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FLUSHING MEADOWS, New York – It’s been some years now that when Novak Djokovic hasn’t been among the top two players, the biggest speculation was going to be which half of the draw he ended up in.

At first, it was a “Roger or Rafa” coin flip.

These days, it’s a “Sinner or Alcaraz” choice.

For this year’s US Open. Djokovic ends up in the bottom half, with Alcaraz (which is actually a better outcome for him, assuming he gets there). It would be a semifinal matchup.

Djokovic, who will face Learner Tien in the first round and then the winner of two qualifiers/lucky losers in the second round, came out of it a lot better than Alcaraz did.

Alcaraz will face big-serving Reilly Opelka right out of the gate. And that’s a tricky one.

As for Sinner, he gets Czech Vit Kopriva and then a possible challenge in Alexei Popyrin in the second round, and Denis Shapovalov (the No. 27 seed) in the third round.

For the complete men’s singles draw, click here.

Krejcikova for Mboko in US Open debut (and other women’s draw news)

Canadian content

There are three men in the US Open men’s singles draw.

And as it happens – all are seeded. And all are in the same half.

No. 25 seed Félix Auger-Aliassime gets a qualifier/lucky loser, and then wither Gaël Monfils or Roman Safiullin. His potential third round is No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev.

For No. 27 seed Shapovalov, it’s a tough one against Marton Fucsovics to open, when French wild card Valentin Royer or Bu Yunchaokete and then, potentially, Sinner.

For No. 31 seed Gabriel Diallo, it’s a “David and Goliath” opener against Damir Dzumhur, then Jame Munar or a qualifier/lucky loser. And then (potentially), No. 5 seed Jack Draper. He can work with that.

First-rounders to watch

[23] Alexander Bublik vs. 2014 champion Marin Cilic
[26] Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Alexander Muller
Sebastian Korda vs. Cameron Norrie
[11] Holger Rune vs. Botic Van de Zandschulp
[16] Jakub Mensis vs. Nicolas Jarry
Joao Fonsca vs. Miomir Kecmanovic

Most of those, as with the women, are in the bottom half

Potential round of 16 matchups

[1] Jannik Sinner vs. [14] Tommy Paul
[5] Jack Draper vs. [10] Lorenzo Musetti
[3] Alexander Zverev vs. [15] Andrey Rublev
[8] Alex de Minaur vs. [9] Karen Khachanov

[7] Novak Djokovic vs. [11] Holger Rune
[4] Taylor Fritz vs. [16] Jakub Mensik
[6] Ben Shelton vs. [12] Carper Ruud
[2] Carlos Alcaraz vs. [13] Daniil Medvedev

Potential quarterfinal matchups

[1] Jannik Sinner vs. [5] Jack Draper
[3] Alexander Zverev vs. [8] Alex de Minaur
[7] Novak Djokovic vs. [4] Taylor Fritz
[2] Carlos Alcaraz vs. [6] Ben Shelton