US Open draw: Daniil Medvedev could face Nick Kyrgios early, Rafael Nadal gets cushy draw

US Open
Daniil Medvedev lifts US Open trophy

Daniil Medvedev and Nick Kyrgios are projected to meet in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows after they both ended up in Section 1 of the US Open draw while Rafael Nadal’s biggest challenges early on will likely come from Cameron Norrie or Andrey Rublev.

World No 1 and defending champion Medvedev is the headline act in Section 1 and he will open his campaign against world No 113 Stefan Kozlov and he is likely to face Kyrgios, who beat him in the second round of the Canadian Open a fortnight ago, in the round of 16

The Australian, though, has a tricky path to navigate. The 23rd seed will no doubt be torn as he will take on his great friend and the man with whom he won this year’s Australian Open men’s doubles title with, Thanasi Kokkinakis, first up.

Kyrgios could potentially face Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round.

Felix Auger-Aliassime is the man to beat in Section 2 along with 12th seed Pablo Carreno Busta with the sixth-seeded Canadian up against a qualifier while he could meet rising British star Jack Draper in the second round.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud on a collision course

Fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, up against a qualifier in round one, has 13th seed Matteo Berrettini in his section with former US Open champion Andy Murray also featuring.

Berrettini faces Hugo Dellien in his opener while Murray is up against 24th seed Francisco Cerúndolo.

If all goes according to the form book then Tsitsipas will meet French Open finalist Casper Ruud in the quarter-final round. The Norwegian opens up against Kyle Edmund while 10th seed Taylor Fritz is the projected fourth-round opponent.

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Young stars Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Borna Coric battle it out

One of the pre-tournament favourites Carlos Alcaraz has also been handed a tough draw as the teenager’s section contains Marin Cilic (15), Dan Evans (20) and Borna Coric (25).

A meeting with Coric, who won the Western & Southern Open on Sunday, could come as early as the third round.

And the player who comes through that section is projected to take on Jannik Sinner in the quarter-final with the 11th seeded Italian’s biggest rival in his section likely to be eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz.

Rafael Nadal the big draw card

Second seed Rafael Nadal starts his campaign against Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata with Diego Schwartzman (14) or Frances Tiafoe (22) his likely fourth-round opponent.

Seventh seed Norrie or ninth seed Rubelv are projected to provide the firepower in the quarter-final with the winner likely to face either Alcaraz or Sinner in the semi-final.

Carlos Alcaraz Daniil Medvedev Nick Kyrgios Rafael Nadal

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