The annual US Open men’s and women’s singles draws were released on Thursday. This year’s event will be the 140th edition of the US Open tennis tournament and the second Grand Slam event of the year after the Australian Open that held from 20 January to 2 February 2020.
Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu are the men’s and women’s singles defending champions respectively. However, both decided not to compete. Nadal withdrew from the tournament citing safety concerns, while Andreescu stated that the pandemic had compromised her ability to prepare and compete at her highest level.
- Defending champion Bianca Andreescu drops out of US Open women’s singles
- More superstars pull out of US Grand Slam tournament
Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Karolina Pliskova lead respective brackets in the men’s and women’s edition. Djokovic would face Damir Dzumhur in Round 1, while Pliskova looks set to battle Anhelina Kalinina.
The Serb was drawn on the top line of the men’s bracket, sharing the first quarter with No. 6 seed David Goffin, who will play Reilly Opelka in his first-round match.
No. 5 seed Alexander Zverev who also was in the top half, will open against 2017 US Open finalist Kevin Anderson, while No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas would be playing his first match against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain after heading the second quarter of the draw.
In the men’s bottom half, 2019 US Open finalist and No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev shares the third quarter with 2019 semifinalist and No. 6 seed Matteo Berrettini.
The fourth quarter, anchored by No. 2 seed Dominic Thiem, will see wild card Andy Murray take on rising Japanese star Yoshihito Nishioka in Round 1.
Check out the full men’s draw here
In the women’s event, Karolina Pliskova was drawn as the top seed, with No. 8 seed Petra Martic and 2016 US Open champion Angelique Kerber also in the top quarter.
In the adjacent quarter, Naomi Osaka seeded fourth, will face Misaki Doi in an all-Japanese matchup, and could face Coco Gauff in the third round in a repeat of their 2019 meeting. The 16-year-old American faces No. 31 seed Anastasija Sevastova in Round 1.
American female compatriots Serena Williams (No. 3), Madison Keys (No. 7), Amanda Anisimova (No. 22) and Sloane Stephens (No. 26) are all in the draw’s third quarter, with Williams and Stephens in line for a potential third-round matchup.
In the draw’s bottom quarter, many more American firepower were present with No. 2 seed Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion facing Yanina Wickmayer in her opener, while Venus Williams plays No. 20 seed Karolina Muchova.
Wild card Kim Clijsters is also lurking in the bottom quarter, with No. 21 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova her first-round opponent.
Belarusians Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka also landed in the last quarter, with a potential second-round meeting ahead.
Check out the full women’s draw her1
The 2020 US Open is billed to take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from 31 August to 13 September.
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