The U.S. Open qualifiers kicked off this Thursday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, setting the stage for the main tournament starting Monday. There are plenty of exciting storylines to keep an eye on.
According to the U.S. Open’s official Twitter/X account, the men’s singles draw has been revealed, putting a spotlight on the big names vying for tennis’ final Grand Slam of the year.
Will world No. 3, Carlos Alcaraz, snag his third Grand Slam title of the year? The 21-year-old Spanish star has had an impressive run in 2024, securing his first French Open, his second Wimbledon title, and a silver at the Paris Olympics.
What about world No. 2, Novak Djokovic? Can he clinch his first Grand Slam of 2024? At 37, he won his first Olympic gold against Alcaraz but has yet to capture a Grand Slam this year, leaving him at risk of finishing without one for the first time since his injury-plagued 2017 season. Djokovic is the reigning U.S. Open champion and boasts a record 24 men’s Grand Slam titles.
World No. 1, Jannik Sinner, will also be one to watch. After defeating Daniil Medvedev in a gripping five-set final at the Australian Open, Sinner achieved his first Grand Slam title and ascended to the top ranking at just 23 years old. However, he’s recently faced controversy with reports of having tested positive for trace amounts of a banned substance, though he will not face penalties.
In Sinner’s bracket, he’ll encounter tough competitors like world No. 5, Daniil Medvedev, former three-time Grand Slam winner Stanislaw Wawrinka, and past Tour Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz could be matched against world No. 7 Hubert Hurkacz or No. 10 Alex De Minaur. No. 4 Alexander Zverev might need to take on No. 8 Casper Ruud, No. 12 Taylor Fritz, or No. 15 Holger Rune in what could be a demanding path to the title. Zverev has reached the U.S. Open finals before but is still chasing his first Grand Slam win.
As for Djokovic, he may face No. 6 Andrey Rublev or No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov, both of whom have struggled to advance far in previous U.S. Opens, presenting a potentially smoother journey for the veteran star.