Flushing Meadows, NY – The men's singles draw for the U.S. Open has been revealed and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic appears to have a favorable path into the second week at the year's final Grand Slam event.
The Wimbledon and Australian Open champion Djokovic, who is an amazing 57-2 this year, will open his stay against a qualifier and could face seventh- seeded Gael Monfils or ninth-seeded former Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals in the top half of the draw.
A potential semifinal opponent for the three-time major titlist Djokovic could be five-time U.S. Open champ Roger Federer, while reigning champ Rafael Nadal could loom in the final.
The reigning U.S. and French Open titlist Nadal beat the two-time U.S. Open runner-up Djokovic in last year's finale in Flushing Meadows. Djokovic topped Nadal in last month's Wimbledon title tilt.
In the bottom half of the draw, a second-seeded former No. 1 Nadal will open up against Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev and could tangle with fifth-seeded fellow Spaniard David Ferrer or 21st-seeded American Andy Roddick in the quarters. The 2003 champion and former No. 1 Roddick will open his fortnight against fellow American Michael Russell.
A third-seeded Federer, this year's French Open runner-up to Nadal, will open his 2011 Big Apple stay against Colombian Santiago Giraldo and could be opposed by eighth-seeded American Mardy Fish or 11th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarters. Tsonga has beaten the 16-time Grand Slam champion Federer in their last two meetings, including the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
The U.S. Open Series winner Fish will open up against German Tobias Kamke next week and he could battle Tsonga in the fourth round in Flushing.
In the top section in the bottom half, fourth-seeded Andy Murray could meet sixth-seeded Robin Soderling or 18th-seeded Juan Martin del Potro in the quarterfinals and the 10-time Grand Slam champion Nadal in the semis.
The Aussie Open runner-up and former U.S. Open finalist Murray will open against Indian Somdev Devvarman in round one; the two-time Roland Garros finalist Soderling will face a qualifier; and del Potro will face Italian Filippo Volandri to open his stay in the Big Apple. Soderling could face 28th- seeded 6-foot-9 American John Isner in the round of 32.
The 6-foot-7 del Potro titled in New York two years ago by upsetting the mighty Federer in the final.
This year's U.S. Open singles champ will pocket at least $1.8 million, and the U.S. Open Series winner Fish has a shot at earning a record $2.8 million in Flushing.
The 2011 U.S. Open will commence Monday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
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