The main singles draw for the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament in 2019 has been made on Thursday.
No.1 seed and defending champion will open campaign in his 14th US Open appearance against Roberto Caraballes Baena from Spain (ATP #76). It will be their first career meeting.
The reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon titlist might face either Sam Querrey (USA) or Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG) in the second round.
Novak’s possible rivals in the later stages of the tournament are:
3rd round: Dusan Lajovic (SRB, 27), Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)
4th round: Stan Wawrinka (SUI, 23), Hubert Hurkacz (POL), Laslo Djere (SRB), Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB)
Quarter-finals: Daniil Medvedev (RUS, 5), Fabio Fognini (ITA, 11), Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO, 17)
Semi-finals: Roger Federer (SUI, 3), Kei Nishikori (JPN, 7)
Rafael Nadal (ESP, 2), Dominic Thiem (AUT, 4), Alexander Zverev (GER, 6), Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE, 8), Karen Khachanov (RUS, 9)… are in the bottom half of the draw, and Nole can’t meet them before the final.
The Serbian tennis ace won 69 matches of 79 he played at the US Open.
Nole will be looking for his 17th Grand Slam title in New York, where he lifted the trophy in 2011, 2015 and 2018. Last year he beat Juan Martin del Potro in the final 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Competitions at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows begin on August 26, and will last until September 8.
Photo: USA Today
