Raducanu and Draper Handed Qualifier Openers at 2025 US Open as Venus Williams Drawn Against Muchova
SME News UK. The stage is set for the 2025 US Open singles tournaments, which begin this Sunday, August 24, in New York. Following the excitement of the new-look mixed doubles event, the spotlight now turns to the men’s and women’s draws, with British stars Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper both beginning their campaigns against qualifiers.Draper, Britain’s No. 1 and seeded fifth, will look to build on his best-ever Grand Slam performance, a semi-final run in Flushing Meadows last year. His opener could be against a qualifier or a lucky loser, with a potential blockbuster quarter-final rematch against defending champion Jannik Sinner on the horizon. The Italian top seed opens against Czech world No. 87 Vit Kopriva.Raducanu, ranked 35th in the world, returns to the site of her stunning 2021 triumph, when she won the title as an 18-year-old qualifier. The 22-year-old faces a qualifier first but is projected to meet world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the last eight. The reigning champion, who begins against Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, holds a 3–0 head-to-head advantage over Raducanu.In one of the standout first-round ties, seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, a two-time US Open winner and now a wildcard entry, will face 11th seed Karolina Muchova. The Czech has not reached the second round of a major since the 2024 Australian Open.Elsewhere in the women’s draw, reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek begins against Colombia’s Emiliana Arango as she bids to reclaim her 2022 New York crown. Jessica Pegula, in the same half as Sabalenka, opens against Mayar Sherif. Rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko, who has surged from No. 333 to No. 24 in just eight months, has a daunting opener against two-time Grand Slam winner Barbora Krejcikova. Britain’s Katie Boulter faces 16th seed Marta Kostyuk, with a possible clash against 2023 champion Coco Gauff later in the draw.On the men’s side, 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz starts against big-serving American Reilly Opelka, while Novak Djokovic faces 18-year-old Learner Tien, with a possible third-round meeting against Britain’s Cam Norrie. Alexander Zverev, the third seed, plays Alejandro Tabilo and could meet British No. 3 Jacob Fearnley in the second round. Former champion Daniil Medvedev faces Benjamin Bonzi before a potential fourth-round showdown with Alcaraz.With British hopes high and marquee clashes set from the opening rounds, the 2025 US Open promises another fortnight of thrilling tennis at Flushing Meadows.
