By ADAM ZAGORIA
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic were drawn into the same quarter at the US Open on Thursday, setting up a potential quarterfinal matchup between two of the greatest players of all-time.
Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam champ and five-time US Open winner, is the No. 2 seed at the Open, which begins Monday, while Djokovic, who has won 13 career majors, is the No. 6 seed.
Djokovic is 24-22 all-time against Federer, including a 6-4, 6-4 victory last Sunday in the finals in Cincinnati.
Federer could also face talented but enigmatic Australian Nick Kyrgios in the third round.
World No. 1 and defending champ Rafael Nadal is the No. 1 overall seed and could potentially meet Federer or Djokovic in the final. Nadal and Federer have met at every Grand Slam except the US Open.
“Maybe it’s luck, but at the end of the day you will face your opponents,” Nadal joked about Djokovic being placed in Federer’s quarter and not his.
Nadal has a tough first round in which he faces fellow Spaniard David Ferrer, who has been as high as No. 3 in the world.
“We shared Davis Cup team for a lot of times,” Nadal said. “He’s a great player. He’s been an amazing player for a long time.”
A R1 ?match for the ages!
Top seed @RafaelNadal will take on countryman David Ferrer!#USOpenhttps://t.co/EHM9hUldJm pic.twitter.com/jLDKVELXa7
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 23, 2018
Coming off titles at Wimbledon and in Cincinnati, Djokovic is a 3/1 favorite to win the Open, according to Ladbrokes. Nadal is at 7/2 and Federer at 4/1. The trio has combined to win 50 Grand Slam titles.
“I think it’s not clear, one favorite, no?” Nadal said. “Even when somebody thinks that somebody is a clear favorite from inside, it doesn’t look like this. Of course, Novak and Roger, they are doing very well and especially they like the hardcourt, so let’s see what’s going on.”
Said defending women’s champ Sloane Stephens: “Rafa’s going to win the tournament, that’s it.”
Also in the top half of the draw, No. 3 seed Juan Martin del Potro, the 2009 Open champ, could face 2012 winner Andy Murray in the third round. Murray is unseeded after missing time with a hip injury.
In that same quarter, Stan Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov will face off in a first-round popcorn match that should draw a big crowd. Wawrinka, a three-time Grand Slam champ, is unseeded.
In the bottom half which features Federer and Djokovic, No. 4 Alexander Zverev and No. 7 Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champ, could meet in the quarterfinals.
4th seed Alexander Zverev will take on a qualifier to kick off his 2018 #USOpen…
He is in the same section as 7th seed and former champion Marin Cilic.https://t.co/EHM9hUldJm pic.twitter.com/VrleYosTYB
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 23, 2018
