Day three at the US Open should see no shortage of entertaining tennis. In action are defending champion Novak Djokovic who will battle Juan Ignacio Londero, third seed Roger Federer who is set to take on Damir Dzumhur, whilst Cincinnati champion Daniil Medvedev will take on Hugo Dellien and former-finalist Kei Nishikori faces home hope Bradley Klahn. Offering their predictions for this slate of matches are Jim Smith, Yesh Ginsburg and Harsh Bhoot.
US Open Day Three Predictions
Daniil Medvedev vs Hugo Dellien
Jim: Hugo Dellien has had a great year, though he enjoyed some good fortune through his first-round opponent Kwon Soon-woo’s retirement. But as good as the Bolivian’s year has been, it pales in comparison with the 2019 that Daniil Medvedev has put together. The Cincinnati champion looked entirely untroubled in beating Prajnesh Gunneswaran in the first round and it is hard to see him encountering many problems in this one either.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
Yesh: Dellien looked impressive earlier in the year but disappeared for the last few months. He pulled off a good upset in the first round here, but Medvedev, who is in the form of his life after winning in Cincinnati and making finals in Washington and Montreal, is just too good right now.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
Harsh: Medvedev is carrying an extremely rich vein of form into this match and could end up taking the racquet out of Dellien’s hands. Medvedev has played a lot of tennis in August and could be at risk of fatigue, but he looks hungry and eager to make his breakthrough at a Grand Slam. The Russian is doing all the basics tremendously well and should have a reasonably comfortable outing in this one.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
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Jenson Brooksby vs Nikoloz Basilashvili
Jim: Jenson Brooksby’s win over Tomas Berdych in the first round was impressive, but it arguably says as much, if not more, about the decline of the Czech as it does the young American’s talent. There is no doubt that Brooksby has a bright future, but Basilashvili is a top 20 player for a reason, though he did have to work hard for his win over Marton Fucsovics. Expect things to be slightly more straightforward for the Georgian in the second round.
Prediction: Basilashvili in 4
Yesh: Brooksby pulled off an incredible upset in the first round by beating former-Wimbledon finalist Berdych, and he gets a vulnerable-looking Basilashvili here. The young American has shown no fear and he’s got the game to pull another shocker.
Prediction: Brooksby in 4
Harsh: Brooksby is one of the few qualifiers to have made the second round and for an 18-year-old, that’s quite an achievement. Next up for him is Basilashvili who hasn’t been playing well in August. Brooksby might be in with a chance especially if one considers how rusty Basilashvili looked in his first round. Expect this match to go the distance and with the crowd on his side, the young American may very well have his moment.
Prediction: Brooksby in 5
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Daniel Evans vs Lucas Pouille
Jim: This promises to be one of the more interesting matches of the second round. Daniel Evans has had a great year and is invariably a good watch thanks to his stylish, attacking game. But will that be enough for him up against Lucas Pouille, who has found some form of late? Probably not. If the Frenchman is focused, he should have the power to hit through Evans.
Prediction: Pouille in 4
Yesh: Evans struggled a bit in his first round, but got through a tough opponent. This next opponent is a bit tougher still, and it should provide us with a great match that could easily go either way, but Evans should have the guile and quality to just edge out the Frenchman.
Prediction: Evans in 5
Harsh: This looks like a tight contest, but post Wimbledon form suggests Pouille might have an upper hand. In Cincinnati, the Frenchman looked impressive in wins over the likes of Karen Khachanov and Denis Shapovalov en route to the quarterfinals. The match is going to be competitive, but the Frenchman should be the one to progress to the third round at the US Open.
Prediction: Pouille in 4
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Borna Coric vs Grigor Dimitrov
Jim: It has been a miserable season for Grigor Dimitrov, but he showed some signs of life in his first-round win over the Italian veteran Andreas Seppi. But he looks set for a tough day at the office against Borna Coric. The 12th seed may not have had the best of years, but he looked sharp against Evgeny Donskoy in the first round and should have the defensive skills required to grind Dimitrov down.
Prediction: Coric in 4
Yesh: Dimitrov was challenged a bit by Seppi in his opener at the US Open, but got through. Now he faces a not-quite-in-form Coric, who also seems to be struggling with a back issue a bit. I like the Bulgarian here to claim a much-needed win.
Prediction: Dimitrov in 4
Harsh: This is surely the match of the day. Dimitrov has had an abysmal year while Coric is seeking back-to-back wins for the first time since the Halle Open. Coric certainly looked in fine touch dispatching Donskoy in three sets, but his back still remains a question mark. Dimitrov will have been happy with his performance against Seppi after posting good numbers on serve. If he stays aggressive, especially in the forecourt, the Bulgarian should be the one winning this.
Prediction: Dimitrov in 4
(Editor’s note: Coric has withdrawn from the US Open ahead of his second-round match with Dimitrov.)
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