Alcaraz and Djokovic could get early US Open tests. Venus Williams draws No. 11 seed Muchova
Alcaraz and Djokovic could get early US Open tests. Venus Williams draws No. 11 seed Muchova
NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will face potential difficult American opponents when they begin their quest for another U.S. Open title.
Venus Williams, meanwhile, returns to the event at age 45 against No. 11 seed Karolina Muchova, a past French Open finalist who has reached the semifinals in New York the past two years.
That was one of the early highlight matches after the draws were conducted Thursday for the men’s and women’s singles tournaments.
Those begin Sunday, a day earlier than in the past, and a pair of recent U.S. Open champions could be tested early.
Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, starts against Reilly Opelka. Opelka, a former top-20 player before injuries, is 6-foot-11 with a powerful serve that he rode to the fourth round in New York in 2021.
Alcaraz won his lone U.S. Open title the following year and has gone on to add four more Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic owns a men’s record 24 of them, including four at the U.S. Open. Seeded seventh, he will face Learner Tien, a 19-year-old left-hander who upset Daniil Medvedev en route to the fourth round of this year’s Australian Open.
Now playing infrequently outside of the majors at 38 and having fallen to No. 7 in the rankings, Djokovic could have to beat 2024 U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz, the No. 4 seed, in the quarterfinals, then Alcaraz in the semifinals and No. 1 Jannik Sinner, the defending champion, in the final.
Williams was given a wild card by the U.S. Tennis Association into a tournament where she won two of her seven Grand Slam singles titles, and will be the oldest player to compete in singles at Flushing Meadows since 1981.
