2025 US Open draw revealed: Djokovic faces a must-win clash, while China's players face a brutal bracket—so, who will have the last laugh?

The singles draw for the 2025 U.S. Open has been officially announced. As the year's final Grand Slam event, the U.S. Open attracts many of the world's top players, making the tournament's draw highly anticipated. This year's main draw features a total of eight Chinese players—six in the women's singles and two in the men's singles.

In the men's singles: Powerhouses converge, making for fierce competition.

The world’s top two players, Sinner and Alcaraz, are seeded in the upper and lower halves of the draw, respectively. As the defending champion, Sinner enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed and will face Kopliva in the first round. In his quarter, potential opponents include Draper, Musetti, and Paul, among others. Assuming no upsets, he’s expected to advance smoothly into the semifinals.

Third-seeded Zverev is placed in the top half of the draw alongside Sinner, with their first-round matchup against Tabilo. While Zverev reached the semifinals at both North American Masters events, he’s still far from his peak form—making the competition in this section particularly wide open. Meanwhile, De Minaur and Rublev both have a chance to reach their first-ever Grand Slam semifinal. Newly back inside the Top 10, Khachanov is also eyeing a deep run, while Tsitsipas could be poised for a much-needed comeback. All in all, this quarter of the draw is brimming with unpredictability.

Alcaraz, seeded No. 2, is placed in the bottom half of the draw, with Opelka awaiting him in the first round, while a potential second-round matchup could see him face China's Zhang Zhizhen. His likely quarterfinal opponent is No. 6 seed Shelby, who just clinched his first-ever Masters title in Toronto—making his home-court performance one to watch.

The most closely watched section is Zone 3/4, where the No. 7 seed Novak Djokovic is placed. Djokovic skipped all his warm-up tournaments and arrived directly at the U.S. Open, drawing a tough first-round matchup against the formidable 19-year-old home favorite, Lenny Chen. Chen has been in scorching form this year, notching four victories over top-10 players—proof that his hard-court prowess should not be underestimated.

In addition to the first-round challenge, Djokovic could also face strong opponents like Rune, Tiafoe, Menčík, Mikkelsen, and Fonseca on his way to advancement—making every subsequent round far from easy. Although Djokovic boasts extensive Grand Slam experience and exceptional skill, this draw still poses a significant test for him.

Chinese players Bu Yunchaokete and Shang Juncheng will compete in the men's singles main draw. Bu Yunchaokete will face wildcard player Rouvray in the first round, presenting him with a golden opportunity to secure his first Grand Slam victory. If he advances, he’ll likely take on No. 27 seed Shapovalov in the second round—and should he clear those initial hurdles, he could potentially face top-seeded player Sinner in the third round.

Shang Juncheng will face Italy's Berlocq in the first round—these two players have never competed against each other before, giving Shang a chance to put up a strong fight. However, if he advances, he’ll almost certainly encounter No. 2 seed Alcaraz in the second round, presenting a massive challenge.

In the women's singles: a vibrant display of talent, with China's top players facing a tough challenge.

Defending champion Sabalenka is placed in the top half of the draw alongside last year’s runner-up Pegula. As the No. 1 seed, Sabalenka will face Masarova in the first round, and her quarter includes several potential threats, most notably Rybakina and Mertens. Rybakina recently stunned Sabalenka at Cincinnati, making her a significant hurdle on Sabalenka’s path—though Rybakina will first need to overcome Mertens herself.

Fourth-seeded Pegula and fifth-seeded Andreeva are both placed in Section 2/4, a zone expected to be fiercely competitive. In addition to these two top seeds, this year's Montreal champion Mertens, Swiss star Bencic, home favorite Navarro, and Czech veteran Kvitová—all capable of contending for a spot in the semifinals—are also in the mix.

Świątek and Gauff are defending the bottom half of the draw. Świątek, fresh off her Wimbledon and Cincinnati titles, is riding high on confidence and enters this year’s U.S. Open as one of the clear favorites, seeded No. 2. However, looking at the draw, she could face either Putintseva or Kalinskaya in the third round—both players have previously defeated her. In the fourth round, her opponent might be Alexandrova, another tough contender to contend with. Meanwhile, No. 3 seed Gauff, the French Open champion, has struggled recently with a 4-4 record since her triumph, and she’s also just changed coaches ahead of the U.S. Open, making her journey into the tournament particularly unpredictable.

Four Chinese players have entered the women's singles main draw, but overall their tournament paths haven’t been favorable. Wang Xinyu will face American player Dolehide in the first round; the two previously clashed last year in Wuhan, where Wang Xinyu emerged victorious with a dominant performance. This time around, Wang Xinyu holds a slight psychological edge. If she advances, her second-round opponent could be the No. 13 seed Alexandrova, who has shown inconsistent form—meaning Wang Xinyu still has a real chance to advance.

Yuan Yue will face the No. 17 seed Samsonova in the first round—Samsonova is a formidable opponent, so Yuan Yue is in for a tough battle. Meanwhile, Wang Yafan takes on the No. 10 seed Navarro in her opening match. Although there’s a significant ranking gap between them, Navarro has been struggling with poor form lately, while Wang Yafan has a knack for upsetting higher-seeded players, making this matchup highly unpredictable. Lastly, Zhu Lin will face Potapova in the first round; Potapova, too, has been out of form recently, leaving open the possibility of an upset if Zhu Lin plays her best.

Zhang Shuai and Wang Xiyu, both players who advanced through qualifying, drew relatively tough matchups: their first-round opponents are Bencic and Ostapenko, respectively, making it quite challenging for them to reach the second round.

Overall, the women's singles competition is equally fierce, with several players capable of contending for the title. Meanwhile, the unpredictable elements in the draw only add to the suspense and excitement of the tournament. Although China’s top female players didn’t receive particularly favorable seeding, they still have what it takes to deliver unexpected surprises—let’s wait and see!