Andy Murray given favourable draw as he bids for US Open glory at Flushing Meadows
ANDY MURRAY never looks beyond his next opponent but his back-up team will not be unduly perturbed by his potential US Open path after the draw was revealed in New York today.
Andy Murray beats Juan Martin del Potro and takes gold for GB
The world number two will begin his quest for a second US Open crown against big-hitting Lukas Rosol, who rose to prominence after a stunning success against Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon in 2012.
The 31 year-old has had a disappointing campaign this year though, and the erratic nature of his game has seen him struggle to string consecutive wins together. He has lost his previous two matches with the Scot but he must still be considered dangerous.
If Murray survives his opening gambit he could face Juan Monaco or Gilles Simon in the first week, two vastly-experienced campaigners who have an abundance of quality - although neither is firing on all cylinders at present.
Big-serving veteran, Feliciano Lopez, is Murray’s projected last sixteen obstacle. The British number one has an outstanding record against left-handers not named Nadal, and he has won all ten of his previous battles with the Spaniard.
If the players live up to their seeding expectations, Murray will take on 2014 finalist, Kei Nishikori, in the last eight. This is a match-up that has been dominated by the British number one and the speedy and flashy Japanese has tended to come unstuck against the Wimbledon champion.
They last met at the Rio Olympics earlier this month and Murray dropped just five games as he booked his spot in the gold medal match with a minimum of fuss.
Stan Wawrinka is also in Murray’s half of the draw and they could potentially face-off in a mouth-watering semi-final clash. The explosive Swiss tends to save his best for Grand Slams and if he reaches the latter stages, he will likely relish unleashing his blistering backhand.
It would be a major surprise if the finalist from the other half of the draw is not Novak Djokovic. The defending champion may have suffered surprise early defeats at Wimbledon and the Olympics but he remains the man to beat and a shootout between the two best players in the world for the much-cherished trophy still appears likely.
Murray’s Potential Path
Round 1: Lukas Rosol
Round 2: Juan Monaco or Marcel Granollers
Round 3: Gilles Simon
Round 4: Feliciano Lopez
Quarter-Final: Kei Nishikori
Semi-Final: Stan Wawrinka
Final: Novak Djokovic
