2019 US OPEN: Draw Analysis and Preview

The final major tournament of 2019 starts in New York City tomorrow. As usual, I will be attending the tournament during the holiday weekend. The defending champions are Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka, who come in to this year's tournaments as the #1 seeds also.

Here are the projected quarterfinals if results strictly follow seedings (which is very unlikely to happen).

MEN'S DRAW PROJECTED QUARTERFINALS

• (1) Novak Djokovic vs (5) Daniil Medvedev
• (3) Roger Federer vs   (7) Kei Nishikori 
• (4) Dominic Thiem vs (8) Stefanos Tsitsipas 
• (2) Rafael Nadal     vs (6) Sascha Zverev

WOMEN'S DRAW PROJECTED QUARTERFINALS

• (1) Naomi Osaka vs (7) Kiki Bertens
• (4) Simona Halep vs (6) Petra Kvitova
• (3) Karolina Pliskova vs (5) Elina Svitolina
• (2) Ash Barty vs (8) Serena Williams

Another aspect of analyzing the draw is looking at the exciting first round draws. This year there's one that is sucking all the attention: Serena Williams versus Maria Sharapova, in their 23rd meeting (Serena leads 19-3, with Sharapova getting a victory from the 2018 French Open 4th round  match which did not happen because Serena withdrew). Although this is a blockbuster match-up, I see no reason why the result should be any different from any other match that Serena has actually played against Serena for the last 15 years, which is basically 18 consecutive wins.

FIRST ROUNDS TO WATCH

S. Williams (8) versus M. Sharapova

A. Sabalenka (9) versus V. Azarenka

S. Kenin (20) versus C. Vandeweghe 

D. Shapovalov versus F. Auger-Aliassime (18)

R. Opelka verus F. Fognini (11)

S. Tsitsipas (8) versus A. Rublev

N. Kyrgios (28) versus S. Johnson

PRE-TOURNAMENT PICK

I have made my pre-tournament prediction for the women's title: S. Williams d. S. Halep 

I have also made my pre-tournament prediction for the men's title: R. Federer d. R. Nadal.