Draper starts US Open campaign against qualifier

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BBC Sport tennis news reporter

13 minutes ago

British men’s number one Jack Draper has been handed a US Open first-round match against a still-to-be-determined qualifier as he looks to eclipse last year’s breakout Grand Slam run in New York.

Draper, 23, lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals – and the fifth seed may have to face the Italian world number one again in this year’s quarter-finals.

Emma Raducanu, who is Britain’s leading women’s player, will also begin against a qualifier as she returns once again to the scene of her unforgettable title triumph in 2021.

Raducanu, 22, could come up against 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who she recently played doubles with in Washington, in the third round.

Four other Britons have earned direct entry to the singles draws through their ranking.

Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal have both been drawn against seeded players – Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk and Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia respectively – in their first-round matches.

Unseeded Cameron Norrie has been paired with another dangerous floater in American Sebastian Korda, while Jacob Fearnley faces Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut.

The singles of the US Open, which is played on a hard court in New York, begin on Sunday after being moved forward from its traditional Monday start.

More to follow.