US Open - Women’s Singles 2R start

Second round commenced at 2023 US Open - Women’s Singles

2023 US Open, final Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Hard Outdoor, New York City, New York, USA, 28 August - 10 September 2023.

Defending champion:

Iga Swiatek (1) who defeated Ons Jabeur (5) 6-2 7-6(5)

Second round results:

- Iga Swiatek (1) defeated Daria Saville 6-3 6-4

- Qualifier Kaja Juvan defeated Lauren Davis 6-7(3) 6-4 6-3

- Jelena Ostapenko (20) defeated Elina Avanesyan 6-3 5-7 7-5

- Bernarda Pera defeated Wang Xiyu 3-6 7-6(5) 6-2

- Wildcard Caroline Wozniacki defeated Petra Kvitova (11) 7-5 7-6(5)

- Jennifer Brady defeated Magda Linette (24) 6-1 2-6 6-2

- Elise Mertens (32) defeated Danielle Collins 3-6;7-6(7) 6-1

- CoCo Gauff (6) defeated Mirra Andreeva 6-3 6-2

- Elena Rybakina (4) received a walkover from Ajla Tomljanovic

- Sorana Cirstea (30) defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3 6-4

- Zhu Lin defeated Victoria Azarenka (18) 6-3 6-3

- Belinda Bencic (15) defeated qualifier Yuriko Miyazaki 6-3 6-3

- Karolina Muchova (10) defeated Magdalena Frech 6–3 6-3

- Taylor Townsend defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia (19) 7-6(1) 7-5

- Wang Xinyu defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo 5-7 6-3 6-4

- Anna Karolina Schmiedlova defeated Rebeka Masarova 7-6(0) 6-2

US Open - Men’s Singles 2R start

Second round commenced at 2023 US Open - Men’s Singles

2023 US Open, final Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Hard Outdoor, New York City, New York, USA, 28 August - 10 September 2023.

Defending champion:

Carlos Alcaraz (3) who defeated Casper Ruud (5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(1) 6-3

Second round results:

- Zhang Zhizhen defeated Casper Ruud (5) 6-4 5-7 6-2 0-6 6-2

- Wildcard Rinky Hijikata defeated Marton Fucsovics 6-1 6-2 6-1

- Adrian Mannarino (22) defeated Fabian Marozsan 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-1

- Frances Tiafoe (10) defeated Sebastian Ofner 6-3 6-1 6-4

- Tommy Paul (14) defeated Roman Safiullin 3-6 2-6 6-2 6-4 6-3

- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (21) defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-1 6-4 6-3

- Ben Shelton defeated Dominic Thiem 7-6(1) 1-0 (retired)

- Aslan Karatsev defeated Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2 4-6 6-3 7-6(4)

- Qualifier Dominik Stricker defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas (7) 7-5 6-7(2) 6-7(5) 7-6(6) 6-3

- Wildcard Benjamin Bonzi defeated Christopher Eubanks (28) 7-6(6) 2-6 6-2 7-6(7)

- Qualifier Jakub Mensik defeated qualifier Titouan Droguet 3-6 6-2 7-6(1) 6-3

- Taylor Fritz (9) defeated Juan Pablo Varillas 6-1 6-2 6-2

- Qualifier Borna Gojo defeated Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-4 6-4

- Jiri Vesely defeated Francisco Cerundolo (20) 7-6(5) 6-2 3-6 2-6 7-6(10-6)

- Laslo Djere (32) defeated qualifier Hugo Gaston 6-1 6-2 6-3

- Novak Djokovic (2) defeated Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-4 6-1 6-1

US Open - Women’s Singles 1R complete

First round completed at 2023 US Open - Women’s Singles

2023 US Open, final Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Hard Outdoor, New York City, New York, USA, 28 August - 10 September 2023.

