NEW YORK.- On his way to defending his title, the Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz could meet the Serbian Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the US Openwhich starts on Sunday in New York.
The draw of the last grand slam of the year, announced this Thursday, presented a difficult route for the Spanish star, who returns to the slopes after more than four months out due to a wrist injury.
Double champion of US OpenAlcaraz appears in this edition as second seed behind the German Alexander Zverevfirst seeded in the absence of the Italian Jannik Sinnerleader of the ATP.
Alcaraz would not meet Zverev until the final, but before that he may have to face a challenging quarterfinal against the American Ben Shelton or French Arthur Filsrecent champions of the Montreal Masters 1000 and Cincinnati.
In the semifinals Djokovic could await him, who will make a new attempt to achieve his long-awaited 25th Grand Slam title, the Russian Daniil Medvedev or the Americans Frances Tiafoe and Brandon Nakashima.
Alcaraz will debut in the first round against the Russian Roman Safiulin, number 98 of the ATP, with which he has a personal record of 1-1.
Djokovic, on his side, will face the Argentine Mariano Navone and Zverev with the Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
Spanish appears on the German side Rafael Jodarthe great revelation of the season, who will debut in a US Open as twelfth seed at 19 years old, with the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis as first opponent.
Latinos in the race
The Argentinian Francisco Cerúndolothe highest-ranked Latin American in the ATP, will debut against the Austrian Filip Misolic, while the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo he will do it against the German Yannick Hanfmann.
In the female branch, the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenkaworld number one, will begin the route to the three consecutive championship against the Colombian Maria Camila Osorio (58th).
The draw prevented Sabalenka from confrontations before the final against two former champions and fearsome rivals: the Polish Iga Swiatek and the American Coco Gauffwinners this month of Toronto WTA 1000 and that of Cincinnati.
Swiatek and Gauff were placed on the same side as the Kazakh Elena Rybakinaworld number two, and the American Amanda Anisimovacurrent runner-up in Flushing Meadows, that will debut before the locals Thea Frodin and Ashlyn Krueger.
