Sinner to start US Open against Kopriva, Sabalenka faces tricky test

Defending champion Jannik Sinner, who has been recovering from illness, received a more favourable route to the US Open final than Carlos Alcaraz, while Aryna Sabalenka will be tested in her bid to retain her title after the draw was made on Thursday.

Top seed Sinner's health has come into focus since he withdrew from the Cincinnati final on Monday while trailing Carlos Alcaraz 5-0. He later withdrew from the since-completed mixed doubles event in New York.

Sinner, who increased his Grand Slam tally to four with wins at this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon, will open against Czech Vit Kopriva and could face fifth seed Jack Draper in the quarter-finals, third seed Alexander Zverev in the semis and Alcaraz in the final.

Reigning French Open champion Alcaraz, in a stacked bottom half of the draw, will begin against American Reilly Opelka and his road to the final could include a quarter-final clash with Ben Shelton and 2024 runner-up Taylor Fritz in the semi-final.

Four-times champion Novak Djokovic, seeded seventh, will start against Learner Tien and could face Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round and fourth seed Fritz in the quarters before a blockbuster semi-final against Alcaraz.

In the women's draw, top seed Sabalenka will begin against Rebeka Masarova and her fortnight could include a quarter-final date with Cincinnati finalist Jasmine Paolini, a semi-final with Jessica Pegula and final date with Wimbledon winner Iga Swiatek.

Second seed Swiatek, fresh off winning her tune-up event in Cincinnati, will start against Colombia's Emiliana Arangoand could face Amanda Anisimova in a quarter-final that would be a rematch of their lopsided Wimbledon final.

French Open champion Coco Gauff, the third seed, could face sixth seed and fellow American Madison Keys, who won this year's Australian Open, in the quarter-finals before a possible date with Swiatek.

Twice champion Venus Williams, who received a wildcard into the main draw and will be playing in her first Grand Slam since losing in the first round of the 2023 US Open, will face No. 11 seed and twice semi-finalist Karolina Muchova.

Among some other first-round matchups, twice winner Naomi Osaka, the 23rd seed, will face Belgian Greet Minnen, while Victoria Mboko, the 18-year-old Canadian who two weeks ago triumphed in Montreal for her first WTA Tour title, will open against two-times Grand Slam winner Barbora Krejcikova.

The singles tournaments at the year's final Grand Slam, where the men's and women's singles winners will earn $5 million each, begin on Sunday.