Djokovic, Serena Headline 2016 U.S. Open Fields
The USTA has announced that defending U.S. Open Champion and world number one Novak Djokovic, world number two and reigning Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, five-time U.S. Open Champion and world number three Roger Federer, and two-time U.S. Open Champion and world number four Rafael Nadal headline the men’s singles field for the 2016 U.S. Open. The field includes five former U.S. Open Singles Champions, including Djokovic (2011, 2015), Murray (2012), Federer (2004-2008), Nadal (2010, 2013) and Marin Cilic (2014). The July 18 edition of the Emirates ATP Rankings was used to determine the U.S. Open main draw entry list.
The USTA has also announced that world number one and six-time U.S. Open champion Serena Williams will lead the women’s singles field at the 2016 U.S. Open. Serena will be joined by 101 of the world’s top 103 women, including 2016 Australian Open champion and world number two Angelique Kerber, 2016 French Open champion and world number three Garbiñe Muguruza, two-time U.S. Open champion and world number seven Venus Williams, 2015 U.S. Open finalist Roberta Vinci, 2014 U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki, and former U.S. Open Champions Samantha Stosur and Svetlana Kuznetsova. In total, 37 different countries are represented in the women’s field. The July 18 edition of the WTA rankings was used to determine the US Open main draw entry list.
The U.S. Open will be held Aug. 29-Sept. 11 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. Each of the world’s top 98 men received direct entry into the U.S. Open, representing 38 countries. Each of the world’s top 98 men received direct entry into the U.S. Open, representing 38 countries.
Djokovic, who has reached the singles final in Flushing five out of the last six years, leads the men’s field as the defending U.S. Open champion. The Serbian won his 12th major championship at the French Open in June to complete the “Career Grand Slam,” and held all four major titles until Sam Querrey ended his 30-match win streak at Grand Slams in the third round at Wimbledon.
Murray, of Great Britain, won his third major and second Wimbledon title this month after finishing runner-up to Djokovic in this year’s Australian and French Open finals. Murray, the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist, defeated Djokovic in the 2012 U.S. Open final to win his first Grand Slam Championship.
Federer, of Switzerland, is the all-time leader with 17 major singles titles, and was bidding for his eighth Wimbledon title this summer before falling to Milos Raonic in the semifinals. Federer is competing for his sixth U.S. Open title, which would surpass Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors for the most US Open men’s singles titles in the Open Era.
Nadal, of Spain, is a 14-time Grand Slam champion who won his 69th career ATP World Tour title in Barcelona this April. He has not played competitively since withdrawing from the French Open in June with a wrist injury.
American men who received direct entry are number 16 John Isner of Greensboro, N.C.; number 25 Steve Johnson of Orange, Calif.; number 26 Jack Sock of Lincoln, Neb.; number 29 Sam Querrey of Las Vegas; number 56 Brian Baker of Nashville, Tenn.; number 57 Donald Young of Atlanta; and number 67 Taylor Fritz of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Serena, who won her sixth U.S. Open crown in 2014, tying her with Chris Evert for the most U.S. Open Women’s Singles Titles in the Open Era, is looking to break the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era. At Wimbledon, Serena tied Steffi Graf for the most major titles when she won her 22nd Grand Slam singles title.
World number six and two-time U.S. Open singles finalist Victoria Azarenka will not be competing in this year’s U.S. Open after announcing her pregnancy last week. Former U.S. Open Champion Maria Sharapova (2006), ranked 97th this week, will also not compete due to an ITF anti-doping provisional suspension, which is currently under appeal.
Fourteen U.S. women received direct entry into the main draw – the most of any country and the most direct entries for American women since 2004 when there were 15 entries, including Serena and Venus Williams; world number 11 Madison Keys; number 23 Sloane Stephens of Coral Springs, Fla.; number 35 Coco Vandeweghe of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; number 52 Varvara Lepchenko of Allentown, Pa.; number 55 Madison Brengle of Dover, Del.; number 57 Shelby Rogers of Charleston, S.C.; number 63 Christina McHale of Englewood Cliffs, N.J.; number 69 Louisa Chirico of Harrison, N.Y.; number 70 Irina Falconi of West Palm Beach, Fla.; number 71 Nicole Gibbs of Santa Monica, Calif.; number 78 Alison Riske of Pittsburgh; and number 101 Samantha Crawford of Tamarac, Fla.
