Top 102 Men Sign Up For US Open

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 18th July 2013

Top 102 Men Sign Up For US Open

epa03758439 Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his first round match against Steve Darcis of Belgium for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 24 June 2013. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

The USTA announced that each of the world’s top 102 men received direct entry into the US Open, representing 37 countries.

Leading the entry list is world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who has reached the US Open final every year since 2010. He won his sixth major title at this year’s Australian Open, defeating Andy Murray in the final and has held the No. 1 ranking since November 2012.

World No. 2 and defending champion Murray has reached the men’s singles final at the last four major events he has played (he missed the French Open this year due to injury) and returns to New York as the first British man to win the Wimbledon singles title in 77 years, defeating Djokovic in the final earlier this month. He also captured the singles gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

David Ferrer, currently ranked a career-best No. 3 in the world, is also entered in this year’s US Open. He reached the semifinals of the US Open in 2007 and 2012, and this year, he reached his first Grand Slam final, at the French Open, losing to Nadal.

World No. 4 and reigning French Open champion Nadal, is seeking his 13th career Grand Slam singles title. Nadal did not compete in the US Open last year due to injury.

World No. 5 Roger Federer is competing for his sixth US Open title, which would surpass Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors for the most US Open men’s singles titles in the Open Era. In 2007, Federer became the only man to win the Emirates Airline US Open Series and US Open titles in the same year.

Michal Przysiezny of Poland, ranked No. 102, is the last player accepted directly into the men’s field of 128. Additionally, two players used protected rankings to gain direct entry: Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay and Jurgen Zopp of Estonia. Sixteen more players will gain entry through the US Open Qualifying Tournament, held August 20-23, while the remaining eight spots are wild cards awarded by the USTA.

Among the players competing in the US Open Qualifying Tournament will be the winner of the fourth annual US Open National Playoffs – Men’s Championship, held during the Emirates Airline US Open Series women’s event in New Haven, Conn., prior to the US Open Qualifying Tournament. The USTA created the US Open National Playoffs in 2010 to allow players 14 and older, regardless of playing ability or nationality, to vie for a spot in the US Open Qualifying Tournament via one of 13 sectional qualifying tournaments.

The July 15 edition of the ATP World Tour rankings was used to determine the US Open main draw entry list. Seeds will be determined and announced closer to the start of the event.

The 2013 US Open will mark the culmination of the Emirates Airline US Open Series, the North American summer season of nine ATP World Tour and WTA events that begin this Monday, July 22. The US Open is the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world and will again be broadcast domestically on CBS Sports, ESPN2 and Tennis Channel, with international broadcasts reaching 180 countries. In 2012, Murray captured his first US Open singles title and first Grand Slam singles title, defeating Djokovic in five sets. In the women’s singles final, Serena Williams captured her fourth US Open singles title, defeating No. 1 seed Victoria Azarenka.

The 2013 US Open will be held Monday, Aug. 26, through Monday, Sept. 9.