Kyrgios to face Murray at US Open

Nick Kyrgios has been handed a nightmare opening round draw at the US Open with the Australian to once again face World No.3 and 2012 champion Andy Murray in a grand slam.

The controversial 20-year-old world No.37 from Canberra has never beaten the Scotsman in three previous meetings including the quarter-finals of this year’s Australian Open and in the third round of the French Open in May.

A dream run at Flushing Meadows could potentially see Kyrgios involved in a mouth-watering quarter-final clash with Stan Warwinka, the man he infuriated earlier this month with comments about his girlfriend Donna Vekic that earned him a fine and a suspended ban by the ATP.

Bernard Tomic will meet Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur, ranked 94th in the world, and victory could set up an intriguing all-Australian battle with Lleyton Hewitt in the veteran’s final US Open.

The former world No.1, who’ll retire after next year’s Australian Open, must overcome 96th-ranked Kazakhstani journeyman Aleksandr Nedovyesov if he’s to progress in the tournament he won in 2001.

Exciting teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis could face either Hewitt or Tomic in the third round.

The 19-year-old, ranked 70 in the world, opens his campaign against in-form 12th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who beat him in the Cincinatti Masters last week.

Victory over Gasquet would set up a meeting with Rafael Nadal’s Wimbledon conquerer Dustin Brown or Richard Hasse of The Netherlands in the second round.

Big-serving Sam Groth and John Millman are also in the main men’s draw.

Groth is up against wily Ukranian Alexandr Dolgopolov with Queensland right-hander Millman facing world No.60 Sergiy Stakhovsky.

In the women’s draw, Australian No.1 Sam Stosur – seeded 22 – plays Timea Babos of Hungary with Alja Tomljanovic meeting Karin Knapp of Italy.

Daria Gavrilova has a daunting opening encounter with Maria Sharapova, 26th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta is Jarmil Gajdosova’s opponent with Casey Dellacqua to face a yet to be determined qualifier.

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