US Open Draw: Swiatek, Gauff make Top Quarter. Williams, Badosa face off in First Round

The main draw for the 2023 US Open was released on Thursday afternoon, revealing the matchups for the season's final major in New York City. The main draw begins on Monday, August 28.

If seedings hold, No. 1 seed and defending champion Iga Swiatek could face surging No. 6 Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals. Gauff defeated Swiatek for the first time in eight tries in last week's Cincinnati semifinals.

Swiatek's title defense begins against Rebecca Peterson of Sweden, as the Polish top seed seeks her fifth Grand Slam title and second consecutive US Open title. Gauff, on the other hand, starts against a qualifier and could face rising 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the second round. Gauff is 11-1 on the summer hardcourt swing, having won her first WTA 500 title in Washington, D.C., and her first WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati.

If both players win their opening matches, the top quarter could feature a second-round meeting between two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the No.11 seed, and former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki.

Wozniacki will compete in her first Grand Slam event since returning to tennis after a three-and-a-half-year maternity leave. Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open champion, won her first match back in Montreal earlier this month.

American former Grand Slam finalists Danielle Collins and Jennifer Brady are also in the top quarter. Brady is also on the mend after being sidelined for two years due to injuries.

Elena Rybakina, last year's Wimbledon champion, leads the second quarter as the No.4 seed. In the first round, Rybakina will face No.37 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, one of the highest-ranked unseeded players.

Elena Rybakina would be hoping to win her 2nd Grand Slam title at this year's US Open

On the other side of this quarter, No.8 Maria Sakkari and No.10 Karolina Muchova could meet in the Round of 16 for the third time this season if their seedings hold. Muchova defeated Sakkari en route to the finals at Roland Garros and Cincinnati.

In the first round, 2017 champion Sloane Stephens will face No.19 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia. Victoria Azarenka, a three-time finalist, is also in this quarter as the No.18 seed, and she will face French wild card Fiona Ferro. No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula, the highest-ranked American, leads the third quarter. In the first round, Pegula will face hard-hitting floater Camila Giorgi of Italy. They've already met 10 times on tour, with Pegula holding an 8-2 head-to-head advantage.

In the third round, the winner of that match could face No.26 seed Elina Svitolina. Former World No. 3 Svitolina has already made a strong comeback from maternity leave this year, climbing back into the Top 30 after reaching the quarterfinals of Roland Garros and the semifinals of Wimbledon.

The seventh seed Caroline Garcia, who reached the US Open semifinals last year, leads this quarter and will face a qualifier. In the Round of 16, Garcia could face reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, the No.9 seed.

But in Vondrousova's section, two unseeded Canadians with significant US Open victories are lurking: 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu and 2021 runner-up Leylah Fernandez. If both Canadians win their first-round matches, they could meet in the second round.

As the No.2 seed, Aryna Sabalenka anchors the bottom of the draw. In the first round, reigning Australian Open champion Sabalenka will face Maryna Zanevska. Belgium's Zanevska has stated that she intends to retire after the US Open.

No.2 seed, Aryna Sabalenka will be looking to sweep the hardcourt Grand Slams for the year

In the same section, former World No.1 Venus Williams will face former World No.2 Paula Badosa in the first round.At the US Open, Williams has won two of her seven Grand Slam titles. Williams, 43, will compete in her homeland major for the 24th time.

Ons Jabeur, the runner-up from last year, leads this quarter. In the first round, Jabeur will face Colombian Camila Osorio, and in the Round of 16, she could face No.12 seed Barbora Krejcikova or No.23 seed Zheng Qinwen.

SportsLigue