Matteo Berrettini has found plenty of success in Grand Slams in recent years, but he’ll still be a significant underdog in the US Open quarterfinals against Novak Djokovic as Djokovic chases the calendar year Grand Slam. South Africa’s Lloyd Harris is playing the best tennis of his career, but so is Germany’s Alexander Zverev, Zverev is chasing a repeat final appearance at the US Open. Our panelists offer predictions for all the matches.
Novak Djokovic vs Matteo Berrettini
Jim: Djokovic has hardly found things straightforward so far, but the scale of the challenge will only increase from here. If Berrettini has not looked at his best, he does look increasingly at home on the biggest stage and he doesn’t seem likely to be that intimidated by the prospect of facing Djokovic, having troubled him both of their previous meetings this year. Still, Djokovic won both those matches and he should have enough to past the Italian once again. Djokovic in 4
Steen: Djokovic has won all three meetings including two Grand Slam meetings consecutively on clay and grass. Berrettini did take a set in both encounters though and Djokovic is hardly slamming the door on his opposition at the US Open thus far. Berrettini ended the qualifier Oscar Otte’s run in four sets in his last match, Djokovic dropped a set but then won three routine sets against Jenson Brooksby with Brooksby playing at home in the last round. Djokovic is the better player, the question is whether he gives Berrettini enough of an opening for an upset to happen, this match is still on the Serbian superstar’s racquet and he remains an elite returner of serve that can blunt Berrettini’s best weapon. Djokovic in 4
Andrew; Bar a loose set Vs Brooksby the world #1 went deep into the well again and pulled out more. It seems that no matter how well his opponents play Djokovic has the stamina and tenacity to keep going and going until he’s broken his opponent’s down. Berrettini has the power game to trouble him, but you still just feel that the Serbian will ride out the storm and still be there like a centuries old lighthouse on the end of the pier. Djokovic in 4
Damian: Berrettini runs into Djokovic again, but I don’t think he’s playing as well as he was at the French Open or Wimbledon. The Italian’s ground game hasn’t been spectacular in this event so far, forcing him to rely on his serve to carry him through. Djokovic has lost three sets in his campaign, which is certainly more than was expected, but he never really looked close to going out. The Serbian will probably manage to raise his level when required and against a returner of this class, Berrettini will need his groundstrokes to be extra sharp. Djokovic in 4
Lloyd Harris vs Alexander Zverev
Jim: Zverev isn’t quite the man to beat in New York, that honour has to belong to the man who has already won three Majors this year, but the German is probably a close second. He has been largely untroubled in reaching this stage and this doesn’t look like the toughest draw he could have faced. Harris is playing with real confidence and has the power to match Zverev. But he doesn’t have the German’s experience or his versatility. Zverev in 4
Steen: Zverev faces Harris for the third time, he won both meetings including a routine win in Cincinnati just weeks ago. Zverev has dropped just one set this tournament and took care of Jannik Sinner in straights in the fourth round. Harris continued his run of stunning performances, coming back from a set down to beat Reilly Opelka in 4 sets. Harris is good enough to win and his game is vibing, but Zverev is on another level right now and should continue to boss his opponents around the court. Zverev in 3
Andrew: Zverev’s serve stats are incredible in this tournament. He has the highest first serve point win percentage left in the draw and also the highest first serve in percentage. That’s a dangerous combination. If he gets near those numbers against Harris then there’s only one winner. But Harris came up against a fearsome serve in the last round and handled it superbly. Harris can give Zverev a game and maybe force a tiebreak but I only see one winner. Zverev in 3
Damian: Harris is having a fantastic season and owns a 3-1 win/loss record on hard courts against the top 10 this year. The problem is that this one defeat came at the hands of Zverev, who’s still yet to lose since the Olympics. The German can match Harris’s serve and has been playing with so much confidence, even despite the seriousness of the domestic abuse allegations against him. Harris is absolutely peaking at the moment, but Zverev has been one of the three main favorites to raise the title from the get-go, and nothing we’ve seen so far suggests that anything has changed in that regard. Zverev in 4
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