The second round of the 2025 US Open kicks off on Day 4 as the bottom half of the men’s draw takes the courts in Flushing. No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz looks to follow up his straight-set Round 1 victory over Reilly Opelka when he takes on Italian Mattia Bellucci. Elsewhere, we offer previews and predictions for Ben Shelton vs Pablo Carreno Busta, Novak Djokovic vs Zachary Svajda, and Taylor Fritz vs Lloyd Harris. Offering their insights are Ateet Shrivastava, Tope Oke, Damian Kust, and Zain Mustafa. But who will advance?
US Open Day 4 Men’s Predictions
Benjamin Bonzi vs Marcos Giron
Ateet
Benjamin Bonzi was involved in the most dramatic match of the first round and possibly the whole tournament. He overcame physical struggles in the fourth set to defeat Daniil Medvedev once again in the first round of a Slam. The confidence is high for Bonzi, and if he’s physically alright, he will win this.
Prediction: Bonzi in 4
Tope
Bonzi maintained his impressive record of never being eliminated in the first round at Flushing Meadows after his upset of Daniil Medvedev in the opening round and now aims to match his best-ever reach at a Major. Marcos Giron, who also fought through a five-set match to secure his first-round victory, stands in his way. Overcoming one of the top players on the ATP tour should give the French player more zest going into this. It might be another lengthy match, but Bonzi will win.
Prediction: Bonzi in 5
Damian
Both players managed to stand strong in 5-set battles last round, Bonzi’s seemed like the one that will be tougher to recover from. It could have been over in straights and after the photographer incident, it was so impressive that he still managed to get the job done there. But following that up will be much tougher than Giron’s quieter win over Navone.
Prediction: Giron in 5
Zain
Taking part in the most controversial match of the first round, Benjamin Bonzi did very well to add a former US Open champion to his resume. Unfortunately for him, by the end of the match his legs were gone and his serve was timid. Grand Slams do give you a day off to recover, but some damage requires more than that. I think an inspired Marcos Giron, pumped up by the crowd, can grind Bonzi out here.
Prediction: Giron in 5
Brandon Nakashima vs Jerome Kym
Ateet
Nakashima had to go the distance to separate himself from Jesper de Jong in the first round. It was a tussle, and the crowd helped the American get over the line. He will look to improve his level against Jerome Kym, who has nothing to lose and will play freely. Kym’s serve will keep this close, but Nakashima’s consistency and experience should see him through.
Prediction: Nakashima in 4
Tope
Despite the gulf in rankings, this promises to be another exciting one for the fans who will be fiercely behind Nakashima after Jerome Kym routed American Ethan Quinn in the opener. Nakashima is a higher ceiling for the Swiss player, though, and his big-match experience will make the difference, though Kym may well push him the distance.
Prediction: Nakashima in 4
Damian
Kym leaves no doubt in anybody’s mind as to the quality he can produce and if not for the health issues this year, surely he would have been Top 100 by now. But Nakashima is going to be a challenge, the American is who he is and doesn’t often go above or below a certain level. Based on experience I won’t pick the upset, but I’ll let you know I’m tempted to.
Prediction: Nakashima in 5
Zain
Jerome Kym has played very solid tennis so far at Flushing Meadows, breezing through the qualifiers and backing it up with a first round win against Ethan Quinn. That run may very well come to an end here, as Brandon Nakashima has the weapons, and more importantly the temperament, to control this match and get the victory.
Prediction: Nakashima in 4
Frances Tiafoe vs Martin Damm
Ateet
Frances Tiafoe wins his first round match at the US Open for the eighth consecutive time, as he finally managed to defeat Yoshihito Nishioka after two consecutive losses against the Japanese player. Tiafoe looked impeccable on serve, hitting 19 aces. He was also solid off the ground and hopes to build on this level.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 4
Tope
This pits experience against raw power. Tiafoe, a proven performer on hard courts and a former semifinalist in New York, against Martin Damm who passed his first debut test with a straight-sets annihilation of co-debutant Darwin Blanch. Expect flashes of brilliance from the youngster, yet Tiafoe’s consistency and ability to handle the occasion should see him through.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 4
Damian
Good things can come in unexpected moments and this US Open run for Damm is like that. But he seems fit right now and has a dangerous game with the monster serve and groundstrokes that are way better than people admit. However, Tiafoe in New York is a magic vibe every season and he’ll probably go deep again.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 4
Zain
Both of these players progressed through the first round with relative ease, with Martin Damm winning his first Slam match ever in the process. But Frances Tiafoe is a clear step up in competition. He loves playing tennis here and has made two semifinals in the last three years at the US Open. Expect him to win rather comfortably.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 3
Carlos Alcaraz vs Mattia Bellucci
Ateet
Carlos Alcaraz is off to a solid start as he defeated Reilly Opelka in straight sets. Alcaraz did well to stay composed when needed and didn’t lose his concentration much. Mattia Bellucci is a completely different opponent, but the Spaniard will like that he will get to play some rallies and won’t have to deal with a massive serve.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Tope
Alcaraz will quickly look to impose his explosive baseline game and athleticism early in this one against a talented left-hander, who has nothing to lose and could trouble Alcaraz with variety. Sustaining that level over best-of-five sets is another challenge. Expect flashes of resistance from Bellucci, but Alcaraz’s firepower, movement, and big-match experience should see him through in straight sets.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Damian
Alcaraz surviving Opelka in straight sets without getting broken is a big result, that was a tricky opening draw that could have had him sweating in another 5-set first round like at Wimbledon. He should be fine here as well. Bellucci is crafty, but it’s nothing the Spaniard hasn’t seen before or can’t do himself.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Zain
Carlos Alcaraz did very well to come through his first round match, with his biggest worry being his haircut. I think this trend will continue against Mattia Bellucci, who may bring more baseline consistency than Reilly Opelka, but the gulf in firepower should make that irrelevant. Alcaraz should dictate the tempo, play aggressively, and progress to the next round with relative ease here.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Main Photo Syndication: The Enquirer