Defending champion:

Iga Swiatek (1) who defeated Ons Jabeur (5) 6-2 7-6(5)

First round results:

- Qualifier Wang Yafan defeated Caroline Garcia (7) 6-4 6-1

- Katie Boulter defeated Diane Parry 6-4 6-0

- Peyton Stearns defeated Viktoriya Tomova 6-3 6-4

- Clara Tauson defeated Anastasia Potapova (27) 7-6(4) 3-6 6-3

- Ekaterina Alexandrova (22) defeated Leylah Fernandez 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4

- Lesia Tsurenko defeated qualifier Elsa Jacquemot 7-5 3-6 6-1

- Martina Trevisan defeated Yulia Putintseva 0-6 7-6(0) 7-6(10-8)

- Marketa Vondrousova (9) defeated qualifier Han Na-lae 6-3 6-0

- Liudmila Samsonova (14) defeated Claire Liu 7-6(3) 6-3

- Tamara Korpatsch defeated Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3 6-2

- Lucky loser Yanina Wickmayer defeated qualifier Vera Zvonareva 6-4 6-4

- Madison Keys (17) defeated Arantxa Rus 6-2 6-4

- Elina Svitolina (26) defeated Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-3 6-1

- Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated qualifier Fiona Crawley 6-2 6-4

- Patricia Maria Tig defeated Rebecca Marino 7-6(6) 7-6(1)

- Jessica Pegula (3) defeated Camila Giorgi 6-2 6-2

- Ons Jabeur (5) defeated Camila Osorio 7-5 7-6(4)

- Linda Noskova defeated Madison Brengle 6-2 6-1

- Petra Martic defeated Tatjana Maria 6-2 6-1

- Marie Bouzkova (31) defeated wildcard Ashlyn Krueger 7-5 6-4

- Zheng Qinwen (23) defeated Nadia Podoroska 6-1 6-0

- Kaia Kanepi defeated Barbora Strycova 6-4 6-4

- Qualifier Eva Lys defeated wildcard Robin Montgomery 6-2 6-1

- Lucia Bronzetti defeated Barbora Krejcikova (12) 6-4 7-6(3)

- Daria Kasatkina (13) defeated Alycia Parks 2-6 6-4 6-2

- Sofia Kenin defeated Ana Bogdan 7-6(2) 6-4

- Qualifier Greet Minnen defeated wildcard Venus Williams 6-1 6-1

- Qualifier Sachia Vickery defeated Donna Vekic (21) 2-6 7-5 6-2

- Karolina Pliskova (25) defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-1 6-4

- Clara Burel defeated Caroline Dolehide 6-4 6-3

- Jodie Burrage defeated Anna Blinkova 6-3 6-4

- Aryna Sabalenka (2) defeated Maryna Zanevska 6-3 6-2

US Open - Men’s Singles 1R complete

First round completed at 2023 US Open - Men’s Singles

2023 US Open, final Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Hard Outdoor, New York City, New York, USA, 28 August - 10 September 2023.

Defending champion:

Carlos Alcaraz (3) who defeated Casper Ruud (5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(1) 6-3

First round results:

- Carlos Alcaraz (1) defeated Dominik Koepfer 6-2 3-2 (retired)

- Lloyd Harris defeated Guido Pella 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4

- Botic van de Zandschulp defeated Jordan Thompson 6-3 (retired)

- Daniel Evans (26) defeated Daniel Elahi Galan 6-4 6-2 7-5

- Arthur Fils defeated Tallon Griekspoor (24) 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 7-5

- Matteo Arnaldi defeated Jason Kubler 6-3 1-0 (retired)

- Qualifier Hsu Yu-Hsiou defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3

- Cameron Norrie (16) defeated Alexander Shevchenko 6-3 6-2 6-2

- Alexander Zverev (12) defeated Aleksandar Vukic 6-4 6-4 6-4

- Daniel Altmaier defeated Constant Lestienne 6-7(5) 6-3 6-1 6-2

- Andy Murray defeated Corentin Moutet 6-2 7-5 6-3

- Grigor Dimitrov (19) defeated Alex Molcan 6-7(9) 6-7(5) 6-1 7-5 7-6(11-9)

