With Novak Djokovic out, Daniil Medvedev is the favorite to win the 2022 U.S. Open and successfully defend his title. However, Medvedev does not have the easiest road to back-to-back glory after the draw was revealed on Thursday afternoon.
The world No. 1 could meet Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round, while Felix Auger-Aliassime is a potential quarterfinal foe and Stefanos Tsitsipas is also in the top half of the bracket. But will Medvedev-Kyrgios even happen? The Wimbledon runner-up has to go up against good friend and doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round. Montreal champion and two-time U.S. Open semifinalist Pablo Carreno Busta is also in Medvedev’s quarter. Speaking of blockbuster first-rounders, Carreno Busta will kick off his campaign against 2020 champion Dominic Thiem.
Tsitsipas doesn’t have an easy path to the semis, either. The fourth-seeded Greek could run into several big servers along the way, including Maxime Cressy in the third round, Matteo Berrettini in the last 16, and Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals. Casper Ruud is the other top-eight seed in that section, but based on current form and hard-court prowess it is more likely that Fritz or fellow American Tommy Paul advances.
Of the top four seeds, Nadal has by far the best draw. The four-time winner in New York finds himself in a weak bottom quarter of the bracket and even his half of that quarter is weaker than the other half. Assuming he is 100 percent from a physical standpoint, Nadal should waltz into the last eight before likely running into either Cameron Norrie, Andrey Rublev, Denis Shapovalov, or John Isner.
An all-Spanish semifinal between Nadal and Alcaraz is possible. Alcaraz made a run to the quarterfinals last summer, which was shocking at the time. Fast forward 12 months and the 19-year-old is among the title favorites. In fact, he even has a mathematical chance to become No. 1 in the world following the U.S. Open. Alcaraz’s path to the semis could include Cincinnati champ Borna Coric (third round), 2014 U.S. Open winner Marin Cilic (fourth round), and either Hubert Hurkacz or Jannik Sinner (quarterfinals).
The entire draw will be finalized on Friday after qualifying action wraps up. Main-draw competition begins next Monday.
WWW?
Daniil? How could you Ricky, lol? If that’s the case I’ve just lost my deposit bcoz I’m hoping Rafa will take the reins on this one!!
With Novak and Zverev out, This USO will be very interesting! Im quite looking forward to it but I hope Rafa wins it all!!
#vamos!!!
Who voted for Nick Kyrios to win the Open? 🤣
Exactly! He’s now moved into 2nd after Rafa … perhaps just one very enthusiastic fan?
Yes…it is WIDE open….and there are 7-8 players who could win it….watch out for Sinner, AA, Alcaraz, Coric, Med, Demon, and Tsipas!!!
You left out Rafa!
Rafa actually got a good draw for a change?!?! Now, if only his health can hold up …One More Time!
Rafa’s looked like he’s in hog heaven in every clip I’ve seen. Honestly, I just want him to be happy and enjoy his tennis. Vamos!
Yes, my friend just sent me a pic of Rafa with a crew of tennis players including Nick at a Lotte Palace Event last night!! Rafa took photo with Serena, Venus, Naomi, Nick and a few others. Nick dresses the same on and off court…….in basketball gear!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Rafa does look very happy!! Really a great ambassador for the sport!!
What’s with these American players like Tennys, Opelka, Mardy, McEnroe etc that are willing to tarnish their own country to support Novak play .you don’t love your country is it ? Novak is not the victim here , this needs to stop. The country is not allowing anyone unvaccinated inside ,so it’s the rules being applied . How is he a victim. This Letnovakplay is getting on my nerves as he is being painted as a victim.
I’m damn surprised when American tennis players are saying politics is ruining things. Where is the politics in this ?
Novak obsessed cult fans need to get over the bizarre notion that the world revolves around him. It doesn’t, he is just a tennis player and amongst the best , that’s all there is to it. I am happy no one in us govmt even reacted to all this LetNovakplay trends
I don’t know about Mardy but Opelka is one of the American anti vaxxers. Plus he loves attention. Rpthenberg made some points that Djoker should withdraw so as not to cost a low ranked player a lucrative spot in the qualies. Opelka disagreed. I agree that its not a part of Djoker’s job to look out for lower ranked players – except that when starting his silly PTPA, wasn’t his reason that he WAS making them part of his “job”? Not that he’s done squat for them since.
