As the U.S. Open gears up in Queens, New York, two rising talents from the Chinese mainland are ready to kick off their Grand Slam journeys.
World No. 76 Buyunchaokete, drawn in the same quadrant as defending champion and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, will face France’s Valentin Royer in his opening match. The 23-year-old, eager to improve on last season’s early exit, has never met Royer on tour.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Shang Juncheng goes head-to-head with Italy’s Mattia Bellucci in the first round. The two have no previous head-to-head record, but Shang, who reached the third round in last year’s U.S. Open, will be looking to make a deeper run.
The stakes are high: a win could pit Buyunchaokete against Sinner, while Shang’s section features World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, who opens his campaign against home favorite Reilly Opelka.
Elsewhere in the draw, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, seeded seventh, meets American teenager Learner Tien in his bid for a 25th major title. Djokovic and Alcaraz share the same half, setting the stage for blockbuster matches down the line.
With top seeds looming and fresh faces eager to break through, the U.S. Open promises plenty of drama from day one.
Reference(s):
Who will Chinese players face to begin U.S. Open singles competitions?
cgtn.com
