The 2013 U.S. Open draw was revealed on Thursday in New York. Novak Djokovic saw Andy Murray land on his side of the draw, while Rafael Nadal is in the same quarter as Roger Federer for a second consecutive tournament.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, the top two players in the world, both received difficult paths through the U.S. Open as the draw ceremony was held on Thursday afternoon in New York City.
Djokovic had the misfortune of getting defending champ Andy Murray in his half as opposed to a slumping David Ferrer, but Nadal is in a quarter with Roger Federer. A rematch of the Cincinnati final between Nadal and John Isner could also be on tap in the fourth round. The Spaniard also faced Federer in Cincinnati, scoring a hard-fought 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory in the quarters.
Prior to a potential blockbuster semifinal showdown against Murray, what would be a rematch of last year’s final, Djokovic is on course to meet Grigor Dimitrov in the third round. The top-ranked Serb, who opens with Ricardas Berankis, could go up against either Fabio Fognini or Benoit Paire in the last 16.
Speaking of rematches, familiar foes Murray and Tomas Berdych fell in the same quarter of the bracket. Murray topped the Czech in last year’s U.S. Open semifinals, but Berdych just dominated a Cincinnati quarterfinal encounter in straight sets. Possible roadblocks standing in the way of a Murray-Berdych quarterfinal are Nicolas Almagro (in the fourth round for the Scot) and Stanislas Wawrinka (in the fourth round for Berdych).
By far the most wide-open section is a quarter featuring David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet. Unquestionably, Ferrer is the weakest of the Top 4 seeds and Gasquet is the weakest of the 5-8 seeds. Contenders who could take advantage and book what would be a surprising semifinal spot include Milos Raonic, Jerzy Janowicz, and Ernests Gulbis. The winner of a potential Ferrer-Gulbis clash in the third round will likely run into Janowicz with a quarterfinal berth at stake.
Click here for the full draw on the U.S. Open website.
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cupcake draw for federer until quarter! this is pathetic!
yep. Nadal’s draw is good R2 and R3 and SFs. Not very good R1 (but doesn’t matter), R4, and QFs.
Isner in the fourth round is exactly what I did not want. Also I thought it was time for Fed to be in Djoker’s part of the draw. It is supposedly good news but given how Fed played Rafa at Cincy, I think it could be tough.
I have this feeling that Ferrer isn’t going to get through his part of the draw. That could open it up for someone like Gulbis or Jerzy.
Djoker has it easy until a possible semfinal meeting with Murray. Dimitrov has zero chance of beating him.
half of Nadal’s path to the final is good and half is bad. So i would consider it decent, not good, not terrible.
Avoiding Gulbis R3 was big. For me, Gulbis is more dangerous in best of 5 than Isner. But Isner IS still dangerous, especially given current form.
Isner pulled out of Winston-Salem. He wants to make sure not to overplay the way he did in the past. He will be coming into this tournament playing great tennis. He doesn’t want to get knocked out in the fourth round.
I still think Rafa would have beaten Gulbis in a best three out of five set match. At least he can get his racket on the ball with him. Isner will be a nightmare. The only good thing is that Rafa has gotten excellent preparation and will be ready.
Harrison is not going to beat Rafa in a best three out of five. He has been playing better tennis, but won’t be able to hang with Rafa.
I also don’t like Fed meeting Rafa again. He found some answers in that match in Cincy. He pushed Rafa in a way that he hasn’t for a while.
@nny re Fed: I think the element of surprise has gone, now Rafa knows what to expect, and will be ready. Make no mistake, Uncle Toni was watching in Mallorca taking notes…………
Remember Rafa ssid Fed used new tactics in that match? I expect Rafa to come with new tactics of his own should they meet, especially for the 1st set when Fed tends to be hot…….
ritb,
Thanks for that. Of course you are correct. But we have to know that it will not be easy. Fed isn’t going to be content to just continue to lose to Rafa. He knows that he had his chances to win that match in Cincy.