Anyway, in the end Djoker did withdraw before the draw was made. And yes, there was no “conspiracy” to bar Djokovic from the US Open. Just government business as usual. I doubt there’s anyone in the CDC or the US government that cares squat about tennis or Djokovic.
If the PTPA can’t help Djokovic what could PTPA members expect?
Sanju,
Well said! Bravo to you! I am furious with JMac sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong! He seems to just want attention, so he opens up his big mouth. Find snigger cause to get behind! Novak is no victim! He made his choice. Now he gets to live with it.
Over one million people have does from Covid in this country! Maybe McEnroe and the other American tennis players can spare a thought for them! It is almost unimaginable to think of the loss of so many lives. Yet we are supposed to feel bad for Novak? Someone who was more interested in his own personal freedom than in trying to stop the spread of a killer virus?
This has nothing to do with politics. It is about being responsible in the midst of a pandemic. Novak is not special, nor is he above the rules. These American tennis players need a reality check. They need to shut up and think about the loss of so many precious lives!
Find ANOTHER cause to get behind! *
Over one million people have DIED in this country. *
Tiggy has picked Rafa to win. Has him beating Fritz!
The Tiggy curse is upon us now!
Actually this is the first time a pundit has picked Rafa to win a slam this year…
Haha..
I was just happy fritz is on other side…whenever rafa plays fritz he gets injured..first rib then abdomen .I don’t want him anywhere close
Agreed. I am quite paranoid about him now.
Novak got his abdominal tear playing him at the AO so I am starting to wonder if he has some strange curse on him..
Although clearly the curse is on his opponents who all drop down injured…!
Here is USTA response on why it did not apply for exemption ..but ofcourse it will not stop conspiracy theory experts.. n as usual tennys sandgren is non stop talking rubbish ..I can’t even imagine how one can criticism one’s own country n it’s associations for an outsider..America should be ashamed for having such tennis players represent them..however both opelka n tennys are anti vaxers..can Tennys instead play tennis for a change ?
https://www.tennismajors.com/us-open-news/us-open-says-it-could-not-have-applied-for-an-exemption-to-let-novak-djokovic-play-619667.html
Sanju, the reason is because in America right now many people sadly no longer see things in terms of being good for the country as a whole. They only see things in terms of being good for their political side.
The irony is as others have said is that it is Novak who has made this a political issue. Otherwise, no one would even be talking about Covid at this US Open. Novak could have easily fulfilled the travel requirement with a single Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a conventional vaccine no different from many he undoubtedly took as a child. He could have taken it in the off season and it would have had zero impact on his life. That he didn’t do that when so much is on the line for his career makes it clear that his political POV is more important to him than tennis. So be it. For some, like Sandgren, that makes him some kind of a hero. But what it doesn’t make him is oppressed. He chose what mattered to him.
Sandgren is a Trumper moron isn’t he?
Am sure he buys into all the lunatic conspiracy theories attached to that so no surprises there.
Trumpers are nearly all, if not all, virulent anti vaxxers who want to lock up Fauci ( among many others).
They are completely divorced from reality.
Good draw for Rafa. He can win this if he is 100%.
On the Novak Djokovic not allowed to enter USA issue, i’d rather he was allowed to play (given he is Tested and cleared for no covid every day). All the chatter taking focus away from the slam and tennis in general is not great. People love adding asterisks to Rafa’s triumphs and it’s unfair.
Vamos.
Just to clarify again, Novak himself is not being prevented from entering the United States or playing in the US Open. Every non-citizen arriving from another country is required to be vaccinated. Has zip to do with Novak. The reason for it is to lessen the burden on hospitals at a time when infections are still rampant and to reduce the likelihood of introducing new strains. That may change in the near future, the Covid situation is constantly evolving, but sporting events won’t be the reason. Novak being tested could not solve the issue because it’s not about whether or not he is infected. It’s a more far-reaching protocol, which granted makes it harder to understand.
As for asterisks, it’s just something that is said in the moment. How many wins listed from 20 or 30 years ago do you see asterisks for? All that stuff gets lost to time (and pretty quickly). The wins remain history (and Rafa, and really all of the Big Four, are savvy enough to understand that.)
every title ever won can have an asterisk on it if you look hard enough
But some have bigger asterisks than others.eg every RG title not won by Rafa.
