U.S. Open draws set up tough opening matches for defending champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka

The U.S. Open singles draws were released on Sunday, pairing defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz with Russia’s Roman Safiullin and women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka with a relatively smoother opening path but a demanding second half of the draw. Safiullin, who has previously upset top players such as Novak Djokovic, brings a powerful serve and aggressive style that could test Alcaraz, who is still recovering from a wrist injury. Analysts note that Alcaraz will need to manage the match carefully to avoid losing momentum early.

Sabalenka, the world No. 1, enters the tournament after a stretch of modest results, having reached only one semifinal in her last seven events. While her first two rounds appear manageable, she could encounter former Grand Slam winner Barbora Krejčíková in the third round and other dangerous opponents such as Marta Kostyuk or Diana Shnaider later in the tournament. A loss would have implications for her ranking, which is currently contested by Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula.

The men’s draw features several marquee matchups, including Stefanos Tsitsipas versus Arthur Fils and a potential clash between Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in later rounds. Injuries have already removed some players, notably Jannik Sinner, creating opportunities for younger contenders.

In the women’s draw, the field is considered balanced, with top talent spread across both halves. The bottom half includes Rybakina and Iga Świątek, while the top half features Pegula, Linda Nosková and Karolína Muchová. Analysts suggest that if the first week proceeds without major upsets, the second week could deliver high-quality tennis among the remaining contenders.

Analysts from The Athletic highlighted several matches to watch, including Zeynep Sönmez versus Coco Gauff, Stefanos Tsitsipas versus Arthur Fils, and Maja Chwalińska versus Taylor Townsend, among others.