Nick Kyrgios handed tricky US Open draw with Thanasi Kokkinakis and Daniil Medvedev looming

Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios meets his doubles partner and fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round of the US Open.

The duo, who recently won the Atlanta Open doubles title together, have never faced each other in singles at the senior level.

Kyrgios will be the heavy favorite to beat his doubles partner and goes into the US Open as the tournament’s 23rd seed after winning his first singles title in three years in a productive August.

Despite his seeding, the 27-year-old was handed a tricky draw overall as 16th seeded Roberto Bautista Agut awaits him in the third round, where a win would see Kygrios likely to face world no. 1 Daniil Medvedev.

The Russian is aiming to defend the US Open title he won last year but was notably beaten by Kyrgios when they last met at the Canadian Open in August.

Kyrgios never progressed past the third round of the US Open and was eliminated in the first round in 2021.

Entertainment factor is 📈 pic.twitter.com/15bRlRYdT3

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 25, 2022

De Minaur receives a friendlier tie as Australia wildcard lands Nadal

Australia’s top-ranked male tennis player Alex de Minaur meets Filip Krajinović in the first round and only meets a seeded teammate in the third round.

Should De Minaur make it that far, he will likely need to beat Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta with the winner and then meet sixth-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime in round four.

The US Open draw also sparked another all-Australia match in the first round with James Duckworth and Christopher O’Connell to secure a spot in the next round.

Competing in his first singles Grand Slam tournament, Australia wildcard Rinky Hijikata was thrown in at the deep end when he drew Rafael Nadal first.

Although it was a daunting task, Nadal struggled with injuries and his only game in August ended in a surprise defeat.

Elsewhere, Aussie veteran John Millman will play wildcard Emilio Nava, and Jason Kubler meets Mikael Ymer.

Tomljanovic could meet Serena Williams

In the women’s singles draw, Australia’s top-ranked woman Ajla Tomljanovic meets unseeded Karolína Muchová in the first round of the US Open and could face Serena Williams in the third round if both make it that far.

Williams faces the tougher test to make it to that point, with second seed Anett Kontaveit awaiting the American legend in the second round.

Australia’s Daria Saville also faces a looming threat from the US in her draw, with last year’s finalist Coco Gauff awaiting her in the second round should Saville beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse first.