That is the only tourney u can say that can possibly have an asterisk bcoz of Rafa”s clear cut dominance there!! No other tourney has a history of such dominance, even if u try!! So this asterisk thing is just a thing for those who want to soothe themselves from the bitterness in their hearts!!
Nadal is 5:1 against Medvedev on hardcourt and in their very first match in Canada, Rafa bagled him. Just saying.
This is Rafa’s title to lose. Don’t see anyone challenging him here. Medvedev has appeared mentally lost throughout the season. No Nole or Sascha. Thiem still recovering from an injury. Can’t really see anyone who can challenge him here.
His body is his biggest challenge
Hmm
He appeared fine at Cincinnati.
Just needs time to settle in which Bo5 will allow him.
What’s the bet that Novak fans will twist every word rafa said here n thrash him though he is talkingperfect sense saying sport is bigger than any other player ..n for him talking more fondly of Roger n hoping for his comeback , the vice-versa is true too..they both have an excellent equation now something that both maybe don’t have with Novak
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2022/aug/27/rafael-nadal-very-sad-for-novak-djokovic-but-steeled-for-tilt-at-fifth-us-open-title-and-23rd-slam
This is not coming up for me.
BTW. I just glanced through Sandgren’s twitter.
Ugh!!
He is a. Very stupid. b. Vicious. c. Ignorant. d. A far right conspiracy theorist talking utter rubbish.
No one should listen to a word he says.
He fits the definition of fascist.
That is very unfortunate to hear. I will be sure to skip anything on Twitter from him. Unfortunately, there are too many neo-fascists in this country. They are dangerous and it’s important that we take the threat seriously,
Yes best to ignore his posts!
He is very dislikable..
I just tested positive for the first time and so glad I’m vaxxed.
Sorry to hear that Al. Hope you are ok.
I agree that being vaxxed is a life saver for many.
Thanks- mild symptoms ,thought it was a cold until today. Getting over it slowly
If I was a Novax, Id be a lot more scared .
And , a few days off work to watch the tennis cant be bad 🙂
Great timing, Big Al! Enjoy your forced tennis vacation. Very glad you vaxxed! Get well soon!
Where are Ricky’s picks?!!
I spose he is going to pick Med.
It’s Moya’s birthday today.
He is 46!
Thanks for being a great coach Carlos and happy birthday 🎂🎂🎂🎂
Without Carlos Rafa wouldn’t have been so successful since 2017.
Just looked at the espn expert picks.
3 have picked Alcaraz; 2 Med; 1 NK and 1 Rafa.
I forgot that one of them picked Fritz.
For Tennis.com
There are 2 for Alcaraz, 2 for Rafa, including Tiggy😕😕, 1 for Fritz and 1 for Norrie!
None for Med is surprising.
So some people are on the Fritz train! Am wondering if Ricky might go there after favouring him over Rafa at wimby. Wouldn’t surprise me.
Some of these picks are ridiculous. Kyrgios is not winning a slam anytime soon. Norrie isn’t either. I like Fritz. I saw potential with him and had my eye on him. He has had a breakout year, but I am not sure he is ready to win a slam. Alcaraz is not ready to win a slam, but people seem determined to pick him anyway.
I am waiting to see Ricky’s picks.
Ricky likes Fritz so wouldn’t surprise me if he picks him to the final.
Alcaraz has more picks than anyone which is a bit odd.
I am interested in the opinion s of people like BG and Cahill. They are often right.
Fritz is still a big serve and a big forehand and not a great mover. He’s worked hard on his game the past few years, but I think he’s pretty much done what he can with it. If Rafa can be healthy he’ll win the USO. BUT “if, if, if…doesn’t exist” to quote Rafa. Rafa will definitely need his best serving as he moves into the later rounds. The court will be very fast. I know he’ll give it his best, as always, and will win or lose with class and dignity.
Vamos Rafa!
Yes I forgot his problems with movement; getting low to the slice; mistakes around net. Also he is around #56 in the ATP rankings on return. It’s very unusual for someone with that kind of number on return to win a slam.
Amy..any updates on rafa serving ? His presser said he is taking care of it which means it’s not fully recovered ? Tough to see him win if he can’t serve his best esp later rounds..
However I’ve read his ground game in practice is looking great
Nothing really about his serve sanju. Imagine he is still being careful as per his somewhat alarming comments in his presser. We just have to hope that he is able to serve as he needs to once the tournament starts. I am really hoping he gets through his opening matches as fast as possible.
He looks very good otherwise…