2024 US Open Men’s Draw Preview: Djokovic Goes For 25, Tries To Halt Alcaraz, Sinner Run

Novak Djokovic goes into his 18th US Open without any hard court matches since early February at Indian Wells. But that likely won’t give pause to the all-time great his just became a golden all-time great with his monster Paris Olympic gold medal. And Djokovic has been celebrating since.

He’ll be back in action Monday night in New York. With every record all but his, there are just two left: the record for most men’s titles and the all-time mark for Grand Slams.

Djokovic has 24 Slams which is tied with Margaret Court for the all-time lead. He was three sets away at Wimbledon, and now he’ll get another crack to make history and also win his 100th career title.

Standing in his way will likely be new rivals and winners of the first three Slams this year, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner will have to shrug off two positive doping tests and focus on continuing an incredible season. The Italian has five titles and despite the drug could hanging, he still won Cincinnati.

Alcaraz won the US Open two years ago and fell in the semifinals last year. He won the last two Slams but there were bumps. And he comes into New York on a 2-match losing streak.

If not those three, then 2021 winner Daniil Medvedev is someone who loves the hard court Slams, Alexander Zverev made the finals in New York four years ago and Americans Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton have shown the goods.

Top seeds are: 1 Jannik Sinner, 2 Novak Djokovic, 3 Carlos Alcaraz, 4 Alexander Zverev, 5 Daniil Medvedev, 6 Andrey Rublev, 7 Hubert Hurkacz, 8 Casper Ruud, 9 Grigor Dimitrov, 10 Alex De Minaur, 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas, 12 Taylor Fritz, 13 Ben Shelton, 14 Tommy Paul, 15 Holger Rune, and 16 Sebastian Korda.

JANNIK SINNER QUARTER
Seeds: 1 Sinner, 5 Medvedev, 11 Tsitsipas, 14 Paul, 19 Auger Aliassime, 24 Fils, 26 Jarry, 31 Cobolli,
Floaters: Wawrinka, Purcell, O’Connell, Kokkinakis, Marozsan, Mensik, Medjedovic
Notable openers: Jannik Sinner-Mackenzie McDonald, Mattia Bellucci-Stan Wawrinka, Christopher Oconnell-Nicolas Jarry, Max Purcell-Aleksandar Vukic, Lorenzo Sonego-Tommy Paul, Stefanos Tsitsipas-Thanasi Kokkinakis, Dusan Lajovic-Daniil Medvedev
Projected 3R matches: 1 Sinner – 26 Jarry, 24 Fils – 14 Paul, 11 Tsitsipas – 19 Auger Aliassime, 31 Cobolli – 5 Medvedev
Notes: If Sinner can get clear of this doping scandal and the hip troubles, he’ll be much better for it. Because he’s got a tough draw after the first week. Sinner could see in order Paul in the fourth round and then former champion Medvedev to get to the semifinals. Medvedev, who had Sinner on the ropes in the Melbourne final, should also breeze early and then face the slumping Tsitsipas or the Canadian Auger-Aliassime.

CARLOS ALCARAZ QUARTER
Seeds: 3 Alcaraz, 7 Hurkacz, 10 De Minaur, 16 Korda, 22 Tabilo, 23 Khachanov, 25 Draper, 30 Arnaldi
Floaters: Coric, Shapovalov, Evans, Mannarino, Van De Zandschulp, Thompson, Zhang, Safiullin, Halys, Moutet, Machac, Fognini
Notable openers: Carlos Alcaraz-Li Tu, Denis Shapovalov-Botic Van De Zandschulp, Borna Coric-Adrian Mannarino, Corentin Moutet-Sebastian Korda, Alex De Minaur-Marcos Giron, Daniel Evans-Karen Khachanov,
Projected 3R matches: 3 Alcaraz – 25 Draper, 22 Tabilo – 16 Korda, 10 De Minaur – 23 Khachanov, 30 Arnaldi – 7 Hurkacz
Notes: Former champion Alcaraz rolls into the final Slam having won his last 14 at this level. He’ll try for a third straight in a good section of the draw with potentially Draper in the third, Korda in the fourth round and the big-serving Hurkacz in the quarters. But it’s hard to see anyone derailing the Spaniard.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV QUARTER
Seeds: 4 Zverev, 8 Ruud, 12 Fritz, 15 Rune, 17 Humbert, 18 Musetti, 27 Bublik, 29 Cerundolo
Floaters: Etcheverry, Berrettini, Kecmanovic, Ruusuvuori, Nakashima, Schwartzman, Carreno Busta, Shang, Monfils, Mpetshi Perricard, Opelka
Notable openers: Holger Rune-Brandon Nakashima, Yoshihito Nishioka-Miomir Kecmanovic, Francisco Cerundolo-Sebastian Ofner, Emil Ruusuvuori-Alexander Zverev
Projected 3R matches: 8 Ruud – 27 Bublik, 17 Humbert – 12 Fritz, 15 Rune – 18 Musetti, 29 Cerundolo – 4 Zverev
Notes: Is this this toughest quarter? It might be. With Zverev, Fritz, Rune, Ruud plus big men Opelka and Mpetshi Perricard, this might be it. Zverev is the highest seed but thanks to an easier draw, Fritz should be the favorite. The American has only the struggling Ruud to deal with while Zverev has Cerundolo and then Rune or Musetti just to get to Fritz.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC QUARTER
Seeds: 2 Djokovic, 6 Rublev, 9 Dimitrov, 13 Shelton, 20 Tiafoe, 21 Baez, 28 Popyrin, 32 Lehecka
Floaters: Davidovich Fokina, Struff, Griekspoor, Eubanks, Djere, Bautista Agut, Fucsovics, Rinderknech, Koepfer, Thiem, Shevchenko, Seyboth Wild
Notable openers: Andrey Rublev-Thiago Seyboth Wild, Christopher Eubanks-Arthur Rinderknech, Marton Fucsovics-Jiri Lehecka, Ben Shelton-Dominic Thiem, Laslo Djere-Jan Lennard Struff, Radu Albot-Novak Djokovic
Projected 3R matches: 6 Rublev – 32 Lehecka, 21 Baez – 9 Dimitrov, 13 Shelton – 20 Tiafoe, 28 Popyrin – 2 Djokovic
Notes: A big primetime fourth round showdown looms for Djokovic against the big battle between Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe in the third round. Both Shelton and Tiafoe have made the US Open semifinals, a round Rublev still seeks at this level. The Russian is looking at Dimitrov in his fourth round but that’s likely going to be his last win if he gets it.

The projected quarterfinals:
1 Sinner – 5 Medvedev
3 Alcaraz – 7 Hurkacz
8 Ruud – 4 Zverev
6 Rublev – 2 Djokovic

Former champions: Wawrinka, Medvedev, Alcaraz, Thiem, Djokovic(4)
Former finalists: Ruud, Zverev

Last year, (2) Novak Djokovic defeated (3) Daniil Medvedev 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3.

LAST 10 US OPEN CHAMPIONS/FINALS
2023 Novak Djokovic d Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3
2022 Carlos Alcaraz d Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3
2021 Daniil Medvedev d Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
2020 Dominic Thiem d Alexander Zverev 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(6)
2019 Rafael Nadal d Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4
2018 Novak Djokovic d Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3
2017 Rafael Nadal d Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4
2016 Stan Wawrinka d Novak Djokovic 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3
2015 Novak Djokovic d Roger Federer 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
2014 Marin Cilic d Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3, 6-3