The latest US Open draw in New York has set the stage for a dramatic showdown between two of the sport's biggest names, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, while British hopeful Arthur Fery has drawn a daunting first‑round battle against Italy's 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti. Alcaraz, the defending champion, will kick off his title defence against Roman Safiullin. A win would pave the way for a possible semi‑final clash with Djokovic, who is on a quest for an elusive 25th Grand Slam crown. This will be Alcaraz's first match back after a right‑wrist injury that sidelined him in April, and the Spaniard will be keen to prove that his recovery is complete.
Djokovic's opening round sees him face Argentina's world No. 48, Mariano Navone. The victor of that encounter will meet either Matteo Berrettini or the veteran Stan Wawrinka, who is playing his final Grand Slam before retirement. The draw outlines a potential path for both stars: - Alcaraz: R1 – Safiullin, R2 – Brooksby/Faria, R3 – Arnaldi/Wu, R4 – Bublik/Paul, QF – Shelton/Fils/Lehecka/Norrie, SF – Djokovic/Medvedev/Tiafoe/Nakashima, Final – Zverev/Auger‑Aliassime/Cobolli/De Minaur/Fritz.
- Djokovic: R1 – Navone, R2 – Berrettini/Wawrinka, R3 – Etcheverry/Landaluce, R4 – Nakashima/Rublev/Michelsen, QF – Medvedev/Tiafoe/Vacherot/Rinderknech, SF – Alcaraz/Shelton/Fils/Bublik, Final – Zverev/Auger‑Aliassime/Cobolli/De Minaur/Fritz. Fery, a Wimbledon semi‑finalist, missed out on a US Open seeding and consequently landed a tough opening match against Musetti, who was a quarter‑finalist at the previous edition. Former British player Naomi Broady shared her thoughts on Sky Sports, noting the unpredictable nature of Fery's game: "It is difficult, but you feel with the way Fery has been playing this year, you just don't know what he's capable of." She added that Musetti, returning from injury and lacking match practice since Rome, might be a little rusty, making the encounter even more intriguing.
Broady also weighed in on Alcaraz's first‑round test: "Safiullin could be a tricky draw. The big test for Alcaraz coming back is that it's a best‑of‑five sets which is going to be a big test on the wrist and Safiullin hits the ball massive. How's the wrist going to hold up? That's the question mark around Carlos." Other notable match‑ups include world No.
33 Cameron Norrie, fresh from a semi‑final appearance in Los Cabos and a fourth‑round run in Montreal, who will face 22‑year‑old Luca Van Assche, a Belgian‑born Frenchman ranked seven spots lower. British No. 3 Jan Choinski meets Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp (world No. 71).
With world No. 1 Jannik Sinner sidelined by injury, Wimbledon finalist Alexander Zverev assumes the top seed for the men’s draw at Flushing Meadows and opens against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.
On the women’s side, defending champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, aiming for a third consecutive US Open title, opens against Colombia’s Camila Osorio. Sabalenka has struggled on the North American hard‑court swing but could encounter Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the quarter‑finals if she advances.
Coco Gauff, seeded fourth and arriving in New York after winning the Cincinnati title, will face Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez in the first round. Gauff is placed in the bottom half of the draw and could meet Amanda Anisimova in the quarters. Katie Boulter begins her campaign versus American wildcard Carol Lee (ranked 143).
A potential second‑round opponent for Boulter is Wimbledon finalist and US Open mixed‑doubles champion Karolina Muchova. Britain also has six players still battling for a spot in the main draw through qualifying: Fran Jones, Harriet Dart, Heather Watson, Jacob Fearnley, Toby Samuel and Harry Wendelken. The draw also revived a what‑could‑have‑been scenario involving Serena Williams.
When her sister Venus received a wild‑card at age 46, the USTA initially reserved a slot for Serena should she decide to compete in the singles main draw for the first time since 2022. Serena ultimately chose to play only doubles, and the remaining wild‑card was awarded to American Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion. Consequently, Venus Williams and Kenin were paired in the first round, while American Jessica Pegula opens against Elena‑Gabriela Ruse, a potential second‑round foe.
Other marquee ties to watch include Cincinnati champion Arthur Fils versus two‑time Grand Slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Stan Wawrinka—who received a wild‑card for his farewell Grand Slam appearance—taking on Matteo Berrettini, the 2021 Wimbledon runner‑up and a consistent contender at major events. Broady commented on that match as well: "Berrettini might have had the slight advantage on the grass with his massive serve. It's going to be an interesting match." The US Open coverage will be live on Sky Sports from August 30.
Viewers can stream the tournament contract‑free via NOW or the Sky Sports app, and they can also catch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, broadcast live on Sky Sports.