Alcaraz missed last year's tournament with a hamstring injury
Wild card Caroline Wozniacki, another former champion and returning mother, will play 20th seed Magda Linette.
'The drive that I have is still there. My body has been serving me well, listening to me well. I have a great team of people around me. The motivation, especially for the biggest tournaments in the sport, is still present.'
In his mixed doubles, Rohan Bopanna and Indonesian Aldila Sutjiad beat German pair Andreas Mies and Vera Zvonareva 7-5, 6-2 in US Open first round match on Thursday.
As he continues to live his dream, Novak Djokovic is also staking his claim to the mantle of greatest tennis player of all time.
The Serbian's 19th successive win ended any chance of Spain's Carlos Alcaraz overtaking him in the rankings this week.
IMAGES from Day 10 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old will need all of his weapons on Friday if he is to stand a chance in his first meeting with Djokovic.
'I'm not going to overplay. I'm not going to do anything different because I'm playing Novak. I'm going to play my game, play within myself and trust that if I play well, it's enough.' - US Open
Novak Djokovic steered Serbia into the Davis Cup semi-finals with a straightforward 6-4 6-4 win over Britain's Cameron Norrie to give his team a winning 2-0 lead on Thursday.
Djokovic was playing alongside world number one golfer with disabilities Kipp Popert as part of Colin Montgomerie's team which also featured Gareth Bale.
Djokovic puts record books out of mind in hunt for 24th major title
As a sporting spectacle Alcaraz and Djokovic matches have delivered on every level and would be worthy of the Big Apple spotlight.
IMAGES from the Australian Open Men's semi-finals played on Friday.
ITF said that Novak Djokovic's statement at the French Open did not break any rules.
Elina Svitolina backed Novak Djokovic, who caused a furore over a statement related to Kosovo.
World number one Novak Djokovic will be able to compete at the US Open this year after the US government said on Monday it will end its COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Another day, another milestone reached for Novak Djokovic as he racked up Grand Slam victory number 350.
Carlos Alcaraz powered into the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time on Monday
Djokovic unsuccessfully applied to the US government for special permission to play at Indian Wells and Miami.
No 'triple bagel' but Djokovic thumps Mannarino to reach quarters
Images from Day 4 of the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Novak Djokovic claimed a record-breaking 23rd men's singles Grand Slam title when he beat Norway's Casper Ruud 7-6(1) 6-3 7-5 in the French Open final.
Djokovic did not do much wrong as he battled Sinner and the crowd - regularly jesting with the fans who jeered him throughout the duel.
Crowd violence returned to haunt European football on Tuesday when Italy's home Euro 2012 qualifier against Serbia in Genoa was abandoned amid a barrage of flares inside the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
The five top contenders for the men's title at the US Open.
To bolster their midfield, weakened by the flight of Ivory Coast's Pierre Douhou to Pune FC, Mumbai glamour outfit Mahindra United signed up Serbian Svetozar Mijin from Romania's top division Club FC Politehnica Iasi for the upcoming football season.
Novak Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open crown, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in a generational clash in the men's singles final, at Melbourne Park, on Sunday.
The Australian Open men's singles final offers a rematch of the dramatic 2021 French Open final, in which Djokovic came back from two sets down to snatch the title and leave Greek Tsitsipas heartbroken.
The 35-year-old Serb was sent home from Australia on the eve of last year's event after a row about his COVID-19 vaccination status.
Tsitsipas was philosophical in defeat.
One of Serbia's three rising starts, along with Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic has it in her to win a Grand Slam
Vidit Gujrathi crashed through the defences of Hans Moke Niemann of the United States to join the leaders' pack on 4.5 points.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the US Open, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, New York, on Friday.
Novak Djokovic says he is still dealing with an elbow issue heading into this week's Srpska Open as the Serb looks to get his French Open preparations back on track.
Novak Djokovic has no intention of passing the torch to the next generation just yet.
Novak Djokovic was not the only Serb making sporting headlines this week. Nikola Jovic led the Detroit Nuggets to their first NBA Championship. Meet the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals.
Stan Wawrinka rolled back the years as the 38-year-old Swiss proved the old adage that class is permanent and form temporary by knocking out seeded Argentine Tomas Etcheverry.
He had played a major role in the downfall of Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic's regime.
IMAGES from all the action on Day 7 of the US Open played at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows in New York on Sunday.
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