The 2024 US Open starts in 4 days, bringing a thrilling conclusion to the Grand Slam calendar. The men’s draw is packed with stars and promising newcomers. 49 of the top 50 men’s players are competing, paving the way for a thrilling fortnight in New York. The first-round matches often set the tone for the excitement and drama that will emerge throughout the tournament. This article highlights the five most anticipated men’s first-round matches at this year’s US Open.
Best Men’s First-Round Matches
Dominic Thiem vs Ben Shelton
This match may not be one of the best or most closely contested first-round matches, but it has sentimental value. Dominic Thiem has announced that this year would be his last on tour. This match against Ben Shelton may be his final appearance at a Grand Slam, making it a “must-watch” for tennis fans. The former US Open champion hasn’t been close to his best this year, with just two tour-level wins. Ben Shelton is the #13 seed and it would be a huge upset if he loses this match. This is also a rematch of last year’s US Open second-round, where Shelton won due to a mid-match retirement from Thiem. Shelton then went on to have a breakthrough event.
Thiem hasn’t been catching any sort of breaks with his first-round matchups since 2023. Thiem’s last five first-round opponents at Slams have been Andrey Rublev (Australian Open 2023), Pedro Cachin (French Open 2023), Stefanos Tsitsipas (Wimbledon 2023), Alexander Bublik (US Open 2023), and Felix Auger-Aliassime (Australian Open 2024). And now he faces Ben Shelton. But that’s always a possibility when you are as low-ranked as Thiem has been in the last couple of years. One small consolation of drawing Shelton is that the match should be on one of the main courts and if Thiem loses, he would get a decent send-off, especially after winning the US Open in front of an empty arena (during the COVID year).
Holger Rune vs Brandon Nakashima
Holger Rune is probably upset to miss out on a chance to reach the Cincinnati Open final after having multiple match points against Frances Tiafoe. Still a good run for Rune and a much-needed one. This part of the season last year he didn’t win a match from Wimbledon (early July) until after the US Open (one match in Beijing, in late September). Not only wins but he also played some great tennis in Cincinnati, which he hadn’t quite played since Monte Carlo this year.
Brandon Nakashima has won a lot of matches this year and has remained injury-free. He has won over 40 matches combined at the ATP Tour and Challenger Tour this year, beating multiple top-20 players. What makes this match so fascinating is that both these players play aggressive tennis and don’t hesitate a bit in going for their shots. Nakashima has a 2-0 win-loss record against Rune and loves to play on hard courts. It would be an electric atmosphere to watch how this match unfolds.
Arthur Fils vs Learner Tien
If you have been a consistent follower of men’s tennis, this is one of those matches that immediately grabs your attention. The 20-year-old, Arthur Fils, who has made a name for himself in such a short time with his attacking tennis and fearless attitude on the court against the 18-year-old, Learner Tien who is getting better with every match and has barely lost any matches on the Challenger and ITF circuit.
Tien has won 34 of his last 36 matches in all competitions and is currently in the quarterfinals of the Winston-Salem Open. Fils has won an ATP 500 title recently, beating Alexander Zverev in the final. Fils is a more developed player and has raw strength but Tien is full of confidence. This might be the start of one of the great future rivalries and as a fan, you wouldn’t want to miss the first chapter.
Andrey Rublev vs Thiago Seyboth Wild
Andrey Rublev has finally started to regain his form at the right time. After a year full of ups and downs, game-wise and mentally, he has shown in the last two tournaments that he is calmer, and as a result, able to play freely. He is defending quarterfinal points from last year and will look to get off to a good start. However, Thiago Seyboth Wild is not an opponent Rublev would be pleased to see in the first round.
These two met in the first round of this year’s Australian Open where Seyboth Wild almost gave a big scar to Rublev. The Brazilian hasn’t been in terrific form lately, but he’ll recall the Australian Open match against Rublev and draw confidence from it. If he does play his best tennis, this match will live up to its expectations.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Thanasi Kokkinakis
This is another mouthwatering clash with huge potential. Stefanos Tsitsipas hasn’t been at his best this year and that showed in the confidence dip when serving for the match against Jack Draper in Cincinnati. There is no substitute for confidence and Tsitsipas’ is low with all the form issues and coaching changes. If Thanasi Kokkinakis had to choose to play Tsitsipas anywhere, he would choose a medium-fast hard-court in the first round of a Grand Slam, where Tsitsipas is expected to win being the much higher-ranked player.
All of the Australian’s first-round Slam encounters this year have been five-setters. Coincidentally, the only meeting between Tsitsipas and Kokkinakis was a five-setter at the 2021 Australian Open. Let’s hope for another five-set classic.
Main Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