- Tomas Martin Etcheverry (30) defeated qualifier Otto Virtanen 6-3 6-7(3) 1-6 6-4 7-6(10-5)

- Stan Wawrinka defeated Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6(5) 6-2 6-4

- Lorenzo Sonego defeated qualifier Nicolas Moreno de Alboran 6-3 6-4 6-2

- Jannik Sinner (6) defeated Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 6-1 6-1

- Daniil Medvedev (3) defeated Attila Balazs 6-1 6-1 6-0

- Christopher O’Connell defeated Max Purcell 6-4 6-3 3-6 7-6(5)

- Qualifier Felipe Meligeni Alves defeated lucky loser James Duckworth 6-4 7-6(11) 6-3

- Sebastian Baez defeated Borna Coric (27) 7-5 7-5 6-1

- Nicolas Jarry (23) defeated Luca Van Assche 6-3 3-6 6-2 7-6(3)

- Wildcard Alex Michelsen defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4 6-3 6-4

- Wu Yibing defeated Dusan Lajovic 3-6 6-4 2-6 6-4 6-2

- Alex de Minaur (13) defeated qualifier Timofey Skatov 6-2 3-6 6-1 7-5

- Wildcard Michael Mmoh defeated Karen Khachanov (11) 6-2 6-4 6-2

- Wildcard John Isner defeated Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-4 6-3 7-6(1)

- Jack Draper defeated Radu Albot 6-1 6-4 6-3

- Hubert Hurkacz (17) defeated Marc-Andrea Huesler 4-6 5-7 7-6(0) 6-3 6-1

- Matteo Berrettini defeated Ugo Humbert (29) 6-4 6-2 6-2

- Arthur Rinderknech defeated Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-4 6-2

- Gaël Monfils defeated qualifier Taro Daniel 4-6 6-4 6-2 7-6(4)

- Andrey Rublev (8) defeated lucky loser Arthur Cazaux 6-4 7-6(5) 6-1

US Open - Men’s Singles 1R start

First round commenced at 2023 US Open - Men’s Singles

2023 US Open, final Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Hard Outdoor, New York City, New York, USA, 28 August - 10 September 2023.

Defending champion:

Carlos Alcaraz (3) who defeated Casper Ruud (5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(1) 6-3

First round results:

- Casper Ruud (5) defeated qualifier Emilio Nava 7-6(5) 3-6 6-4 7-6(5)

- Zhang Zhizhen defeated J.J. Wolf 7-5 7-5 6-7(5) 4-6 6-3

- Wildcard Rinky Hijikata defeated Pavel Kotov 7-5 5-7 6-3 7-5

- Marton Fucsovics defeated Sebastian Korda (31) 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(1) 4-6 6-4

- Adrian Mannarino (22) defeated Yosuke Watanuki 7-5 6-7(3) 6-3 7-5

- Fabian Marozsan defeated Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-1 6-7(5) 6-7(1) 6-2

- Sebastian Ofner defeated Nuno Borges 7-6(5) 3-6 7-6(7) 6-4

- Frances Tiafoe (10) defeated wildcard Learner Tien 6-2 7-5 6-1

- Tommy Paul (14) defeated qualifier Stefano Travaglia 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-1

- Roman Safiullin defeated Marco Cecchinato 6-4 6-2 6-0

- Juan Manuel Cerundolo defeated Ilya Ivashka 2-6 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3 6-3

- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (21) defeated Marcos Giron 6-4 6-4 6-2

- Dominic Thiem defeated Alexander Bublik (25) 6-3 6-2 6-4

- Ben Shelton defeated Pedro Cachin 1-6 6-3 6-2 6-4

- Aslan Karatsev defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-3 6-3 6-3

- Roberto Carballes Baena defeated Holger Rune (4) 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-2

