The leaves are starting to change color, and the evenings are getting cooler; summer is drawing to a close, which usually signals the beginning of the last Grand Slam of the year, the US Open. We're back to the electrifying night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the fans in the stands who might have had one too many beers, and the airplanes flying overhead.
But most importantly, we see all the best players in the world gathered in one place for two weeks of breathtaking tennis. Although the early rounds are usually less exciting due to the disparity in talent between players, this year's draw has brought us several interesting matchups!
11 AM EST - Amanda Anisimova vs. Qinwen Zheng
Probably the biggest "upset" potential of this first round. I'm sure Zheng winced when she saw Anisimova's name appear next to hers. The American has always had huge potential but had to take a break to safeguard her mental health.
Anisimova just reached the final in Toronto after defeating four top-10 players (Kasatkina, Kalinskaya, Sabalenka, and Navarro) before falling in three sets to Jessica Pegula. On the other hand, Zheng had a disappointing tournament in Cincinnati following her Olympic triumph in Paris.
Anisimova has all the shots to defeat the Chinese player, who will need to serve very well if she hopes to avoid this trap.
Prediction: Amanda Anisimova in 3 sets
12PM EST - Ben Shelton vs. Dominic Thiem
What better way to open the competition on Arthur Ashe Stadium than with Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion who announced his retirement earlier this year. For the occasion, he will face last year's semifinalist and crowd favorite, Ben Shelton.
Nothing saddens me more about Dominic Thiem's career than the fact that he won his only Grand Slam title in front of an empty stadium, with a mask on his face. One of the few players to challenge the BIG 3, he had his greatest moment of glory during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who knows what he could have achieved in his career without his wrist injury; he was magnificent to watch at his peak, hitting powerful shots on both his forehand and backhand.
As for his match against Shelton in what will be his last US Open appearance, unfortunately, he is no longer at that level. By his own admission, he is limited in how hard he can hit the ball and will struggle to compete with one of the best hard-court players on the tour.
Prediction: Ben Shelton in 3 sets
4 PM EST - Gael Monfils vs. Diego Schwartzman
Are we back in 2019?! It feels good to see Diego string together a few good performances that allowed him to qualify for the main draw. Although he is only a shadow of the player who reached world No. 8 in 2020, if he can regain his legendary consistency for a few hours, he could trouble Monfils.
However, I still think it will be a monumental task for the short Argentine. Monfils serves very well and moves impressively despite his age. This means Schwartzman will have to hope Monfils remains passive in rallies and gives him several unforced errors.
Prediction: Gael Monfils in 3 or 4 sets
7PM EST - McCartney Kessler vs. Marta Kostyuk
McCartney Kessler just had a dream week at the WTA 250 tournament in Cleveland last week, winning the title against Beatriz Haddad Maia. The American player has just climbed to a career-high ranking of 63rd in the world. She was impressive all week, hitting huge forehands that her opponents couldn't even reach.
However, her surprise title in Cleveland comes with a downside: she spent over 10 hours on the court and only had a single day to recover before starting the US Open. More bad news for Kessler, she will face one of the best players on the circuit this year, Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
Kostyuk has all the qualities to go far in a Grand Slam; she is as solid in attack as she is in defense. However, she sometimes goes through short slumps where she accumulates unforced errors, which could give Kessler a chance to take a set. But in the end, I think the American will run out of gas
Prediction: Marta Kostyuk in 2 sets
Other Matches to Watch
5PM EST - Holger Rune vs. Brandon Nakashima
4PM EST - Madison Keys vs. Katerina Siniakova
4PM EST - Reilly Opelka vs. Lorenzo Musetti
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