The draw for the upcoming US Open took place on Thursday evening in New York, with Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic discovering their first-round opponents.
Alcaraz and Djokovic placed on same side
Interestingly, Alcaraz and Djokovic have been placed on the same side of the men's draw, meaning that if they face each other, it will come before the final.
The tournament has been billed as one of the most open Grand Slams in recent memory, with Jannik Sinner not competing and Alcaraz having only just returned from a long-term injury absence.
Alcaraz favourite despite layoff
The young Spaniard will go into the tournament as the favourite to claim the spoils, but there are question marks given that he has not played a competitive match since April. If he is knocked out in the early rounds, it will open the door for the likes of Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic to get their hands on the trophy.
Sabalenka seeks third straight title
Meanwhile, in the women's tournament, Aryna Sabalenka will be hoping to shake off her wretched recent form and win the US Open for the third time in as many years.