- Stefanos Tsitsipas (7) defeated Milos Raonic 6-2 6-3 6-4

- Qualifier Dominik Stricker defeated Alexei Popyrin 6–3 6-4 3-6 6-3

- Wildcard Benjamin Bonzi defeated Quentin Halys 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-4

- Christopher Eubanks (28) defeated Kwon Soon-woo 6-3 6-4 0-6 6-4

- Qualifier Titouan Droguet defeated Lorenzo Musetti (18) 6-3 0-6 6-7(5) 6-3 6-2

- Qualifier Jakub Mensik defeated Gregoire Barrere 6-4 4-6 7-6(1) 6-2

- Juan Pablo Varillas defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 1-6 7-5 7-5 6-4

- Taylor Fritz (9) defeated wildcard Steve Johnson 6-2 6-1 6-2

- Mackenzie McDonald defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime (15) 7-6(5) 4-6 6-1 6-4

- Qualifier Borna Gojo defeated Hugo Dellien 6-3 6-3 6-1

- Jiri Vesely defeated qualifier Enzo Couacaud 5-7 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-4

- Francisco Cerundolo (20) defeated qualifier Zachary Svajda 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-3

- Laslo Djere (32) defeated Brandon Nakashima 7-5 6-4 6-4

- Qualifier Hugo Gaston defeated qualifier Sho Shimabukuro 6-2 6-1 7-6(4)

- Bernabe Zapata Miralles defeated wildcard Ethan Quinn 6-4 6-4 6-3

- Novak Djokovic (2) defeated Alexandre Müller 6-0 6-2 6-3

US Open - Women’s Singles 1R start

First round commenced at 2023 US Open - Women’s Singles

2023 US Open, final Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Hard Outdoor, New York City, New York, USA, 28 August - 10 September 2023.

Defending champion:

Iga Swiatek (1) who defeated Ons Jabeur (5) 6-2 7-6(5)

First round results:

- Iga Swiatek (1) defeated Rebecca Peterson 6-0 6-1

- Daria Saville defeated wildcard Clervie Ngounoue 6-0 6-2

- Lauren Davis defeated Danka Kovinic 6-2 6-2

- Qualifier Kaja Juvan defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto (29) 6-2 7-5

- Jelena Ostapenko (20) defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-2 4-6 6-1

- Elina Avanesyan defeated Alizé Cornet 6-2 1-6 6-4

- Wang Xiyu defeated lucky loser Viktoria Hruncakova 4-6 6-3 7-6(10-6)

- Bernarda Pera defeated Veronika Kudermetova (16) 7-5 6-4

- Petra Kvitova (11) defeated Cristina Bucsa 6-1 7-6(5)

- Wildcard Caroline Wozniacki defeated qualifier Tatiana Prozorova 6-3 6-2

- Jennifer Brady defeated lucky loser Kimberly Birrell 6-3 7-6(4)

- Magda Linette (24) defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3 6-1

- Elise Mertens (32) defeated qualifier Mirjam Bjorklund 3-6 6-3 7-6(10-3)

- Danielle Collins defeated Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2 6-0

- Mirra Andreeva defeated qualifier Olivia Gadecki 1-6 6-3 6-4

- CoCo Gauff (6) defeated qualifier Laura Siegemund 3-6 6-2 6-4

- Elena Rybakina (4) defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1

- Ajla Tomljanovic defeated Panna Udvardy 3-6 6-2 6-4

- Anna Kalinskaya defeated Katerina Siniakova 6-4 6-2

- Sorana Cirstea (30) defeated wildcard Kayla Day 6-2 6-3

- Victoria Azarenka (18) defeated wildcard Fiona Ferro 6-1 6-2

- Zhu Lin defeated Mayar Sherif 6-3 7-5

- Qualifier Yuriko Miyazaki defeated Margarita Betova 6-3 6-3

- Belinda Bencic (15) defeated Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2 6-4

