The first round of the US Open wraps up on Day 2 with 32 men’s matches scheduled for Tuesday. There should be some incredible action in New York, and–as always–we here at LastWordOnTennis share our thoughts on every single match. We split the day’s 32 matches between eight articles. The other articles feature Carlos Alcaraz vs Li Tu, Jannik Sinner vs Mackenzie McDonald, Tommy Paul vs Lorenzo Sonego, Denis Shapovalov vs Botic van de Zandschulp, Hubert Hurkacz vs Timofey Stakov, Daniil Medvedev vs Dusan Lajovic, and Arthur Fils vs Learner Tien. Predicting this set of matches are Damian Kust, Yesh Ginsburg, and Ateet Shrivastava. Who do you think will advance?
US Open Day 2 Men’s Predictions
Borna Coric vs Adrian Mannarino
Damian:
Mannarino has won one match since the middle of March, that’s how far things have come for the Frenchman by now. He’s still got points for two ATP 250 titles on his ranking and they’re keeping him high up, but he’s losing to literally anybody at the moment. Not sure this situation will change against Coric here.
Prediction: Coric in 4
Yesh:
Coric won Cincinnati two years ago and hasn’t really backed it up much since. Mannarino is still a solid player, but isn’t at his best right now. If Coric can find any consistency, he should win. Big if, though.
Prediction: Coric in 4
Ateet:
Borna Coric is slowly gaining his form and this match couldn’t have come at a better moment for him. Coric has lost all four matches to Mannarino but the Frenchman is in the worst form of his career and has lost 10 matches in a row. This is the best chance for Coric to get a win over Mannarino.
Prediction: Coric in 4
Sebastian Korda vs Corentin Moutet
Damian:
Korda, afterwinning the Washington title, will have some expectations on him at this Slam, but we know how that ended in the last two Wimbledon appearances. The opponent is tricky as well and you never know what sort of ball you’re going to get from Moutet. The American will probably go through, but he’s got something to prove now re his ability to step up in big events.
Prediction: Korda in 4
Yesh:
Sebastian Korda always seems to fizzle out at the Majors. He finally seems healthy and is playing really well right now. How far can he go in New York?
Prediction: Korda in 3
Ateet:
Sebastian Korda has shown immense consistency in the last month and is a big favorite to win this match. Moutet can be a tricky player with his variety and defense but hasn’t been in good form and without confidence, he is not the same player. I still expect the Frenchman to step up in this match. Their only meeting was a thrilling five-setter at the 2022 Australian Open, which Korda won in a fifth-set tiebreak. However, I predict the American player to win more easily this time.
Prediction: Korda in 4
Matthew Forbes vs Roman Safiullin
Damian:
Forbes was an unexpected winner at the USTA U18 National Championship and with just five pro matches in February earlier this year, it’s tough to know what exactly he’ll bring to the court. The reality is that while Safiullin is one of the most erratic players in the draw, after getting the Cary title he should still have far too much for the wild card.
Prediction: Safiullin in 4
Yesh:
Roman Safiullin hasn’t sustained his early 2023 form, but he’s still consistently competitive. I can’t see Matthew Forbes being able to absord his pace, but maybe if the crowd rattles Safiullin the American could have a chance.
Prediction: Safiullin in 3
Ateet:
Forbes is an 18-year-old American wild card who will play in his first-ever Grand Slam match. It’s a historic moment for the Michigan State University freshman as he became the first-ever Spartan to qualify for the tournament. Safiullin did lose to an American last week and he will have to battle the crowd again. But he is the better player and should get the job done.
Prediction: Safiullin in 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Thanasi Kokkinakis
Damian:
Tsitsipas has never been past the third round in New York and with his hard-court game, we’ve arrived at a point where even matches like this look quite tricky for him. After all, Kokkinakis has the tools to throw everything he has at the Greek’s backhand. Let’s be fancy here and try to call an upset.
Prediction: Kokkinakis in 5
Yesh:
What a first-round match this should be. The Australian’s attempts to restart his career keep running into bad luck and bad draws. This is yet another one.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 4
Ateet:
A mouthwatering clash between two players who have struggled for consistency. Tsitsipas is a much higher-ranked player but his weakness on this surface makes this match a bit more even. Kokkinakis has a definite shot here but I am not ready to take a risk on him.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 5
Main Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
