US Open day 6 has arrived, with one of the top favorites Carlos Alcaraz and American Frances Tiafoe on the match card. Our panelists offer their predictions for every match on Friday.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Luciano Darderi
Ilemona: Alcaraz has moved through the early rounds without much fuss, showing the sharp baseline game that brought him so much success last summer. Darderi’s rise has mostly come on clay, and while he’s adapted decently to hard courts this week, the difference in pedigree on this surface is clear. Still, Darderi has nothing to lose, which can make him dangerous in patches. Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Damian: Darderi has already won three titles this year and with more practice, he can become a decent hard-court player in the future. For now taking advantage of his seeding is already a solid outcome and Alcaraz should just be two or three leagues ahead. The Spaniard is known for leaking sets, but so far hasn’t come close to that at all this week. Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Zain: Is Carlos Alcaraz playing his best hard-court tennis yet? Having won nine consecutive sets (ten if you count the Cincinnati final) and not been broken this tournament, the answer is quite likely. The serve is clicking, the forehand is aggressive, and his natural craftiness is taking over. Luciano Darderi has done well to live up to his seeding at this tournament, and his baseline stability might make stretches of this match tense. Still, expect the Spaniard to prevail quite comfortably in the end. Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Taylor Fritz vs Jerome Kym
Ilemona: Fritz has been efficient when focused so far, keeping rallies short and serving well, much like he did during a strong summer swing. Kym has surprised plenty with his fight and big hitting, but this is his first time going this deep at a Slam. If he keeps his nerves steady, he could test Fritz more than expected. Prediction: Fritz in 5
Damian: Kym is an unreal talent and if he finally has a healthy season, he’ll be deep inside the Top 100 soon enough. But Fritz has so much experience, hits with a lot more margin, and won’t be as banged up by the previous wins as the Swiss might be. On paper this upset is possible, but a few factors too many are suggesting this will be the end of the road for Kym. Prediction: Fritz in 4
Zain: Jerome Kym has been one of the stories of this tournament so far. Ranked outside the world’s top 150 and coming from the qualifiers, he has beaten two Americans back-to-back to reach this stage. He now faces another, arguably the best of them at the moment, and that may be a step too far. Taylor Fritz, last year’s finalist, looked in great touch by the end of his second-round match and very well might be the one to end this fairytale run. Prediction: Fritz in 3
Frances Tiafoe vs Jan-Lennard Struff
Ilemona: Tiafoe has looked sharp in New York, mixing variety with solid finishing at the net. Struff’s powerful serve and forehand can take the racket out of anyone’s hands, and he’s found a decent groove here after a lean stretch. This could easily swing into a slugfest if Tiafoe lets Struff dictate. Prediction: Tiafoe in 5
Damian: Tiafoe is incredible in New York every season, vibing with the atmosphere and taking advantage of the crowd’s energy. It’s tough not to look ahead and treat this match as a foregone conclusion. Struff has a lot of quality even at this stage of his career, but you just cannot go against Tiafoe at Flushing Meadows, at least not this early in the event. Prediction: Tiafoe in 4
Zain: Frances Tiafoe and the US Open have been one of the great partnerships of the 2020s, with the American seemingly raising both his game and his confidence whenever he plays in New York. Jan-Lennard Struff did very well to edge out Holger Rune in the second round, and his big serve and attacking mindset can make any match tricky. However, Tiafoe is the fresher and more confident player. In a contest that could be decided by just a few moments, that edge might be enough to tip the scales. Prediction: Tiafoe in 4
Jiri Lehecka vs Raphael Collignon
Ilemona: Lehecka has been building confidence after a solid hard court lead-up, using his athleticism to good effect. Collignon, more accustomed to grinding on slower courts, has battled well this week but hasn’t faced an opponent with Lehecka’s pace. If rallies open up, Lehecka’s first-strike game should be the difference. Prediction: Lehecka in 3
Damian: That was a stunning effort from Collignon to defeat Ruud and while the Norwegian looked vulnerable, it’s not like Lehecka hasn’t had his share of disappointing Slam performances. He probably shouldn’t lose this if he puts a decent number of returns in play, but it doesn’t feel like a particularly easy matchup anymore. Prediction: Lehecka in 4
Zain: Jiri Lehecka is not always the most reliable Grand Slam player, and even here he has made matches trickier than they should have been. Raphael Collignon, having beaten top-12 seed Casper Ruud, is playing with house money. This could be closer than expected if the Belgian has enough left in the tank, as his big serve against Lehecka’s return could do real damage. Still, the Czech should have enough firepower from the backcourt to see it through. Prediction: Lehecka in 4
Prediction: Lehecka in 4
Main Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