- Karolina Muchova (10) defeated wildcard Storm Hunter 6-4 6-0

- Magdalena Frech defeated Emma Navarro 7-6(10) 1-6 6-2

- Taylor Townsend defeated Varvara Gracheva 6-4 6-2

- Beatriz Haddad Maia (19) defeated Sloane Stephens 6-2 5-7 6-4

- Sara Sorribes Tormo defeated Anhelina Kalinina (28) 6-4 7-5

- Wang Xinyu defeated qualifier Katie Volynets 6-3 6-4

- Anna Karolina Schmiedlova defeated Kateryna Baindl 6-4 3-6 6-3

- Rebeka Masarova defeated Maria Sakkari (8) 6-4 6-4

US Open - Women’s Singles Preview Pt 2

US Open Women’s Singles - preview pt 2

Aryna Sabalenka was a semi finalist at last year’s US Open, and here is how she will go one better and join CoCo Gauff in the finale this year.

First round against Maryna Zanvska will be no problem. Zanevska has only made the main draw twice in ten attempts at the US Open. Second round last year is as far as she as reached. Not as far this time after her first meeting with Sabalenka.

Anna Blinkova should be the second round victim. Sabalenka has won all three times they’ve played each other, and Blinkova has never gone past the first round in a US Open.

Karolina Pliskova is the 25th seed and drawn to meet Sabalenka in the third round.

Pliskova was the US Open finalist in 2016 and been a quarter finalist four times since, including last year.

Sabalenka was the player who eliminated Pliskova in last years US Open quarter finals and the same fate is about to befall Pliskova this year, but earlier.

Sabalenka heads into the round of sixteen with the draw expecting her to face 13th seed Daria Kasatkina.

Kasatkina has Sofia Kenin as a likely second round opponent.

Kenin is the 2020 Australian Open champion and 2020 Roland Garros finalist, so is an early danger to Kasatkina.

Kasatkina will possibly need to defeat 21st seed Donna Vekic in the third round.

Vekic was a US Open quarter finalist in 2019, and hasn’t progressed past the first round for the past two years.

She may have the honour of playing Venus Williams in the second round.

Williams won the US Open in 2000 and 2001 (when Vekic was just three and four years old), and incredibly she is still here competing.

Vekic does have a 5-2 winning record against Sabalenka, but it won’t matter, as Kasatkina will be the one to lose to Aryna in the round of sixteen.

Fifth seed Ons Jabeur, last years runner up, is in the quarter which will determine who will match up in a quarter final with Sabalenka.

Jabeur will most probably defeat Linda Noskova in the second round and 31st seed Marie Bouzkova in the third.

12th seed Barbora Krejcikova, 2021 US Open quarter finalist, will provide a tough test for Jabeur, but won’t stop this years Wimbledon finalist from winning through to a Sabalenka clash.

After the exit of Jabeur, Sabalenka will need to win a semi final against the winner of quarters 5 and 6 in the bottom of the draw.

Quarter 5 is led by 7th seed Carolina Garcia, who was a US Open semi finalist last year,

Despite her current lack of form, I believe that Garcia will win her third round match against 27th seed Anastasia Potapova.

9th seed, and this year’s Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova will defeat either 2022 US Open runner up Leylah Fernandez or 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in another third round match.

Vondrousova should win the round of sixteen match against Garcia.

Quarter 6 has 3rd seed Jessica Pegula and 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova.

Pegula was a quarter finalist last year and is drawn to play 26th seed Elina Svitolina in the third round.

Svitolina’s last two US Open appearances have resulted in a semi final in 2019 and quarter final in 2021.

Samsonova made the round of sixteen last year, and has two former finalists in her section - qualifier Vera Zvonareva (2010) and 17th seed Madison Keys (2017).

Keys will win a third round match against Samsonova, then upset Pegula.and Vondrousova.

