The top seeds most threatened in the first week of the US Open 2024
We analyze which of the 16 top seeds will have the hardest time making it to the second week of the US Open 2024.
Chance was capricious when it came to drawing the US Open 2024, casting some sections of the bracket where making predictions becomes complex. Several seeded players and candidates to achieve something big in Flushing Meadows find themselves in a compromised situation, facing possible very dangerous opponents in their zone.
It is advisable to carefully review the men's bracket of the US Open 2024 before the tournament begins, trying to discern possible surprises and seeing which of the 16 seeded players called to reach the round of 16 may find their mission more challenging due to high-level opponents who may cross their path. Surprises always happen, and in this case, everything indicates that it will happen to a significant extent.
Jannik Sinner will need his best version, as well as sublime mental strength, so that all the controversy surrounding him does not hinder his progress against highly dangerous rivals like Michelsen and Jarry. One of the candidates facing the most intriguing first-round clash is Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek doesn't arrive with confidence, and facing Kokkinakis right from the start can be worrisome, as well as potentially having Auger-Aliassime as a rival in the third round.
Nothing can be taken for granted in the world of tennis, not even the progress of one of the top favorites, such as Carlos Alcaraz. While it is true that the Spaniard is superior to almost all players on the planet when he is in good form, opponents like Shapovalov, Draper, or Zhang could pose a great challenge for the youngster. Sebastian Korda, the 16th seed, has been placed in a very open section with Moutet, Fognini, Machac, Coric, Tabilo, or Goffin, all of whom have the necessary level to prevent him from fulfilling his mission.
- Sinner, Djokovic, and Alcaraz may face dangerous opponents in the first week
One of the major threats, not being a seeded player, was Berrettini, and although he didn't draw a seeded player in the first round, he is on the path of Taylor Fritz, whom he could face in the second round, posing a significant threat to him. It is also worth mentioning the case of Ben Shelton, a semifinalist here last year, who could meet Tiafoe in a very dangerous and uncertain third round.
Even Novak Djokovic, a strong title contender, cannot relax even a bit if he wants to avoid upsets during the early rounds. In those rounds, he could face two players with deadly serves, offensive tennis, and a fast pace like Jan-Lennard Struff and Alexei Popyrin. They would be tough litmus tests for the greatest tennis player in history, who could come out significantly strengthened if he manages to overcome them convincingly and reaffirm his confidence in this US Open 2024.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los cabezas de serie más amenazados en la primera semana del US Open 2024