Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis. Tsitsipas is determined to overcome his historical struggles at the US Open, where he has yet to progress beyond the third round in six previous attempts. American 14th seed Tommy Paul also features in this section, starting his campaign against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Quest to Regain Form
Carlos Alcaraz, the 2022 US Open champion, enters this year’s tournament on a rare two-match losing streak, having been defeated by Gael Monfils in Cincinnati and Novak Djokovic in the Paris Olympics final. Alcaraz will look to regain form against a qualifier in the first round, with Denis Shapovalov and Botic van De Zandschulp potential second-round opponents. A third-round clash with Jack Draper is also possible.
The draw’s third quarter is headlined by Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud, both of whom have come close to US Open glory in the past. Zverev, the 2020 finalist, begins against Emil Ruusuvuori, while Ruud, the 2022 finalist, faces a qualifier. Top-ranked American Taylor Fritz, who is also in this quarter, starts against Camilo Ugo Carabelli. Brandon Nakashima will compete against 15th seed Holger Rune, and Reilly Opelka will continue his comeback against 18th seed Lorenzo Musetti.
In the bottom half, Novak Djokovic, the No. 2 seed, is positioned for a potential rematch with Ben Shelton in the fourth round, assuming Shelton navigates an opening encounter against the retiring Dominic Thiem and a possible third-round clash with Frances Tiafoe. Djokovic’s potential third-round opponent is Alexei Popyrin, who recently won the Montreal Masters 1000 event and could pose a significant challenge.
Sixth seed Andrey Rublev begins against Thiago Seyboth Wild, with a potential fourth-round encounter against ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov. The 2024 US Open singles main draw kicks off on Monday, featuring two days of first-round matches that will set the tone for what promises to be an exciting fortnight of tennis.