Can you imagine Isner and then Fed back-to-back? Did Djoker get Delpo in the quarters? That could be his first test. Fed has it easy to the quarterfinals, while Rafa has a few challenges.
I should have known it would be this way. The only good thing is that Rafa got great preparation. I am glad that he played both tournaments. There really isn’t time to get into good form with these early round opponents.
The fact that Isner pulled out of Winston-Salem means that he is serious about doing well at the USO. Rafa better come in serving like a demon!
C’mon Ricky, do your draw analysis and pick Djokovic to win will ya?
draw analysis coming tonight. Predictions not until this weekend, after qualifiers placed in the draw!
yeah, in a best of 5, dimitrov’s chances are really slim… I also agree that Ferrer won’t make it to the semi…
isner will be tough, but rafa will manage.i am right now concerned about pospisil who is also dangerous….. fed’s path to the qtr is as easy as one could possibly get in a slam.. i am slightly nervous about a fedal qtr , not ruling out federer as we saw in cincy that he now plays quite freely against rafa with little pressure as he is the underdog everywhere
vamosrafa,
I agree about Fed. I am not worried about Pospisil in a best three out of five set match. He won’t be able to hang with Rafa. I have no idea how Verdasco is playing now. He did look good at Wimbledon, but I didn’t see him at Montreal and Cincy.
I am nervous about Fed meeting Rafa, especially if Rafa has some tough early round matches. It will not be an easy match. It’s true that he has no pressure right now. He will come in as the underdog. Is he ever going to wind up in Djoker’s side of the draw?
On tennis-x, Sean Randall likes Murray to defend his title here. He picked Murray to beat Rafa in the final.
I am interested to see Ricky’s picks.
nativenewyorker@:August 22, 2013 at 6:51 pm
Monfils – Verdasco started to play in Winston Salem some minutes ago.
Yaeh, Pospisil could be dangerous because this will be a first time meeting with Rafa, and he has a good serve……..
‘Predictions not until this weekend, after qualifiers placed in the draw!’
now that’s very professional from RIcky, nice
I think Ricky is going to pick nadal to win ! he very rarely picks rafa to win on a fast hard court but I think he’l pick Rafa over Muzz OR may be muzz over rafa !
Ricky’s two finalists : Nadal and Murray
My consolation re a possible Rafa/Izzy meeting is that Rafa won’t be extended physically, more mentally as he has to stay focussed to hold his serve knowing if he drops it that’s the set gone. I know this is not a nice thing to say but I am kinda hoping Izzy doesn’t come to Flushing feeling 100%……………
Given rafa plays himself into form in week 1, I pick rafa over murray in the final ! VAMOS…. but andy is right now the toughest challenger for rafa rather than nole…
Nole is the slight underdog against andy… BUT, why are we discounting delpo and berdych? delpo will be VERY tough for nole and berdych for murray… I hope delpo plays without pain and limitations
I hope Rafa doesn’t have an off day before the quarters……….
Rafa has plenty of opportunities for off days before the quarters. Three of them, to be exact.
I was having high fever a while ago waiting for the draw, now that it comes out, i am vomiting to see Isner again on Rafa’s quarter. Rafa played Roger and Isner already just last week in Cincy so roger should be thrown at either Nole’s or Andy’s Quarter, while Isner should be at Andy’s quarter because the tall guy has played and beaten Nole in Cincy.
It has been drawn anyway nothing else can do so let me be the first one to say CAREFUL Rafa, be very very careful !!!!
Vaaaamoooossss !!!!..
Well looky here at the new post-draw oddsmaker’s favourite to win the USO…
http://www.easyodds.com/sports-betting/tennis-betting/grand-slams/us-open/outright/mens-singles-winner.html
Biggest challenge for Rafa before finals is Isner with home court advantage.
Harrison? Please!
Pospisil? First appearance in a major if I’m not mistaken Will be overwhelmed by the occasion.
Verdasco? New raquet but this is no longer 2009.
Fed? Popcorn match with predictable outcome (Rafa in 3 or 4).
Ferru et. al.? Practise? Are we talkin’ ’bout practise?
