US Open: very complicated draw for the Argentines and race to number 1 for the stars of the circuit

With the drop of Novak Djokovic confirmed in extremis the draw for the US Open and the case was not very kind to the Argentines. The seven albiceleste rackets who have already secured the places in the race will have to face tough rivals – some more than others – for the first round of the last Grand Slam of the season, which kicks off on Monday. The most complicated? Francesco Cerundolo Y Sebastian Baezthe two leading exponents of the new blue and black and white generation, who will face respectively a number one who is catching up and one of the best players of the year.

Cerúndolo, seeded number 24, will clash with the English for the first time in his career Andy Murraywho after two seasons struggling with a couple of injuries that led him to exit the top 170, returns to play at a highly competitive level.

The Argentine, who will play the main draw of this tournament for the first time, has reason to be enthusiastic about a victory, because he knows how to play on hard courts. He showed it in March, when he was the big reveal of the Miami Master 1000, in which he reached the semifinal. After that tournament, she had a great tour of Europe, which she crowned with her first title, in mid-July in enough; some semifinals, the following week, in Hamburg; and his jump to 24th place in the standings, the best position of him. However, the North American cement season did not start well, as he failed to make it through the opening rounds in Montreal and Cincinnati.

Murray, now 49th in the standings and champion in New York in 2012, did not achieve great results on the tour on the hard court ahead of the Flushing Mews, since he failed to put together two wins in a row in the three tournaments he played. Although he had a positive feeling in the last one, Cincinnati, where he beat Stan Wawrinka and lost by his compatriot cameron norrie in the second round, also showing high-level tennis.

Sebastian Baezwho, like Francisco, is having a great time and will make his debut on New York hardcourt, will face the Spaniard on his debut Carlos Alcaraz, one of the most competitive players of the season. The Murcian took the only previous duel between the two, in the semifinal of Next Generation ATP Finals of the last year.

The Buenos Aires native, 37th in the ATP, played his first ATP final in February, a Santiago de Chile; won his first title, in April, at Estoril; played a decisive instance once again in July, a enough, who lost to Cerúndolo; and reached its best ranking in early August, in 31st place. And like his compatriot, he too failed to win a match in the US Open warm-up tournaments.

He will therefore have a difficult task against Alcaraz, who at 19 are already fourth in the standings and have a chance (minimum, but finally a chance) to reach world number one in New York. Winner of four titles this year (Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Barcelona and Madrid), the Spaniard has just reached the quarter-finals in Cincinnati, where he lost to Norrie in a tough three-set match. Last year he reached the same instance in Flushing Mews.

Diego Schwartzmannwho leads the Argentine Legion in New York, will clash with an inferior rival on paper, but which is usually very difficult on concrete, the American Jack Sock, former top 10 who is now 108th in the standings. The only previous duel between the two was for the American: in the opening round of Rome 2017.

The small14th favorite of the tournament and finalist this year in Buenos Aires and Rio, he did not start the second half of 2022 very well: after reaching the knockout stage of Roland Garros, it’s been over two months without winning two games in a row. But last week, in Cincinnati, he regained his good feelings on the pitch and managed to reach the third round, winning against alex molcan (39 °) and Aslan Karatsev (38 °). he stopped it Stefanos Tsitsipas, then a finalist. His best historical performances in the “big” North American are the fourths of 2017 and 2019.

Sock, eight in the world in 2017, is coming out of two seasons plagued by injuries that have not allowed him to compete regularly and have even made him think about retiring. He started this year outside the top 150 and has alternated challenging tournaments with other ATPs. His best result was the third round of Wimbledon, after passing qualy.

Pietro Cachin66th in the standings, he will meet the Slovenian Aljaz Bedène, 343rd, entered the draw using a protected ranking. The 27-year-old from Cordoba is ready. In July, after winning the The challenger from Todi and reach the final Veronain consecutive weeks, he entered the top 100 for the first time. And last week he was crowned in the Challenger of Santo Domingoon brick dust. It will be necessary to see if she will be able to lengthen that beautiful moment in her first appearance on the concrete in New York.

Federico Coria78th in the standings, he will face the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor, 46th and this year without outstanding results. Il Rosario, finalist at Bastad 2021, has just lost against the Swede Michael Ymer (74th) in the first round of Winston Salem ATP, the only prep tournament he played for the US Open. If he advances to New York, he will meet Baez or Alcaraz in the second round.

Tomas Etcheverry86th in the standings and another of the new generation rackets that is having a good season, will clash in the first round with the Spaniard Pablo Andujar, 92nd but much more experienced than him. The man from La Plata, who will play his first US Open, arrives without a shot on hard courts, having played two challengers on clay in the last two weeks. The Spaniard, likewise, did not play any of the tour tournaments before the Grand Slam.

On the female side, meanwhile, Nadia Podoroska will play the main draw of a Grand Slam again after one year. Rosario, who is 190th in the WTA rankings, entered directly into the main drawing with protected classification, given that last year he fought with various injuries, and will make his debut against the Slovak Anna Schmiedlova, 116 °. Argentina arrive with good feelings, having played a few weeks ago in the final of an ITF tournament in Gran Canaria, Spain.

The path of the great stars

The US Open will have two special toppings in this 2022. On the one hand, the fight for the world’s number one ATP, which will have Rafael Nadal Y Daniel Medvedev as the main protagonists. And on the other, the possible farewell to tennis Serena Williams, who warned a few weeks ago that this could be the last tournament of his career. With whom will these big stars debut in New York?

Nadal, second favorite and in the best position to climb to the top, will face the Australian in the first round Rinky Hijikata, 198th in the world. The Spaniard, who arrives with a few shots due to an abdominal injury that forced him to retire before the Wimbledon semifinal and who in recent weeks has left him playing only in Cincinnati, could find himself in the second round with Fabio Fogni or karatsev and with Schwartzmann in the round of 16. Look for his fourth tournament title.

Medvedev, current leader of the standings and reigning champion, will clash with the American Stefan Kozlov, 110 °. Champion in early August in Los Cabos and semifinalist last week in Cincinnati, the Muscovite could face in the round of 16 Nick Kyrgios23 suit.

Carlos Alcaraz, third-seeded, will make his debut against Báez and appeared on Nadal’s path in the semifinals. While, Stefanos Tsitsipasfourth, expect a rival from the qualy, e Casper Ruudfifth, it will be measured with the British Kyle Edmond (666 °). The Greek and the Norwegian could clash in the quarter-finals.

Serena Williams, meanwhile, will begin the search for her 24th Grand Slam (equaling the record Margherita Corte) against the Montenegrin Danka Kovinic (80 °). If he advances, the American, 608 in the world and 40 years old, would play with the Estonian Anett Kontaveit, second, in the second round; with the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, fifth favorite, in the quarters; and with the Greek Maria Sakkarthird, in the semifinals.

On the other hand, the Polish Iga Swiateknumber one in the world, she will make her debut against the Italian Jasmine Pauline181 °, and Kontaveit, second in the WTA, against the Romanian Jacqueline Christian200 °.