Tennis wonderboy Nick Kyrgios will have to face tough competition straight away in the US Open.

The 19-year-old will be up against 21st-seed Russian Mikhail Youzhny, while his fellow compatriots aren’t in for easier draws either.
Lleyton Hewitt will come up against sixth seed Tomas Berdych, while Marinko Matosevic was handed the toughest fixture, going against former world number one and five-time US Open winner Roger Federer.

Of the other Aussie men, Matthew Ebden faces German Tobias Kamke and Bernard Tomic plays Germany’s Dustin Brown.

First-round match-ups for the Australian women see Casey Dellacqua face Austria’s Patricia Mayr-Achleitner in the first round, Aila Tomljanovic play 15th seed Carla Suarez Navarro and Jarmila Gajdosova up against American Madison Keys.

Kyrgios is now ranked 58th in the world – only 16 places shy of former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt – after his amazing Wimbledon performance beating champion Rafael Nadal.

Kyrgios’ friend and doubles partner, Thanasi Kokkinakis, might also be joining him in the US Open, after he won his first-round qualifying match.

The 18-year-old recovered from a third-set deficit to beat Croatia’s Nikola Mekti 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in New York this week.

He will next face Japanese teen Yoshihito Nishioka, who upset fifth-seeded Argentine Horacio Zeballos.

Fellow Australians James Duckworth and Arina Rodionova also advanced to the second round after scoring three-set victories.

Baghdatis to make ninth appearance at US Open

Marcos Baghdatis is hoping to progress past the third round in the US Open after fantastic performances in the ATP American rounds.

He won his second ATP Challenger Tour title in as many weeks last week as he defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 7-6 (7), 6-4 in the final of the Cal Open Tennis Championships in Aptos.

“It’s been a long run the past two or three years with injuries. Winning last week and this week is a good sign,” Baghdatis admitted.

Standing in his way will be 12th seed Marin Cilic. The 25-year-old was banned last year to compete in the US Open after a drug test came back positive, but he will be eager to return to the grand slam.

Last year, Baghdatis enjoyed his best showing at the US Open when he reached the third round, beating Kevin Anderson before falling to Stan Wawrinka.
The US Open begins on August 25, finishing on September 8.