Djokovic will face Roberto Carballes Baena in the first round of the 2019 US Open as he bids to defend his title and win a 17th Grand Slam. Djokovic has enjoyed a superb season – winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon – and will look to finish on a high in New York over the next two weeks. Roger Federer, who faces the possibility of going through a season without winning a Grand Slam for the first time since 2016, meets a qualifier in round one and could meet Djokovic in the semi-finals. French Open champion and No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal, meanwhile, has been drawn against John Millman, who defeated Federer at last year’s US Open.
In the women’s draw, defending champion Naomi Osaka will begin her defence against Anna Blinkova, while 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams takes on rival Maria Sharapova in a mouth-watering first-round clash. Teenage sensation Cori Gauff, who enjoyed an impressive run at Wimbledon, plays Anastasia Potapova in her first US Open match. The US Open starts on Monday 26 August and runs until September 8. Djokovic, speaking at the draw ceremony, said: ‘It’s always a huge challenge to defend a Grand Slam title. ‘These are the tournaments that matter the most so this is when you want to shine.’ Osaka, meanwhile, added: ‘I’m looking forward to the experience of defending my title. Everyone knows I love playing here.’