So my predictions for the bottom half of the draw:

Round of sixteen:

Marketa Vondrousova (9) defeats Caroline Garcia (7)

Madison Keys (17) defeats Jessica Pegula (3)

Ons Jabeur (5) defeats Barbora Krejcikova (12)

Aryna Sabalenka (2) defeats Daria Kasatkina (13)

Quarter finals:

Madison Keys (17) defeats Marketa Vondrousova (9) 

Aryna Sabalenka (2) defeats Ons Jabeur (5)

Semi final:

Aryna Sabalenka (2) defeats Madison Keys (17)

Final:

Aryna Sabalenka (2) defeats CoCo Gauff (6)

US Open - Women’s Singles Preview Pt 1

US Open Women’s Singles - preview pt 1

Iga Swiatek is the defending US Open Women’s Singles champion, but  CoCo Gauff will play Aryna Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open final, and over the next two mutterings I will explain how.

Why CoCo ?

Well her form is exemplary, having won her past two tournaments, and that is a good start.

A qualifier in the first round should be the perfect warm up for 6th seed Gauff, who is the highest seed in her quarter of the draw, which is in the second part of the top half.

Assuming 16 year old Mirra Andreeva eliminates her first round opponent - also a qualifier - she will look for the exit after losing a second time to CoCo, the other defeat coming this year at Roland Garros.

Third round could be a clash between CoCo and either fellow American Danielle Collins or 32nd seed Elise Mertens.

Collins has recently returned to form, quarter finalist from qualifying in Montreal, only losing to Swiatek.

Mertens, since Roland Garros, has failed to progress beyond the second round in any tournament.

Danielle Collins should meet Gauff for surprisingly the first time, and sadly for her leave empty handed.

Petra Kvitova, 11th seed is in a fairly comfortable section of the draw, and is set to join Gauff in a round of sixteen play off.

Perhaps Magda Linette, seeded 24, may offer some resistance, but not based on her US Open record.

More likely is unseeded Jennifer Brady, who is back from a long term knee injury. Her last US Open appearance was a semi final in 2020.

Gauff to edge out Kvitova, whose best US Open results have been quarter finals way back in 2015 and 2017.

CoCo Gauff will surely meet top seed Iga Swiatek in a quarter final.

Swiatek has on paper no one to seriously threaten her path through four rounds. The seeds in her section: Veronika Kudermetova (16), Jelena Ostapenko (20), and Elisabetta Cocciaretto (29) have average to poor US Open records.

Although Ostapenko has won all three of her matches against Swiatek, I believe today is a different story.

Gauff, who won her first match against Swiatek this month, after a 0-7 run of losses, will draw on that significant result, and win through to a semi final.

The semi final opponent will be the winner of a quarter final between the best of quarters three and four in the top half of the draw.

Quarter three is headed by fourth seed Elena Rybakina, who will probably need to overcome either 18th seed Victoria Azarenka (three times US Open runner up) or Belinda Bencic, 13th seed and US Open semi finalist in 2019.

Rybakina hasn’t been past the third round in a US Open, but she will do it this time and beat Azarenka on the way.

Quarter four sees Maria Sakkari, seeded eight and US Open semi finalist in 2021. She has in her section tenth seed Karolina Muchova, Roland Garros finalist this year, who made it to the round of sixteen in the 2020 US Open.

Two players  in the section not should not be taken lightly.

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens (2017) and.Sara Sorribes Tormo, who just took the title in Cleveland.

Sakkari is playing well enough to survive and battle Rybakina.

Gauff hasn’t played Sakkari, and has beaten Rybakina in their only clash -  Toronto last year.

So my predictions for the top half of the draw:

Round of sixteen:

Iga Swiatek (1) defeats Jelena Ostapenko (20)

CoCo Gauff (6) defeats Petra Kvitova (11)

Elena Rybakina (4) defeats Victoria Azarenka (18)

Maria Sakkari (8) defeats Karolina Muchova (10)

Quarter finals:

CoCo Gauff (6) defeats Iga Swiatek (1)

Elena Rybakina (4) defeats Maria Sakkari (8)

Semi final:

CoCo Gauff (6) defeats Elena Rybakina (4)

US Open - Men’s Singles Preview Pt 2

US Open Men’s Singles - preview pt 2

Next I’ll detail how Carlos Alcaraz navigates his way to a second successive major final, and a defence of his 2022 US Ooen.

