(New York) Quebec’s Félix Auger-Aliassime will face a qualifying player in the first round of the US Open, while Laval resident and last year’s women’s finalist Leylah Fernandez will face France’s Océane Dodin.
Posted at 12:54 p.m.
Auger-Aliassime ended up in the same quarter as world No. 1 and defending champion Daniil Medvedev in the draw on Thursday.
Medvedev ended Auger-Aliassime’s run in the semi-finals last year. He then defeated Novak Djokovic in the final.
The Serbian and holder of 21 Grand Slam titles announced Thursday that he will not be able to participate in the event due to his vaccination status.
Auger-Aliassime will be the sixth seed in men’s singles. His compatriot Denis Shapovalov will be ranked 19e.
Shapovalov will face Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler, 102, in the first rounde world racket.
The 23-year-old Ontarian finds himself in the same portion of the table as the holder of 22 major titles, Rafael Nadal. The latter will begin his march towards a fifth title in New York against the Australian Rinky Hijikata.
PHOTO FRANK FRANKLIN II, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Leylah Fernandez
For the ladies, Fernandez, 14e seeded, finds herself in the same quarter of the table as the Estonian ranked second Anett Kontaveit, as well as the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, fifth racket in the world.
In the first round, Fernandez will face Dodin, 99e in the world rankings, for the first time in his career.
For her part, the Ontarian Bianca Andreescu, champion in New York in 2019, will face in the first round the French Harmony Tan, 111e in the world.
Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino will play against Poland’s Magdalena Frech. Marino finds herself in the same portion of the table as third seed Maria Sakkari.
Defending champion Emma Raducanu, 11e seeded, has an appointment with the experienced French Alizé Cornet in the first round.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek will play against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini and the Pole has five other former Grand Slam champions in her quarter-table.
Finally, the American Serena Williams, six-time champion in New York and holder of 23 Grand Slam titles, will start what should be her last career tournament with a duel against Danka Kovinic.
Williams finds himself in the same portion of the table as Kontaveit and Fernandez.
Aged 40, turning 41 next month, Williams is 1-3 this season. She returned to action recently after a year-long absence with a first-round injury at Wimbledon in 2021.
The first main draw matches will be featured on Monday.