US Open Men's Singles Draw Analysis: Djokovic and Auger-Aliassime in the Same Section, Facing New Challengers in the First Round!

The highly anticipated US Open draw ceremony was revealed early this morning Beijing time. As the final Grand Slam of the year, it has always been fiercely contested. Especially in men's singles, since Federer achieved five consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows, no player has managed to defend the title. So, what does this year's draw look like?

Top seed and defending champion Sinner leads the first quarter, joined by seeds Draper, Paul, Musetti, Auger-Aliassime, Bublik, Copil, and Diano in this section.

If last year's form continues, friends Sinner and Draper could meet again in the US Open semifinals. Chinese player Bu Yunchaokete is also placed in this quarter, set to face a local wildcard in the opening round. Key first-round matches include Bublik versus qualifier champion Cilic, and Musetti taking on French power hitter Paire.

The second quarter is headed by Zverev, with fans previously predicting him to finish as runner-up this year, which would mean overcoming Sinner. Other seeds in this section include Rublev, Humbert, Demin, Tsitsipas, Khachanov, Cerundolo, and Auger-Aliassime.

New top-ten player Khachanov has been in strong form recently and reached semifinals in earlier tournaments, making his clash with Zverev quite a challenge. A notable first-round encounter will be Arnaldi versus Cerundolo, both in good shape this season, promising a closely matched battle.

Although local favorite Fritz leads the third quarter, the biggest highlight is Djokovic’s placement here, meaning he will avoid Sinner until at least the final, potentially boosting his bid for a 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic will face Taylor Fritz, who impressed at the Australian Open this year, in the opening round—not exactly an easy draw.

Other seeds in this section include Rune, Mahachi, Menchik, Brandon Nakashima, Tiafoe, and Michelson. While Djokovic dodged Sinner, he still faces tough opponents. First-round matches to watch include Nardi vs. Mahachi and Fonseca vs. Kecmanovic.

The final quarter is led by Auger-Aliassime, with major seeds including the new Masters champion Shelton. Other seeds here are former tournament champion Medvedev, runner-up Ruud, Lehecka, Fokina, and Griekspoor.

Chinese player Shang Juncheng is placed in this quarter and could face Auger-Aliassime in the second round. The Spaniard will open against American giant Opelka. Medvedev, hoping to regain form, drew Frenchman Bonzi in the first round, which is quite an unfortunate match-up. It remains uncertain when he will reclaim his former status as the hard-court king.(Source: Tennis Home; Author: Luo Cheng Qiye)