US Open Tennis Draw 2024: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz on Opposite Sides of Bracket
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVAugust 22, 2024
The U.S. Open announced the brackets for its men's and women's singles tournaments ahead of the main draws getting underway Monday.
Jannik Sinner claimed the top seed on the men's side and sits on the opposite side from reigning champion Novak Djokovic.
The stage is potentially set for a titanic clash between Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the semis, with the winner possibly getting Djokovic in the final.
Coco Gauff, who earned the first major title of her career in the Big Apple last year, was seeded third in the women's tournament, below Iga Świątek and Aryna Sabalenka.
Sinner made his major breakthrough on hard court earlier this year when he won the Australian Open. He was then a semifinalist at the French Open and advanced to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old, who's 48-5 on the season, is likely to be a bit of a lightning rod at the U.S. Open after avoiding a suspension despite having failed two drug tests in March. The decision has caused a stir through the sport.
"With Sinner's ruling, some players' comments reveal a perception of a superstar being treated differently in sport's most contentious area," The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare wrote. "Much of the frustration comes from a lingering feeling that tennis authorities pander to the top players, from umpires during matches to the ATP and WTA Tours."
The U.S. Open crowds, which can be very vocal at times, probably won't hide their thoughts on the matter, either.
Those eager to see two-time champion Naomi Osaka will have to catch her while they can.
The 26-year-old has been up and down in her first season back from her pregnancy and failed to make it past the qualifying stage at the Cincinnati Open. She's facing off with No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the U.S. Open so she has a stiff challenge right out of the gate.
The United States will be well represented in both draws for its flagship major.
Taylor Fritz (No. 12), Ben Shelton (No. 13), Tommy Paul (No. 14) Sebastian Korda (No. 16), Frances Tiafoe (No. 20) are all seeded in the men's event. Gauff is one of five American women to be seeded along with Jessica Pegula (No. 6), Danielle Collins (No. 11), Emma Navarro (No. 13) and Madison Keys (No. 14).