Fery Drawn Into Tough Opening Match at US Open as Top Seeds Map Out Their Paths

The latest US Open draw has set the stage for several high‑profile encounters, most notably a potential showdown between world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and the legendary Novak Djokovic. While the Spaniard and the Serbian are slated to navigate separate sections of the bracket, British hopeful Arthur Fery has been handed a daunting first‑round test against Italy's 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti, a player who reached the quarter‑finals last year.

Alcaraz, the defending champion, will kick off his campaign against Ukraine's Roman Safiullin. A win would see him on a collision course with Djokovic, who is chasing an elusive 25th Grand Slam title.

This would be Alcaraz's first match back after a right‑wrist injury that forced him out of competition in April, and the recovery will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike. Djokovic, meanwhile, opens against Argentina's world No.

48 Mariano Navone. The winner of that match will face either Matteo Berrettini or Stan Wawrinka in the second round – Wawrinka, a former US Open champion, is playing his final Grand Slam before retirement. The projected paths for the top contenders have been mapped out in detail.

Alcaraz's potential route includes a second‑round clash with either Brooksby or Faria, a third‑round meeting with Arnaldi or Wu, and a quarter‑final that could feature the likes of Shelton, Fils, Lehecka or Norrie. A semi‑final against Djokovic, Medvedev, Tiafoe or Nakashima would be the ultimate test before a possible final against a field that includes Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger‑Aliassime, Cameron Cobolli, Alex de Minaur or Taylor Fritz.

On the other side of the draw, Navone's path could see him face Berrettini or Wawrinka in round two, followed by Etcheverry or Landaluce in round three, and a fourth‑round encounter with Nakashima, Rublev or Michelsen. The quarter‑finals could bring Medvedev, Tiafoe, Vacherot or Rinderknech, with a semi‑final that might pit Alcaraz, Shelton, Fils or Bublik against him.

The final would again feature the same elite group of players mentioned for Alcaraz's side. Fery, a Wimbledon semi‑finalist, missed out on a US Open seeding and consequently draws Musetti, who was a quarter‑finalist last year.

Former British player Naomi Broady commented on Sky Sports, noting the difficulty of the matchup but also emphasizing Fery's unpredictable form this season. She added that Musetti, returning from injury and having missed the Rome tournament before reappearing in Canada, may be a bit rusty, making the contest even more intriguing. Broady also weighed in on Alcaraz's first‑round opponent, Safiullin, describing him as a powerful hitter who could test the Spaniard's freshly healed wrist.

The key question, she said, is how well Alcaraz's wrist will hold up over a potential five‑set match, given Safiullin's ability to generate massive pace. Other notable British players include world No. 33 Cameron Norrie, who will face 22‑year‑old Luca Van Assche, a Belgian‑born Frenchman ranked seven places below him.

Jan Choinski, Britain's No. 3, meets Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, currently world No. 71. In the absence of the injured world No.

1 Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, a Wimbledon finalist, becomes the top seed on the men’s side and will open against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego. On the women's side, defending champion and world No.

1 Aryna Sabalenka seeks a third consecutive US Open title, opening against Colombia's Camila Osorio. Sabalenka has struggled during the North American hard‑court swing, and a potential quarter‑final opponent could be Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.

American rising star Coco Gauff, seeded fourth after a victorious run in Cincinnati, faces Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez in round one and could meet Amanda Anisimova in the quarters. Katie Boulter starts her campaign against American wildcard Carol Lee, ranked 143, with Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova a possible second‑round opponent.

Six other British players—Fran Jones, Harriet Dart, Heather Watson, Jacob Fearnley, Toby Samuel and Harry Wendelken—are still battling for a place in the qualifying draw. The draw also hinted at a scenario that never materialised: had Serena Williams chosen to compete in singles, a wild‑card slot initially reserved for her would have been allocated to her sister Venus, who received a wild‑card at age 46. When Serena opted to play only doubles, the final wild‑card went to American Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion.

Kenin was drawn against Venus Williams, while Jessica Pegula opens against Elena‑Gabriela Ruse, a potential second‑round adversary. Among the must‑watch matches, Cincinnati champion Arthur Fils will face two‑time Grand Slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, while Stan Wawrinka—playing his farewell Grand Slam—takes on Matteo Berrettini, the 2021 Wimbledon runner‑up who has now reached his second consecutive major final. Broady summed up the Berrettini‑Wawrinka encounter, noting that Berrettini's massive serve might give him a slight edge on grass, but the match promises to be compelling on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows.

The US Open coverage begins on August 30 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Viewers can stream matches contract‑free via NOW or the Sky Sports app, and can also catch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from September 25‑27, also shown on Sky Sports.