Round 1 opposition is German Dominik Koepfer, who made the round of sixteen in the 2019 US Open, but nothing of consequence since.

It will be the first clash between the pair and a loss for Koepfer.

Second round will be Lloyd Harris or Guido Pella.

Harris was a quarter finalist in the 2021 US Open but no such luck this year even if he outlasts Pella. Again, Alcaraz hasn’t had the joy of playing either of the two.

He will experience the joy of besting one of them soon.

Drawn to meet Alcaraz in the third round is 26th seed, Dan Evans who made the round of sixteen in 2021, only beaten by that year’s champion Daniil Medvedev.

Evans will most likely have to beat Botic van de Zandschulp, who was also beaten by Medvedev in 2021, in the quarters.

Evans for me, just because he won the recent Washington DC tournament.

Alcaraz hasn’t lost to Evans and will defeat him for a third time.

The round of sixteen match up for Alcaraz is meant to be 16th seed Cameron Norrie, who has knocked over the Spaniard twice, including earlier this year in Rio de Janeiro.

Bad news for Norrie is that he won a match since Wimbledon.

In his section are some far from simple potential blocks to reaching Alcaraz, amongst them Alexander Shevchenko, Thanasi Kokkinakis and 24th seed Tallon Griekspoor.

Alcaraz will account for Griekspoor to reach the quarter finals.

There he will meet the winner of quarter 2, led by sixth seed Jannik Sinner, quarter finalist at last year’s US Open.

The draw suggests Sinner v 12th seed Alexander Zverev, 2020 finalist.

Zverev may need to deal with 2012 champion Andy Murray or 2019 semi finalist and 19th seed Grigor Dimitrov.

Sinner could be matched in the third round with 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka.

For me it’s Zverev ousting Sinner before falling to Alcaraz.

Semi final for Alcaraz, and his opposition the winner of quarter finals 3 and 4 at the top half of the draw.

Leading the third quarter, 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev, seeded three, should carve his way through one of two Australians (Max Purcell or Christopher O’Connell) in round two, 21st seed Borna Coric in he third round and another Aussie 13th seed Alex de Minaur in the round of sixteen.

de Minaur did defeat Medvedev in the quarter finals of the recent Canadian Open, but won’t repeat that success in New York.

The fourth quarter has 11th seed Karen Khachanov, semi finalist from last year and 8th seed Andrey Rublev, quarter finalist last year and twice before that.

Khachanov will probably play John Isner in the second round. Isner has been given a wildcard for what will be his 17th and final US Open.

Third round against 17th seed Hubert Hurkacz will be no easy task but Hurkacz has a poor US Open history.

Rublev has unseeded Gaël Monfils and Matteo Berrettini in his section.

Both are potential dangers for Rublev as they are former semi finalists.

Worry for Berrettini is his recent form.

Khachanov to overcome his fellow countryman Rublev and face another Russian Medvedev for a semi final berth.

So my predictions for the top half of the draw:

Round of sixteen:

Carlos Alcaraz (1) defeats Cameron Norrie (16)

Alexander Zverev (17) defeats Jannik Sinner (6)

Daniil Medvedev (3) defeats Alex de Minaur (13)

Karen Khachanov (11) defeats Andrey Rublev (8)

Quarter finals:

Carlos Alcaraz (1) defeats Alexander Zverev (17)

Daniil Medvedev (3) defeats Karen Khachanov (11)

Semi final:

Carlos Alcaraz (1) defeats Daniil Medvedev (3)

Final:

Carlos Alcaraz (1) defeats Novak Djokovic (2)