(Reuters) -Defending champion Jannik Sinner, who has been recovering from illness, received a more favourable route to the U.S. Open final than Carlos Alcaraz while Aryna Sabalenka will be tested in her bid to retain her title after the draw was made on Thursday.
Top seed Sinner's health has come into focus since he withdrew from the Cincinnati final on Monday while trailing Carlos Alcaraz 5-0. He later withdrew from the since-completed mixed doubles event in New York.
Sinner, who increased his Grand
Slam tally to four with wins at this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon, will open against Czech Vit Kopriva and could face fifth seed Jack Draper in the quarter-finals, third seed Alexander Zverev in the semis and Alcaraz in the final.
Reigning French Open champion Alcaraz, in a stacked bottom half of the draw, will begin against American Reilly Opelka and his road to the final could include a quarter-final clash with Ben Shelton and fourth seed Taylor Fritz in the semi-final.
Four-times champion Novak Djokovic, seeded seventh, will start against Learner Tien and could face Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round and fourth-seeded Fritz in the quarters before a blockbuster semi-final against Alcaraz.
In the women's draw, top seed Sabalenka will begin against Rebeka Masarova and her fortnight could include a quarter-final date with Cincinnati finalist Jasmine Paolini and a semi-final match with Jessica Pegula.
Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, fresh off winning her tune-up event in Cincinnati, could face Amanda Anisimova in the quarters.
French Open champion Coco Gauff, the third seed, could face sixth seed and fellow American Madison Keys, who won this year's Australian Open, in the quarter-finals before a possible date with Swiatek.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
