Five-time champion Roger Federer could find himself up against Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the US Open, where Serena and Venus Williams could meet in a third-round blockbuster.
Federer, the second seed, opens against Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, anchoring a bottom quarter of the men’s singles draw announced on Thursday that also features sixth-seeded Djokovic, the reigning Wimbledon champion who bested the Swiss great in the final at the Cincinnati Masters last week.
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev and seventh-seeded Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion, are also in Federer’s half of the draw.
So is mercurial Australian Nick Kyrgios, the 30th seed who could face Federer in the third round.
Rematch
Top-seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal opens his defence against a familiar foe in fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in a rematch of their 2013 French Open final.
Andy Murray, playing his first Grand Slam since Wimbledon of last year and still battling to regain full fitness in the wake of January hip surgery, was handed a relatively gentle return to the major stage, drawing Australian James Duckworth, ranked 445th in the world, in the opening round.
Talent-laden
On the women’s side, the Williams sisters feature in a talent-laden top quarter headed by World No.1 Simona Halep.
Serena opens against Poland’s Magda Linette, but her seeding won’t protect her from a possible third-round clash with her 16th-seeded sister.
But Venus faces a potentially difficult first round match against 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Kuznetsova received a wild card into the main draw as she continues her return from left wrist surgery.
Halep, gunning for a second major of the year after her victory at Roland Garros, opens her campaign against Estonian Kaia Kanepi, a quarterfinalist last year.
Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber, seeded fourth, faces Russian Margarita Gasparyan in the first round.
