If there is a rematch of the epic Wimbledon final between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer at the U.S. Open, it will come in the semifinals. If there is a first-ever Federer vs. Rafael Nadal U.S. Open showdown, it will not take place until the title match.
Federer landing in the top half of the bracket was the big development when the men’s singles draw ceremony was held on Thursday afternoon in New York.
Djokovic and Federer are joined there by fellow top-eight seeds Daniil Medvedev (Djokovic’s quarter) and Kei Nishikori (Federer’s quarter). Medvedev has been the hottest player on tour throughout the North American hard-court swing and he just upset the top-ranked Serb en route to the Cincinnati title. Federer’s quarter looks especially manageable, although potential fourth-round foe David Goffin finished runner-up in Cincinnati and both Nishikori and Milos Raonic are capable of making noise if they are 100 percent.
Nadal has to feel good about his draw, mainly because Federer is on the other side. The three-time U.S. Open champion is on a collision course for the quarterfinals with Alexander Zverev, but Zverev cannot be expected to make it even that far based on current form. Other candidates are Karen Khachanov, Benoit Paire, Diego Schwartzman, Frances Tiafoe, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Will the upcoming fortnight at Flushing Meadows produce an all-top four semifinal lineup, as was the case at Roland Garros? Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer are obviously favored, but Dominic Thiem will have his work cut out for him in what is by far the most interesting section in the field of 128. Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas are the two top-eight seeds, and they will have to contend with the likes of Roberto Bautista Agut, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Nick Kyrgios, and others.
Auger-Aliassime and fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov will face each other in round one of a second consecutive U.S. Open.
Other first-rounders to watch throughout the draw are Fognini vs. Reilly Opelka, Tsitsipas vs. Andrey Rublev, Kyrgios vs. Steve Johnson, Zverev vs. Radu Albot, Taylor Fritz vs. Feliciano Lopez, Guido Pella vs. Pablo Carreno Busta, and Matteo Berrettini vs. Richard Gasquet.
Nadal kicks off his campaign against John Millman, who stunned Federer in the fourth round last summer.
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Monster draw for Novak. Novak or Rafa will take the title..50-50..
WHO YA GOT?
Can’t imagine Rafa and Novak not meeting in the Final… Del Po is gone. Federer is too old for the ultra-slow, ultra-humid, post-upper facade/roof US Open. Wawrinka is washed. None of the young guys have even remotely shown the ability to truly test Novak/Rafa at the majors. I just don’t see anyone realistically stopping them. The one possible exception is Thiem. He was awesome at the Open last year, and the slow conditions greatly favor his game. Still wouldn’t pick him to upset Novak/Rafa, but he’s the only one out of 126 guys who I think could realistically have a shot at taking out Novak or Rafa.
I have a very “First-World gripe” about getting tickets- it frustrates me that we never know which half of the draw will play first until the Day 1 schedule comes out. If they always started with the same half every year, then we wouldn’t have to just hope that the players/matches we want to see just happen to play on the day we gets tickets for. It’s been my experience that there is no rhyme or reason to it. Some years the bottom half goes first, and others the top half goes first. There’s no correlation with which superstar players are in which half. It’s just a complete crapshoot. Don’t get me wrong- I’m just grateful that I am able to go to the US Open at all! However, the US Open is really expensive, and I’m not a person who can afford to just get tickets for 2 days, both night and day sessions. I can only (barely) afford to go to one day session and one night session, and it would nice to be able to get tickets for the days/sessions my favorite players are in before the tournament starts and the prices go up. *First-World problem gripe complete*
I feel your pain but since you’re a fan of both Rafa and Roger, you’ll get to see one of them if you buy tickets for both day/night sessions for either day one or day two. Could be worse, no?
Barring injuries, including heat stroke :(, the seeds should hold to the semis.