USC Tennis Stars Line the US Open Bracket

Jul 29, 2013; Washington, D.C., USA; Steve Johnson (USA) serves the ball to Radek Stepanek (CZE), not pictured, during the Citi Open at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The US Open is off and underway in Flushing, New York, pitting the best and brightest of the tennis circuit against each others in the premier USA Tennis event of the season. Luckily for the Trojan nation, plenty of highly accoladed stars line the tournament field, including up-and-coming stars Steve Johnson (’11), Maria Sanchez (’10) and Robert Farah (’08) on Tuesday.

STEVE JOHNSON-4x National Champion

Johnson, who won two NCAA Singles Championships and four NCAA Team Championships as a Trojan, will be making his third appearance in the US Open men’s singles main draw. Johnson–Ranked 116th in Singles–has completed in all four Grand Slam titles with first-round singles appearances at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, recording his best third-round finish at the 2012 US Open. The Trojan sensation will also be competing in doubles with fellow countryman Michael Russell.

MARIA SANCHEZ- 2012 PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Sanchez is making her first singles main draw appearance in a Grand Slam, after playing doubles in the 2012 US Open. Ranking in at No. 111 in the world in singles and 116 in doubles, Sanchez will make her US Open singles debut on Tuesday with plenty of excitement surrounding her surprise birth as a wildcard selection. She won the USTA/ITA National Indoor Singles Championship, beating Jana Juricova in three sets, and reached the ITA Southwest Regional final before falling to teammate Danielle Lao in three sets.

ROBERT FARAH- 2x NATIONAL CHAMPION

Farah is taking his talents to the doubles end of the court only, an area that has brought him much success back to his days at USC. During his four-year career, Farah won two NCAA Team Championships along with the 2008 NCAA Doubles Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Back in 2011, Farah’s double tandem reached the second round back in 2011, and will look to strides past that mark against tough competition. Farah’s best Grand Slam run culminated in a trip to the quarterfinals of the 2013 Australian Open.

NOTABLE ENTRY: Crosstown Blood will be shed this week in Flushing when current professional Dennis Novikov of UCLA will play doubles alongside USC Women’s Tennis junior-to-be, and one of the Trojans top-ranked doubles tandem in Kaitlyn Christian.