RICKY’S DAY 2 PICKS AT THE U.S. OPEN TENNIS INCLUDING ANDY MURRAY VS. NICK KYRGIOS AND GASQUET VS. KOKKINAKIS

Written by: Staff on 31st August 2015

RICKY'S DAY 2 PICKS AT THE U.S. OPEN TENNIS INCLUDING ANDY MURRAY VS. NICK KYRGIOS AND GASQUET VS. KOKKINAKIS

epa04906942 A ballboy holds two balls as Joao Souza of Brazil plays Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their match on the first day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

By Ricky Dimon

Andy Murray and Roger Federer will get Arthur Ashe Stadium treatment on Tuesday at the U.S. Open. Murray has a blockbuster night-session showdown with Nick Kyrgios on his hands. Federer will take the court during the day against Leonardo Mayer.

Previews and picks for some of Tuesday’s schedule:

Nick Kyrgios vs. (3) Andy Murray

If there is one rule involving Kyrgios, it’s to expect the unexpected. The 20-year-old Australian better hope that is the case on Tuesday, because an upset of Murray right now would not just unexpected–it would be downright shocking. Whereas Kyrgios has been in the news for his mouth and clearly distracted because of it (he is 0-2 overall and 0-4 in sets since the match against Stan Wawrinka), a no-nonsense Murray rolled to the Montreal title and the Cincinnati semifinals. The fact that the 2012 champion is 3-0 in this head-to-head series and 8-0 in total sets makes this match even more of a slam dunk for him. Murray in 3.

Leonardo Mayer vs. (2) Roger Federer

The second-ranked Swiss played only one warmup tournament on American hard courts this summer, but one proved to be more than enough. Federer flew to a seventh Cincinnati title, playing brilliant tennis the entire way. These two veterans squared off for the first and only time in their careers last fall at the Shanghai Masters, where Mayer got a look at five match points only to succumb 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7). At No. 33 in the world, the Argentine missed out on a U.S. Open seed by a mere one spot and it has obviously affected his draw in the worst way. With Federer playing better tennis and undoubtedly more inspired that he was in Shanghai, this one should be nowhere near as tense. Federer in 3.

Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. (12) Richard Gasquet

These two just faced each other in Cincinnati, where Gasquet prevailed 7-6(5), 6-2. Yes, Kokkinakis was playing soon after the Kyrgios escapade began, but there is no real reason to expect anything much different this time around. Gasquet is simply playing too well right now and he is no stranger to success at the U.S. Open. The Cincinnati quarterfinalist reached the semis in New York in 2013 and he has been to the fourth round on four other occasions. Kokkinakis is fit enough to go five (see is dramatics at the Australian Open and French Open), but he may not get there against such a tough opponent. Gasquet in 4.

(29) Philipp Kohlschreiber vs. (Q) Alexander Zverev

Kohlschreiber is generally a solid all-court player, but he has been in complete clay-court mode this season. He event went back to the slow stuff after Wimbledon and captured a title in Kitzbuhel, which is why he is seeded at the U.S. Open. His hard-court summer, however, has consisted of nothing more than an opening loss to Joao Sousa in Cincinnati. Kohlschreiber is a horrendous 4-7 on hard courts in 2015 and has not won a tournament match on hards over anyone ranked better than 83rd in the world. This all-German affair is a prime opportunity for Zverev, who did well to qualify for the main draw. The 18-year-old is in outstanding form and already has 10 hard-court matches under his belt this summer. Zverev in 4.

(WC) Jared Donaldson vs. Lukas Rosol

Ricky: This isn’t Rosol’s first rodeo going up against a teenager in round one of the U.S. Open, but he may hope it’s his last. The Czech got destroyed by Borna Coric 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 last year. Of course, it hardly matters whom Rosol plays in New York. He has never won a main-draw match at this event and he is a shocking 1-12 lifetime in total sets. Donaldson is not as established as Coric, so Rosol will at least have a better chance this time around. But the with the up-and-coming American in fine form, he should be able to extend Rosol’s ridiculous U.S. Open woes. Donaldson in 4.

(15) Kevin Anderson vs. (Q) Andrey Rublev

Both Anderson and Rublev were busy and successful this past week. Due to early losses in Montreal and Cincinnati, Anderson needed some extra match practice and took a wild card into the Winston-Salem Open. The rest is history. He reeled off five straight wins to capture the third ATP title of his career. Rublev had to qualify for the main draw and that is exactly what he did. The Russian teenager owns eight ATP-level match victories in his short career, seven of which have already come during what has been a breakout 2015 campaign. This is the youngster’s first main-draw appearance at a Grand Slam and just his second major in any form (he previously lost in Wimbledon qualifying this summer). Anderson in 4.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: 10sballs.com, 2015 U.S. Open, Alexander Zverev, Andy Murray, Arthur Ashe Stadium, Atp World Tour, Flushing Meadows, Leonardo Mayer, New York, Nick Kyrgios, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Richard Gasquet, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis News, Thanasi Kokkinakis, US Open tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

August 31, 2015 at 8:16 pm

-@Dimonator’s DAY 2 PICKS AT THE @usopen #TENNIS INCLUDING @andy_murray VS. @NickKyrgios AND GASQUET VS @TKokkinakis- http://t.co/QcXCeRetQO