Sinner gets tough U.S. Open draw, Sabalenka could see Gauff in semis

Top seed Jannik Sinner faces tough competition in the U.S. Open, while Aryna Sabalenka aims for victory.

Top seed Jannik Sinner, whose doping case has dominated the lead-up to the U.S. Open, faces a tough road to the New York final while in-form Aryna Sabalenka will also be tested, according to the draw released on Thursday.

Sinner won in Cincinnati this week to claim his fifth title of a breakout season before the revelation that he avoided a ban over two positive tests in March as it was ruled the Italian bore no fault or negligence for the violations.

The Australian Open champion is projected to face 14th seed Tommy Paul in the fourth round, 2021 winner Daniil Medvedev (5) in the quarter-finals, Carlos Alcaraz (3) in the semis and defending champion Novak Djokovic (2) in the final.

Djokovic, who has not competed since winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, will begin against a qualifier and is expected to meet Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals and fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the semis.

Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz, who lost the opening match of his only U.S. Open tune-up event, will also start against a qualifier and could face Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals.

Among the first-round matches to watch on the men's side is big-hitting Ben Shelton, who electrified the home crowds last year with a spirited run to the semis, against 2020 champion Dominic Thiem, who is retiring at the end of the year.

In the women's draw, top seed Iga Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam winner who reached the fourth round last year, will start against a qualifier and faces a potential quarter-final clash against Canadian Open champion and Cincinnati runner-up Jessica Pegula.