Nole or Muzz? Hope they play a loooooong SF.
#VamosRafa!!!
you guys were more positive when french open draw came out! now every body is worried!
Rafa is the favourite.
#NotWorried
#VamosGOAT
with expectations come worries.
And having Isner in the draw doesn’t help.
Have to say things things are looking good for rafa, who was probably favourite even before the draw.
Sorry about this, but it’s gripe time … I never felt comfortable about muzz prioritising winning slams above the rankings, precisely because the further you are down the rankings the harder it is to win slams. Sorry muzz, but I do wish that, after a month’s post-Wimbie break, you could have approached the Masters events with a bit more tenacity.
Although I prefer the prospect of muzz meeting nole in the QFs than rafa, it would have been nicer having them both of them on the other side, which would have been the case had muzz gone a bit deeper into montreal and cincy.
I still think Murray has the best draw of the top contenders. Then probably Djokovic.
The question is just if Murray being on Djoker’s half outweighs the roadblocks that Rafa has in his quarter.
All the above said, I’m still calling it for muzz 🙂
QFs should of course read SFs
R4 and quarters are trouble for Rafa.
Maybe the Gods are kind and Isner and Federer both lose before they are slated to meet Rafa. Then it becomes a dream draw
Isner could lose before the quarterfinals. I think Fed would have to really be off to lose before the quarterfinals, considering the opposition.
there is no way fed is going to lose before quarter!!!! he has the weakest opponents!
isner will be tough but in best of 5 Rafa will handle him guys
Isner can’t drop bombs for full 3 sets
I am worried about fed as he played Rafa really close in Cindy n troubled him good thing is healready exposed his tactics of topping backhand n net play
Since Rafa played fed with his new tactics he will be prepared and not be surprised n come up with counter tactics
So though Rafa got tough draw with both fed n isner,atleast let’s be happy he played both recently with their newer versions n tat may make him ultra cautious n watchful
I am sick of this repeated drawing of fed in Rafa qtr just for big bucks sake . I am also a but worried if fed will repeat a pete 2002
Sanju,
Isner did it for two sets at Cincy. But it didn’t get him the win. I am just not going to worry about it until it happens.
I am nervous about Fed and that may sound surprising. He did show his tactics, but that’s not to say that he won’t have other ones this time. Fed doesn’t want to keep bumping up against Rafa and losing. But again I am not going to think about it until it happens. I would guess that my hometown fans would love it, given that they have never played at the USO.
One match at a time.
Here’s the reason I’m not worried about Fed, new tactics and all: it’s a Slam and Fed can’t hang with Rafa over 5 sets, except maybe on grass. Fed could give Rafa trouble in the first 2 sets, after that he will taper off and start rushing the net like he did at Cincy, becoming an easy target for Rafa to pass.
meh, once Rafa saw that fed was playing with effective, desperate agression, he made the necessary adjustments and beat him as usual. Rafa is 5-0 vs Fed in majors over the last SIX years when Fed was much younger than he is now.
interesting stat
I am not worried. I am not sure, clearly, that Rafa will take the USO, esp not sure that he would win at the final if he gets there. But how amazing is it that he is looking this good – months ago just about no one would have predicted that. Having said that, I am not worries. I do hope he will at least go far into the second week and that seems pretty likely. Ricky must be right about being able to afford some off day / days in the first week… the opponent will still have to get all of 3 sets to win. Knees while sometimes causing pain seem to be in good shape judging by the last two weeks and they remain the only thing that worry me… but they are probably safe at least for a good stretch of time now.
And I am not worried about Rafa’s overal motivation level and confidence or stamina coming down. Yes he might have some off days in the first week. Yes the first match might take a bit of doing. But I don’t expect an upset this time.
Should he meet Isner I just don’t see Isner taking 3 sets this time. Same for Roger. And if Roger again comes out strongly motivated and willing to try whatever tactics seem to be the best… how much else can he try he has not last week? And can he string 3 sets together before Rafa gets 3? I don’t see it.