Aleksandar Vukic’s US Open draw offers a winnable first step, but no safe passage

Aleksandar Vukic has the kind of opening-round opportunity that can change the feel of a Grand Slam campaign — provided he can handle the danger carried by Rei Sakamoto’s qualifying run.

A chance that comes with a warning Aleksandar Vukic arrives at the US Open with a direct place in the main draw and a first-round opponent who makes the opportunity obvious. He will face Japan’s Rei Sakamoto on Sunday, August 30, in a meeting that pairs the Australian’s experience and ranking position with one of the tournament’s youngest successful qualifiers. (usopen.org)

On paper, this is the sort of draw Vukic needs to take seriously rather than fear. Sakamoto is listed outside the world’s top 150, while Vukic sits around the edge of the top 100, and the Australian is the established tour player in the matchup. But the numbers only describe the starting point. They do not capture the momentum of a 20-year-old who has already survived three qualifying rounds in New York.

Sakamoto has already proved the point Sakamoto’s route into the main draw has been more than a procedural qualification. He defeated Jay Clarke in three sets in the opening round, beat Alexandre Muller in straight sets, then produced the result that gave his arrival extra weight: a 6-4, 7-6(3) victory over former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori. The US Open’s own account framed it as a significant moment for a rising Japanese player, while also confirming Vukic as his first-round opponent. (usopen.org)

That makes the draw dangerous in a very specific way. Vukic is not facing an unknown qualifier who has merely filled a vacant slot. He is facing a player who has spent the week learning the conditions, winning matches and handling the emotional acceleration that comes with a first Grand Slam main draw. Sakamoto’s victory over Nishikori also gives him a story to inhabit: the next generation arriving on the same court where an earlier Japanese standard once made history.

Vukic’s opportunity is about conversion For Vukic, the question is less whether this is a winnable match than whether he can convert a favourable-looking position into a meaningful result. The Sydney-born right-hander has already reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam, making the Australian Open third round in 2025, and has a career-high ranking of No.48. His ATP profile identifies the forehand as his favourite shot and hard court as his preferred surface, a combination that gives this match a clear tactical starting point: Vukic must make his experience and first-strike strengths count before Sakamoto can settle into the pace of the contest. (atptour.com)

That does not mean the match should be reduced to serve-plus-one shorthand. A qualifier with three wins behind him is likely to arrive with fewer doubts and a sharper sense of what is working. Vukic’s task is to prevent the occasion from becoming an extended examination of his patience. If he allows Sakamoto to establish a rhythm, the apparent gap between the players can narrow quickly.

New York can still become more than an entry Vukic’s direct entry was already important for an Australian men’s group that has required several players to navigate qualifying or late changes simply to reach the field. But direct status is only the administrative beginning. The value of this draw lies in what comes next: a chance to turn confirmed participation into a first US Open win and, from there, a different kind of week. (tennis.com)

There is no need to oversell the route. Sakamoto has earned his place, and the match is dangerous precisely because the Japanese teenager has nothing left to prove about whether he belongs in the main draw. Vukic, meanwhile, has to show that his experience can create separation when the match is close and the crowd senses an upset.

For an Australian who has spent the past several seasons moving between the established tour and the pressure of proving his level again, this is a useful test of conversion. The draw has given Vukic an opening. New York will decide whether it becomes a breakthrough or simply another first-round listing.

Sources Men's qualifiers of the 2026 US Open: Dimitrov, Wong, Sakamoto and more | Official Site of the 2026 US Open Tennis Championships - A USTA Event Aleksandar Vukic | Bio | ATP Tour | Tennis Aleksandar Vukic vs Rei Sakamoto · Round 1 · US Open | Tennis.com Men's qualifiers of the 2026 US Open: Dimitrov, Wong, Sakamoto and more Aleksandar Vukic | Bio | ATP Tour Aleksandar Vukic vs Rei Sakamoto — US Open first round Kei Nishikori honoured after playing final Grand Slam match at 2026 US Open