US Open 2024: 6 first-round matches to watch out for ft. Ben Shelton vs Dominic Thiem, Naomi Osaka vs Jelena Ostapenko
The 2024 US Open marks the final Grand Slam of the season. From defending champion and 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic and World No.1 Jannik Sinner to Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, some big names will compete in Flushing Meadows this year.
Excitement is building up right from the very first round. A bunch of tennis stars are set to fight each other to get through to the second round, thus indicating the intense competition right from the beginning.
For instance, former US Open champion Dominic Thiem will face rising tennis star Ben Shelton. In the women's draw, former World No.1 Naomi Osaka is set to take on Jelena Ostapenko.
Here are some interesting matchups to look forward to in the 2024 US Open first round.
#6 Reilly Opelka vs Lorenzo Musetti
Italian tennis player Lorenzo Musetti recently made headlines for winning the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics soon, after he made the semifinals of the 2024 French Open.
At the 2024 US Open, Musetti will face former World No.17 Reilly Opelka. The American has four career titles to his name, including two in Houston and Dallas respectively. Playing at the US Open means that Opelka is competing on home soil and at a venue where he reached the fourth round in 2021.
This first-round match between the tallest-ranked ATP player and an Olympic bronze medalist is surely one to look forward to.
#5 Amanda Anisimova vs Zheng Qinwen
Olympic gold medalist and Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen has had an incredible year. The Chinese tennis star will be determined to extend her winning streak at the US Open.
Qinewn will be facing Amanda Anisimova for the first time during her tournament opener. The American has been in fairly good form this year. She not only made the final of the Canadian Open but also knocked out many seeded players, including World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka.
Qinwen is seeded seventh at the 2024 US Open as well as holds a World No.7 ranking. However, facing a player of Anisimova's caliber right at the beginning of the tournament will be a challenge for the Paris gold medallist.
#4 Bianca Andreescu vs Jasmine Paolini
The 2019 US Open Champion is all set to face World No.5 Jasmine Paolini in the first round this year.
Andreescu has not had the best season so far, including early exits in the Canadian Open and Cincinnati recently. On the other hand, Paolini achieved a career-high ranking of World No.5 last month. She had also made the finals of the last two majors this year.
What's more interesting about this match is that on her way to the finals at the French Open and Wimbledon, Paolini had got the better of Andreescu.
Therefore, with great form and greater confidence, Paolini is likely to pose an extremely difficult challenge to the former US Open Champion once again. It remains to be seen if the Canadian will be able to pick her game up.
#3 Emma Raducanu vs Sofia Kenin
British player Emma Raducanu won her maiden and only major title at the US Open in 2021. However, a range of injuries have kept her from adding more accomplishments to her name.
Although Raducanu has been back on the court and trying to get back to the form that helped her win the Championship three years back, this year's draw presents many challenges along the way. That includes the possibility of facing names as big as Jessica Pegula and Katie Boulter in the initial rounds. Her draw begins with a fight against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
Kenin's most recent match was a two-set loss in the Round of 16 at the Tennis in the Land, while the Brit made it to the quarterfinals of the Citi Open. With both tennis players vying for their second Grand Slam title, their first-round encounter is one to watch out for.
#2 Ben Shelton vs Dominic Thiem
Former US Open Champion Dominic Thiem recently announced that this year's Championship might mark his farewell to the sport. The Austrian took to social media earlier this year to share his intention to retire from the sport. A tough challenge anticipates Thiem in the first round itself as he is set to face a young star in Ben Shelton.
This will be a rematch of their encounter last year when Thiem was forced to retire due to stomach issues. However, before walking away from the court, he gave a tough fight to Shelton.
In addition to the fact that a former World No.3 will be facing the current World No.13, the match carries an emotional value for being one of the last tournaments of a former Grand Slam champion.
#1 Naomi Osaka vs Jelena Ostapenko
After a long maternity leave, two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka is back on court. Even though she's slightly far from the form that won her four majors, the Japanese tennis star is determined to make the most of this tournament. She is set to face a major challenge in the first round itself, in the form of 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko.
Ostapenko won the French Open in 2017, a year after her first and only encounter against Osaka. She made headlines at the US Open last year for defeating World No.1 Iga Swiatek.
As two popular names face each other in the first round, fans are not exactly happy with the early matchup. However, despite the challenge, Osaka expressed her excitement about meeting the Latvian on court after a long time and said (via Punto de Break):
"I think it's going to be really fun. Jelena is one of my favorite players; I think we are polar opposites. I have a lot of respect for her; she was the first player of our generation to win a Grand Slam. She is a champion, and I am looking forward to playing the match."
Although neither of the two is coming into the tournament with the best form, they offer an exciting match to look forward to.