Carlos Alcaraz's projected path to US Open 2024 final

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Casper Ruud to win the US Open in 2022.

US Open champion in 2022, Carlos Alcaraz, is seeded third at the US Open 2024, where he will commence his campaign against Li Tu of Australia. The Spaniard has enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2024, winning two Grand Slam titles and an Olympic silver medal. In addition to that, he also teamed up with his idol, Rafael Nadal, to play at the Paris Olympics.

Returning from the sporting mega fest, the 21-year-old suffered a heartbreaking second-round loss to Frenchman Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Open. He also broke his racquet out of anger and later apologized on social media. However, he would look forward to winning his fifth Grand Slam title at this edition’s US Open. With that being said, let’s take a look at Carlos Alcaraz’s projected path at the final:

Carlos Alcaraz’s projected path US Open 2024 final

First Round: Li Tu

Alcaraz will commence his campaign at Flushing Meadows against Australia’s Li Tu. Having won only one match on the tour, Tu has made his US Open main draw debut in this edition. The 28-year-old has made his way into the main draw via the qualifiers; however, he has been drawn against the 2024 US Open champion.

Second Round: Denis Shapovalov

The 21-year-old is expected to face Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in the second round. Shapovalov has been involved in massive controversies over the last few weeks. The former World No. #10 didn’t get any prize money for points at the 2024 Citi Open.

Later, he called out Jannik Sinner for doping on social media. However, he has entered the tournament via protected rankings and can lock horns against the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Third Round: Jack Draper or Zhang Zhizhen

Jack Draper and Zhang Zhizhen will face each other in the first round of US Open 2024. The Chinese No. #1 will clash against the British top-ranked tennis star for a spot in the second round. Draper reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 Cincinnati Open, where he lost to Holger Rune.

Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev defeated Zhang Zhizhen in the second round in Cincinnati. Both players have a fair chance of defeating each other. Nevertheless, the winner of the bout could go head-to-head against Carlos Alcaraz.

Fourth Round: Sebastian Korda or Tomas Machac

The 2024 Citi Open champion and Canadian Open semifinalist, Sebastian Korda, will start his campaign in the lower half of the first section. Korda is seeded 16th in the tournament, and he will be looking forward to getting past the second round, which he reached in 2022.

Meanwhile, Tomas Machac’s performance on her hardcourt has been concerning. However, winning against the Czech tennis star won’t be an easy task for any other player.

Quarterfinals: Alex de Minaur or Hubert Hurkacz

Alex de Minaur is set to return from his hip injury at the 2024 US Open. The Australian tennis star suffered a hip injury during the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, resulting in Alex de Minaur withdrawing from the tournament’s semifinals. Conversely, Hubert Hurkacz also withdrew from the recently-concluded Cincinnati Open during the quarterfinals against Frances Tiafoe.

Alvarez has faced the Australian tennis star two times on the tour, winning on both occasions. Similarly, Hurkacz also failed to record a victory against Alcaraz in their three meetings. Nevertheless, after returning from an injury, both tennis stars will have a tough time against Carlos Alcaraz.

Semifinals: Jannik Sinner or Daniil Medvedev

The 2024 Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner will aim to dominate the North American swing and one of the biggest stones on his way is Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard has won five of the nine matches they have played against each other, with the latest being the 2024 Roland Garros semifinals.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz faced Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, where he lost in four sets. They also crossed paths at the final of the Indian Wells Masters, where the 21-year-old won. Thus, Medvedev has failed to find the winning key against Alcaraz in 2024. Interestingly, he defeated the 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist in last year’s US Open semifinals.

Final: Novak Djokovic or Alexander Zverev

The defending champion Novak Djokovic is one of the favourites to reach the final of US Open 2024. Interestingly, he’s among the few tennis players, who lead Carlos Alcaraz in the head-to-head record 4-3. Last year, Alcaraz lost to Djokovic at the ATP Finals and the Cincinnati Masters. However, circumstances have changed in a year as Djokovic is yet to win a title this year.

On the other side, Alexander Zverev might also await the Spanish tennis star in the summit clash. Much like Djokovic, Zverev also has an upper hand over Alcaraz in the head-to-head record of 6-5. The 21-year-old took down Zverev to win the Roland Garros, earlier this year. However, at Hardcourt, Alcaraz will face different challenges.

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