Daniil Medvedev after winning the 2021 US Open title
Daniil Medvedev after winning the 2021 US Open title | (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Tennis | US Open 2022 | Men’s Draw Preview

By Tony Fairbairn

  • Daniil Medvedev looks to defend title while Rafael Nadal chases 23rd Grand Slam title and world number one ranking.
  • Top Seeds: Daniil Medvedev, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas
  • British Interest: Cameron Norrie [7], Dan Evans [20], Andy Murray, Jack Draper, Kyle Edmund [PR]
NEW YORK, USA – Daniil Medvedev will look to defend his US Open title but faces stiff competition from Rafael Nadal who is after his world number one ranking and is chasing a 23rd grand slam title.

 

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[1] Daniil Medvedev

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Best Result: Title (2021)

The world number one enters the defence of his title in decent form with a title in Los Cabos and a semi-final in Cincinnati but has also lost some key matches to some of his rivals.

Medvedev’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)

  • R1: Stefan Kozlov | H2H: First Meeting
  • R2: Arthur Rinderknech | H2H: First Meeting
  • R3: Nikoloz Basilashvili [31] | H2H: First Meeting
  • R4: Roberto Bautista Agut [16] | H2H: Bautista Agut leads 4-1
  • QF: Felix Auger-Aliassime [6] | H2H: Medvedev leads 4-0
  • SF: Stefanos Tsitsipas [4] | H2H: Medvedev leads 7-3
  • F: Rafael Nadal [2] | H2H: Nadal leads 5-1

Medvedev will be pleased with his opening three rounds where he can play his way into the tournament but things will get tricky from the fourth round onwards. Roberto Bautista Agut and Nick Kyrgios are players that have good records against Medvedev with Stefano Tsitsipas recently beating him in Cincinnati. This will be a test of Medvedev’s ability to deal with pressure and play at his best when needed to as he looks to defend his first ever grand slam title.

 

[2] Rafael Nadal

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Best Results: Title (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)

Nadal enters the last grand slam of the year with doubts over his fitness as he searches for a 23rd grand slam title and the world number one ranking.

Nadal’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)

  • R1: Rinky Hijikata [Q] | H2H: First Meeting
  • R2: Aslan Karatsev | H2H: First Meeting
  • R3: Miomir Kecmanovic [32] | H2H: Nadal leads 2-0
  • R4: Diego Schwartzman [14] | H2H: Nadal leads 11-1
  • QF: Cameron Norrie [7] | H2H: Nadal leads 4-0
  • SF: Carlos Alcaraz [3] | H2H: Nadal leads 2-1
  • F: Daniil Medvedev [1] | H2H: Nadal leads 5-1

Nadal will be happy with his draw overall, depending on his fitness concerns, as it is a chance for him to play his way into the tournament. The likes of Frances Tiafoe, Andrey Rublev and Denis Shapovalov could provide stiff competition along the way but if Nadal is in fighting form, then he will be odds on favourite to win his third grand slam title of the season.

 

 

[3] Carlos Alcaraz

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Best Result: Quarter-final (2021)

Alcaraz will look to be inspired from his performance last year and from earlier in the season as he looks to overcome a dip in form to win his maiden grand slam title.

Alcaraz’s Path to the Final (Ranking/Seeding)

  • R1: Sebastian Baez | H2H: Alcaraz leads 1-0
  • R2: Tallon Griekspoor | H2H: Alcaraz leads 1-0
  • R3: Borna Coric [25] | H2H: First Meeting
  • R4: Marin Cilic [15] | H2H: Alcaraz leads 2-1
  • QF: Hubert Hurkacz [8] | H2H: Alcaraz leads 1-0
  • SF: Rafael Nadal [2] | H2H: Nadal leads 2-1
  • F: Daniil Medvedev [1] | H2H: Medvedev leads 1-0

Alcaraz will need to be wary of a potential blip in the third round against rejuvenated Cincinnati champion Borna Coric but other than that the Spaniard has been given a comfortable draw where he will look to build his form up as he searches for the first grand slam of his career.

 

[4] Stefanos Tsitsipas

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Best Result: Third Round (2020, 2021)

Tsitsipas is starting to regain some momentum as he looks to make the second week at the US Open for the first time in his career.

Tsitsipas’s Path to the Final

  • R1: Qualifier | H2H: First Meeting
  • R2: Lorenzo Sonego | H2H: Tsitsipas leads 2-0
  • R3: Maxime Cressy [30] | H2H: Tsitsipas leads 1-0
  • R4: Matteo Berrettini [13] | H2H: Tsitsipas leads 2-0
  • QF: Casper Ruud [5] | H2H: Tied at 1-1
  • SF: Daniil Medvedev [1] | H2H: Medvedev leads 7-3
  • F: Rafael Nadal [2] | H2H: Nadal leads 7-2

Tsitsipas has been given a decent draw with there being tests against Maxime Cressy and Matteo Berrettini along the way. Should Tsitsipas pass those, then a semi-final against Medvedev could be on the cards with the Greek winning their recent meeting in Cincinnati. This could be Tsitsipas’s best chance to win a grand slam.

The US Open takes place on the 29 August and concludes on the 11 September.

 

 

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