Carlos Alcaraz's bid for a second US Open title and third Major in 2024 begins on Tuesday night when he takes on Australian qualifier Li Tu at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Despite an injury scare on the eve of the tournament, the Spaniard is a clear favourite to defeat his opponent, whose only ever Slam appearance came at the 2021 Australian Open.
Match preview
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Alcaraz, one of the favourites for the final Slam of the year, enters Tuesday's match against his opponent determined to avoid a surprising early exit.
Having never been eliminated earlier than the quarter-final in New York, advancing to the last eight in 2021, winning the following year and making it to the semis in 2023, the 21-year-old is favoured for another deep run at Flushing Meadows.
The four-time Slam champion's 89% US Open win rate falling just short of his Wimbledon performance (90%) underlines the 2022 champion's consistency in the final Grand Slam of the calendar, and he aims to secure a second triumph in New York and fifth overall this year.
While a potential semi-final with Jannik Sinner could happen again — the pair played five sets two years back in the tournament's last eight and another at this year's French Open semis — the Spaniard cannot afford to look that far.
Alcaraz's preparation for the final Major of 2024 has been hampered by an ankle injury and an early exit from the Cincinnati Masters, despite reaching the final the previous year; however, the No. 3 seed aims to overcome these setbacks and focus on his round-one match with Tu.
The 28-year-old Tu, who qualified for the main draw by defeating Alejandro Moro Canas, Marco Trungelliti, and Jesper de Jong, will face the 2022 champion in the first round.
While the fixture is an undoubted baptism of fire for the Australian, you sense he would have it no other way as he makes his US Open bow on Arthur Ashe.
Tu's only previous experience at this level came Down Under in Australia three years back, even if he could not make it past the opening round in his home Major, losing in four sets to Feliciano Lopez.
He makes his second Major appearance against another Spaniard, and the Australian undoubtedly faces a more arduous task against Alcaraz.
Having failed to make it into the main draw at the first three Slams of the year, the 28-year-old has already done commendably to advance to the first round in New York, and he seeks to enjoy the occasion under the lights on Arthur Ashe.
Head To Head
Alcaraz and Tu have unsurprisingly never faced on the ATP Tour before their imminent match-up in New York.
The Spaniard, who has won 38 of 46 matches on Tour before the US Open, is chasing a fourth title in 2024 and 16th overall.
We say: Alcaraz to win in three sets
While winning a set against Alcaraz, as he did against Lopez Down Under three years ago, will be a positive for Tu, the precocious No. 3 seed should get this one done in straight sets against his Australian opponent.
