Tennis

Alcaraz’s 2023 US Open draw – his path to a second title in New York

Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed at the 2023 US Open. Of course, this means that he is the favorite to lift the title – if you base these opinions on the US Open 2023 seeds alone. However, if you look at the outright odds for who will win the title, he isn’t the favorite. In fact, it’s his main rival, Novak Djokovic, who is the current favorite for the US Open. With that said, they obviously both have a great chance of winning this tournament, hence they are the top two seeds. Yet only one will be left standing with the trophy once the final ball has been struck – unless somebody else manages to upset the odds.

Alcaraz 2023 US Open

Yet today, I won’t be looking at Djokovic’s US Open 2023 draw. Instead, I will be looking at how the draw is shaping up for Carlos Alcaraz. After all, he is the world number one and defending champion in New York, so many believe that the Spaniard is destined to claim another Grand Slam title. But who stands between Alcaraz and his third Grand Slam? Well, I will break Alcaraz’s US Open draw down for you right now.

This way, you will have an idea of how challenging his draw might be, and how likely it is that he will go all the way once again in 2023.

US Open 2023 draw for Carlos Alcaraz – round-by-round breakdown

Just like any other guy in the draw, Carlos Alcaraz must win seven straight matches if he is to claim the title in New York. Yet if you break down the full US Open 2023 draw for the Spaniard, there are some challenging matches ahead. Therefore, he will need to produce his best tennis if he is to make it all the way to the US Open final and win the third Grand Slam of his career. And on that note, let’s now cover the draw and possible opponents for Carlos Alcaraz for each round. 

Round 1 – Koepfer

First up for Carlos Alcaraz he will face the German, Dominik Koepfer. These guys have never played an official ATP match against one another, and Koepfer is currently ranked 78 in the world. This might seem pretty low for a Grand Slam, but Koepfer gained a direct entry, and as a difficult lefty, he has produced some decent wins in the past.

Round 2 – Harris

Looking ahead to round 2, it is likely that Carlos Alcaraz will face Lloyd Harris. This big-hitting South African is facing Guido Pella in the first round, and interestingly, both guys have gained direct acceptance into the main draw thanks to their protected rankings. However, I believe that Lloyd Harris will pull through and face Alcaraz in round 2. As for the difficulty of this match, Harris can produce phenomenal tennis when he hits top gear, but his string of injury issues means he likely won’t produce his highest level against Alcaraz.

Round 3 – Evans

Once we reach round 3, Carlos Alcaraz will then need to face a seeded opponent in the form of Dan Evans. This Brit is ranked 28 in the world right now, which shows he is a top challenger. But since these two have played twice in the past, with Alcaraz beating him comfortably both times, this should be a decent match-up for Alcaraz to make the 4th round.

Round 4 – Norrie/Griekspoor

Assuming Carlos Alcaraz makes it into round 4, he will then play either Cam Norrie or Tallon Griekspoor. Now, since Cam Norrie has beaten Alcaraz twice in the past, I’m sure he would prefer to face Griekspoor – a man with whom he holds a 2-0 head-to-head record. 

Quarter-finals – Sinner/Zverev

This is where the draw becomes very tricky for Carlos Alcaraz. If he faces Sinner, he will be taking on a guy that has beaten him three times. And should it be Zverev, he will face a guy that has also beaten him three times. Needless to say, Alcaraz can expect a difficult match at this stage.

Semi-finals – Medvedev

Medvedev has won the US Open previously, beating Djokovic in straight sets back in 2021. As for his record against Alcaraz, it’s the Spaniard who holds a 2-1 lead. Better yet, Alcaraz has beaten Medvedev in their last two meetings without losing a set.

Finals – Djokovic

On Sunday, September 10th, Carlos Alcaraz could be looking to make history by beating Djokovic in two consecutive Grand Slam finals. However, this is obviously far easier said than done, and his recent loss against Djokovic in Cincinnati could have left a mental scar. We shall have to wait and see!


Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!