Alcaraz and Djokovic Prepare for U.S. Open Challenges as Venus Williams Makes a Comeback

As the U.S. Open approaches, both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic anticipate potentially challenging matches against American competitors. Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, is set to kick off his campaign against the formidable Reilly Opelka, a towering player known for his strong serve and past performance reaching the fourth round in 2021. The young star clinched his first U.S. Open title last year and has since tallied a total of five Grand Slam victories. Djokovic, the seasoned seventh seed, is ready to face 19-year-old Learner Tien, who gained attention by outplaying Daniil Medvedev earlier in the year at the Australian Open.

On the women's side, the return of 45-year-old Venus Williams is generating buzz as she competes under a wild card against No. 11 seed Karolina Muchova. This match highlights a player with a history of rising to the occasion in key tournaments, as Muchova reached the finals of the French Open in 2023 and made it to the semi-finals at the U.S. Open in subsequent years. Notably, No. 3 seed Coco Gauff, the reigning champion after her victory at the 2023 U.S. Open, will begin her defense against Ajla Tomljanovic, the player who ended Williams’ sister Serena's illustrious career back in 2022.

Looking ahead, the men's quarter-finals may feature intriguing matchups such as defending champion Jannik Sinner against No. 5 Jack Draper and No. 3 Alexander Zverev clashing with No. 8 Alex de Minaur. The bottom half of the bracket could potentially see Alcaraz take on No. 6 Ben Shelton, while Djokovic may face off against No. 4 Taylor Fritz. On the women's side, anticipated quarter-final contests include defending champion Aryna Sabalenka against No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, and a rematch between No. 2 Iga Swiatek and No. 8 Amanda Anisimova following their recent Wimbledon encounter.