US Open draw: Dominic Thiem draws Carreno Busta, German players with horror lots
Dominic Thiem caught a tough chunk at the start of the US Open 2022: he met Pablo Carreno Busta, who was 12th. The DTB players caught tough openers.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Aug 25, 2022, 06:23 pm
Thiem, winner in 2020, is only starting via wildcard after his long injury break and is therefore not set. And wasn't too lucky - round 1 is against the Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, semi-finalist in Flushing Meadows in 2017 and 2020.
In the second round, the winner of the game between Alexander Bublik and Hugo Gaston would wait.
Defending champion and top seed Daniil Medvedev will face Stefan Kozlov in Round 1. Also in his eighth: Nick Kyrgios, who meets compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis at the start.
Rafael Nadal could have it easier
Rafael Nadal, seeded second, plays against wildcard Rinky Hijikata, but Aslan Karatsev or Fabio Fognini could wait in round 2.
Shooting star Carlos Alcaraz meets Sebastian Baez, Stefanos Tsitipas meets a qualifier, as does Stan Wawrinka.
The other Swiss starter in the main field, Marc-Andrea Hüsler, has to deal with Denis Shapovalov.
Otte and Gojowczyk have a difficult start
In the absence of Alexander Zverev, the German players did not get any good lots and all play against seeded opponents: Last year's round of 16 Oscar Otte plays against Hubert Hurkacz (8), Daniel Altmaier against Jannik Sinner (11) and Peter Gojowczyk meets Holger Rune (28 ).
There is a lot at stake for Otte and Gojowczyk in particular, both had qualified for the round of 16 in 2021 - and had to defend a corresponding number of points. Otte was also recently out of action due to injury.
Apart from Thiem, there is no player from Austria in the main draw. Dennis Novak, Filip Misolic and Sebastian Ofner are still fighting for a place in the main draw in qualifying.
Click here for the men's entire draw
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