US Open draw: Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in same half, wildcard Venus Williams faces Karolina Muchova

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have been placed on a collision course at the US Open after the draw for the men’s and women’s singles tournaments was announced on Thursday. Alcaraz, the 2022 US Open champion, could face the Serbian veteran in the semi-finals if the tournament follows seedings.

The Spanish star begins his campaign on Sunday against big-serving American Reilly Opelka.

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A deeper run could see Alcaraz, currently ranked world number two, face top seed Jannik Sinner in the final. Depending on results in New York, the Spaniard also has the chance to claim the world number one ranking from the Italian. Djokovic, who is chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam crown, opens against American Learner Tien.

The 38-year-old has not played since his Wimbledon semi-final run last month, leaving questions over his form heading into the final Slam of the year. Djokovic holds a 5-3 head-to-head lead over Alcaraz and beat him in four sets in the Australian Open quarter-finals earlier this season.
Sinner, the defending champion and top seed, begins his title defence against Czech player Vit Kopriva. The 24-year-old retired during the Cincinnati Open final against Alcaraz earlier this week but remains among the favourites.

A potential quarter-final against Britain’s Jack Draper could await him. In the women’s draw, world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will start against Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, ranked 109. On the opposite side of the draw, second seed Iga Swiatek begins her bid for a seventh Grand Slam singles title against Colombia’s Emiliana Arango. Swiatek, a former US Open and Wimbledon champion, could face 2023 champion Coco Gauff in the semi-finals.

Gauff opens her campaign against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.

Meanwhile, veteran Venus Williams was handed a difficult first-round tie as she prepares for what may be her final US Open appearance. The 45-year-old American, playing on a wild card, faces Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova, 28 years after she first reached the US Open final as a 17-year-old in 1997.