US Open 2019, Day 1 Preview: Federer, Djokovic, Medvedev to open campaigns
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic kickstarts his 14th US Open campaign and 6th as a top seed, against Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena. The two have never met on the tour before. The defending champion would strive to become the first player since Roger Federer in 2008 to successfully defend his title.
The Serb has not lost before the third round at Flushing Meadows since a pair of third-round exits in his first two appearances at the tournament in 2005-2006.
Five-time winner Roger Federer would also be in action on the opening day of the 2019 US Open. The Swiss maestro, who is making a record-equalling 18th seeded appearance on his 19th visit to Flushing Meadows, opens against Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal. Federer's only other Grand Slam meeting against an Indian player came in the second round at 2013 Roland Garros where he beat Somdev Devvarman in straight sets.
The Swiss has never lost before the third round at the US Open since a third round defeat to Juan Carlos Ferrero on his tournament debut in 2000. Federer didn't drop a set in the first round at the US Open for 14 years before being taken to five sets by France Tiafoe in the 2017 first round.
The newest Masters 1000 champion, Daniil Medvedev, who triumphed in Cincinnati a week ago, opens his third US Open campaign against Indian left-hander Prajnesh Gunneswaran.
The 23-year-old Russian has never gone past the third round in New York in his two previous appearances at the tournament. Medvedev arrives at Flushing Meadows with a tour-leading 31 hardcourt match wins.
Another US Open winner, Stanislas Wawrinka, would be in action on the first day of play at the last Grand Slam of the year. The 2016 winner opens his 14th campaign at Flushing Meadows against 18-year-old Italian qualifier Jannik Sinner.
Wawrinka's only first-round defeat at the US Open came against Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti in 2009, in a match where the Swiss led by two sets.
2014 runner-up and last year's semi-finalist, Kei Nishikori, opens his 10th campaign at Flushing Meadows with a clash against Argentina's Marco Trungelliti. He has suffered three first-round exits at this particular Slam with the last one coming against Frenchman Benoit Paire in 2015.
In other key matches on the first day of the tournament, Monte Carlo Masters winner Fabio Fognini plays 6' 11'' American Reilly Opelka, Sam Querrey would be up against Cordoba Open winner Juan Ignacio Londero, Pierre-Hugues Herbert faces Sydney winner Alex de Minaur while Taylor Fritz locks horns with Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez.