Australian tennis star faces nightmare US Open date with world No.1

Alexei Popyrin’s consequence for sliding outside the seedings at next week’s US Open is a potential nightmare round-two date with world No.1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner.

The world No.37 – who was unable to defend his Canadian Open title this month – missed out on a seeding by only three spots after holding that status at the year’s opening three grand slams, meaning Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina are the only Australian seeds at Flushing Meadows.

Alex de Minaur enters the US Open as Australia’s top-ranked player. Credit: Getty Images

Eighth-seeded de Minaur has drawn countryman Chris O’Connell in the first round, while former Russian Kasatkina, representing Australia in her second grand slam, starts against Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

However, Nick Kyrgios, who last played singles in Miami in February and doubles with Gael Monfils at Washington last month, will miss his third-straight grand slam because of injury.

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