Jannik Sinner's projected path to US Open 2024 final

Jannik Sinner will be looking to win his second Grand Slam title this year.

Top seed Jannik Sinner will have to contend with a relatively challenging draw for a second consecutive Grand Slam, when he takes the field at the US Open 2024.

The Italian, who is known to be a good hardcourt player, won his first Grand Slam title — the Australian Open — earlier this year. He then reached the semifinals at Roland Garros, where he lost in five sets to rival Carlos Alcaraz. However, he rose to World Number #1 at the end of the tournament.  

Sinner has, however, recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons. The Italian twice tested positive for the presence of Clostebol: a banned anabolic steroid in March. While he had to forfeit the ranking points and prize money earned at the Indian Wells, Sinner managed to avoid a major punishment, as his appeal was accepted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

Also Read: Top three tennis players who escaped doping ban ft. Jannik Sinner, Andre Agassi & more

Except that, Sinner will be entering the tournament with a lot of confidence, having won the Cincinnati Open. This was after he had to pull out from Paris Olympics, as he was suffering from tonsillitis.

Having had his best performance at New York two years ago, where he managed to enter the quarter-final and not been able to replicate it the next year, the 23-year-old will be looking to make amends at the Flushing Meadows. Sinner has reached at least the semifinals in the remaining three Majors and he would want to set the record straight at the US Open 2024.

Here are all the candidates he might have to meet, if he has to reach the final and win his second Grand Slam title.

First Round: Mackenzie McDonald

Jannik Sinner has been drawn to face World No. #93 Mackenzie McDonald. The Italian holds a flawless 3-0 record against his opponent, and McDonald has never advanced beyond the second round at the US Open. Sinner will likely be confident of a comfortable start to his tournament against the American

Second Round: Alex Michelsen

In the second round, Sinner will once again face the challenge of playing against an American, with the crowd likely backing his opponent. Most likely, the 23-year-old will face World No. #60 Alex Michelsen, whom Sinner recently defeated in Cincinnati. Michelsen reached the second round in his debut at the hardcourt Major last year.

Third Round: Nicholas Jarry

Sinner’s likely third-round opponent could be 26th seed Nicolás Jarry. The Chilean had his best performance at the US Open last year, reaching the third round, but he will face a tough challenge to advance further this time.

However, Jarry will carry a lot of confidence into the match, having secured victories over top players like Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, and Stefanos Tsitsipas this year. Interestingly, Jarry has won the only previous encounter between the two players, back in 2019

It’s also worth noting that Jarry might face a challenging second-round match against the 2016 US Open champion, Stan Wawrinka.

Fourth Round: Tommy Paul

Sinner will face potentially tough challenges ahead, assuming he reaches the fourth round unscathed. He could be up against 14th seed and home favourite Tommy Paul, marking his third match against an American in four rounds.

The Italian has won two of their three previous encounters.

Paul has shown impressive form across all surfaces this year, reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the Olympics.

Also Read: Iga Swiatek’s projected path to US Open 2024 final

Quarterfinal: Daniil Medvedev

If Sinner manages to match his best-ever performance in New York, he could face a massive challenge in the form of fifth seed Daniil Medvedev. The 2021 US Open Champion is formidable on hard courts, having reached four Grand Slam finals on this surface.

Medvedev impressed everyone by reaching the Wimbledon semifinals, though his results have been mixed since then.

The Russian leads 7-5 in their head-to-head record. Interestingly, Medvedev squandered a two-set advantage in the Australian Open final, where Sinner clinched his first-ever Slam. Medvedev then exacted revenge at Wimbledon, stopping the top-seeded Sinner in a thrilling five-set quarterfinal.

Semifinal: Carlos Alcaraz

If Sinner manages to reach his first-ever US Open semi-final, he could face third seed Carlos Alcaraz, potentially adding another chapter to what could become a legendary rivalry.

The Spaniard has had an extraordinary year, winning two Grand Slam titles (the French Open and Wimbledon), as well as a silver medal at the Olympics. Alcaraz will return to the US Open, where he claimed his first Major title in 2022, aiming to add more to his collection.

In their nine meetings, Alcaraz holds a slight 5-4 lead. Notably, Alcaraz defeated Sinner in the semifinal en route to his maiden Roland Garros title earlier this year.

Final: Novak Djokovic/Alexander Zverev

If Sinner reaches his second Major final of the year, second seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic is likely to stand between him and the title.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner has not added to his tally this year but has shown remarkably consistent performances despite knee troubles. He followed his runner-up finish at Wimbledon with his first-ever Olympic gold medal.

The Serbian legend leads 3-2 in their head-to-head record. However, it was the Italian who prevailed in their most recent encounter, during the Australian Open semifinal earlier this year.

Another contender from the bottom half is fourth seed Alexander Zverev.

The German has produced consistent results recently, including reaching the final at Roland Garros, where he suffered a defeat after being 2-1 up against Carlos Alcaraz.

Zverev’s best performance at the US Open came in 2020, where he was the runner-up. Despite being two sets up in the final and seemingly on the brink of his first Major title, Dominic Thiem managed to stage a comeback and hand Zverev a heartbreaking loss.

The German has won four of the six meetings between him and the top seed. They last faced off in the fourth round of the US Open last year, where Zverev triumphed in a grueling five-setter that lasted 4 hours and 40 minutes.

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