{"id":86911,"date":"2025-08-23T07:27:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T07:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/86911\/"},"modified":"2025-08-23T07:27:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T07:27:08","slug":"why-carlos-alcaraz-could-be-in-serious-danger-of-an-early-loss-at-the-us-open-again-after-the-draw-is-made","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/86911\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Carlos Alcaraz could be in serious danger of an early loss at the US Open again after the draw is made"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Carlos Alcaraz will be hoping to translate his fine form from Cincinnati to New York in the coming weeks, as his US Open campaign gets underway.<\/p>\n

The Spaniard boasts a rich history with this event, as a former champion back in 2021, which marked the first of the five Grand Slams he has since captured.<\/p>\n

However, since then, he has failed to come close to claiming the title again, with last year marking his worst-ever performance, exiting in just the second round.<\/p>\n

The one benefit of such a poor result is that this year he enters with no pressure and no ranking points to defend.<\/p>\n

And yet, his draw has certainly harmed his chances of soaring to the title.<\/p>\n

Carlos Alcaraz handed a tough US Open draw<\/p>\n

Alcaraz\u2019s US Open draw<\/a> is particularly brutal this year, having been handed some more fortunate starts at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.<\/p>\n

After all, he will start his campaign against Reilly Opelka, the big-serving American who can, on his day, trouble anyone on tour.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Carlos Alcaraz\u2019s 2025 US Open draw:<\/p>\n

R1 \u2013 Opelka
R2 \u2013 Bellucci\/Shang
R3 \u2013 Darderi
R4 \u2013 Medvedev\/ADF
QF \u2013 Shelton\/Ruud\/Griekspoor\/Lehecka
SF \u2013 Fritz\/Djokovic\/Rune\/Mensik
F \u2013 Sinner\/Zverev\/Draper\/de Minaur<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf8 AP pic.twitter.com\/48YItvRxGd<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Olly Tennis \ud83c\udfbe\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@Olly_Tennis_) August 21, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

View Tweet<\/p>\n

His next big task would then likely come in the fourth round, where Daniil Medvedev should await, before Ben Shelton is expected to make it to the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

He is coming off the back of the biggest title of his career, and also has few points to defend after underperforming at the US Open last year as well.<\/p>\n

One of Taylor Fritz or Novak Djokovic should be in the semi-finals, and if Carlos Alcaraz<\/a> beats all of these superstars, Jannik Sinner seems his inevitable opponent in the final.<\/p>\n

However, arguably for the Spaniard, his biggest challenge will come early in the event.<\/p>\n

Carlos Alcaraz often starts slow in the Grand Slams<\/p>\n

After all, whilst the likes of Opelka and Medvedev would not normally trouble Alcaraz, they will certainly fancy their chances due to facing him earlier in the event.<\/p>\n

This year, whilst he has reached the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon, he has struggled in the first few rounds.<\/p>\n

In Paris, he dropped sets to both F\u00e1bi\u00e1n Marozs\u00e1n and Damir D\u017eumhur before coming within one set of getting knocked out by a retiring Fabio Fognini at Wimbledon in the very first round.<\/p>\n

\"DayPhoto by Shi Tang\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

As tournaments go on, his powers only increase, so facing Alcaraz in the first few rounds arguably marks the best time.<\/p>\n

Opelka, if on form, could cause the biggest of upsets at the US Open<\/a>, should the 22-year-old fail to rectify one of the biggest issues he has faced all year.<\/p>\n