RICKY DIMON’S DAY 6 PICKS AT THE U.S. OPEN, INCLUDING FEDERER VS. KOHLSCHREIBER AND GASQUET VS. TOMIC AND DONALD YOUNG JR. VS. TROICKI

Written by: Staff on 4th September 2015

RICKY DIMON'S DAY 6 PICKS AT THE U.S. OPEN, INCLUDING FEDERER VS. KOHLSCHREIBER AND GASQUET VS. TOMIC AND DONALD YOUNG JR. VS. TROICKI

epa04911905 Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return to Steve Darcis of Belgium during their match on the fourth day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 03 September 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/JASON SZENES |

Ricky’s Day 6 picks at the U.S. Open, including Federer vs. Kohlschreiber and Gasquet vs. Tomic

By Ricky Dimon

Third-round action at the U.S. Open will conclude on Saturday with the likes of Roger Federer and Andy Murray taking the court. They are set for respective meetings with Philipp Kohlschreiber and Thomaz Bellucci. Also on the schedule is Bernard Tomic. Two days after outlasting Lleyton Hewitt in a five-set thriller, Tomic will go up against Richard Gasquet.

Previews and picks for some of Saturday’s schedule:

(29) Philipp Kohlschreiber vs. (2) Roger Federer

For the first time in four years, Kohlschreiber will not be going up against John Isner in the third round of the U.S. Open. And that is bad news for the German, who beat Isner in 2012, in 2013, and again in 2014. Now it is none other than Federer who will stand on the other side of the net on Saturday as the two veterans prepare to square off for the 10th time in their careers. Federer, not too surprisingly, is looking to get the best of Kohlschreiber for the 10th time in a row. Kohlschreiber was competitive in Halle, but right now Federer is fresh off a Cincinnati title and has lost a mere nine games through two rounds in New York. Federer in 3.

(24) Bernard Tomic vs. (12) Richard Gasquet

Only one point separated Hewitt from continued U.S. Open life and a date with Gasquet in the third round. But Tomic has noting to apologize for after denying his fellow Aussie such an opportunity. Tomic turned in a clutch, gutsy performance to beat Hewitt from two match points down on Thursday night. The 22-year-old has been predictably inconsistent in 2015, but when motivated he has been able to produce some impressive results. Clearly he is motivated to do well in New York. Gasquet also had to give five, but he got a first-round retirement from Thanasi Kokkinakis. The Frenchman then beat Robin Haase in four sets. Gasquet’s consistent form this summer and 5-1 edge in the head-to-head series give him a slight advantage in what could be another nail-biter. Gasquet in 5.

(30) Thomaz Bellucci vs. (3) Andy Murray

Murray made things interesting on Thursday afternoon, but they did not stay interesting for long. Although the third-ranked Scot dropped the first two sets of his second-round battle against Adrian Mannarino, he had no trouble whatsoever erasing the deficit. Murray, who withstood a tough first-round challenge from Nick Kyrgios in round one, recovered to defeat Mannarino 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1. Bellucci won their only previous encounter, but it came four years ago on clay. The Brazilian does not have the benefit of the red stuff under his feet this time around. Murray in 3.

(15) Kevin Anderson vs. (20) Dominic Thiem

Thiem is just 22 years old, but he has already been to a fourth round of the U.S. Open (last summer). He crushed Feliciano Lopez during third-round action in 2014. This one will not be so easy. After all, Anderson pushed Novak Djokovic to five sets at Wimbledon and he is coming off a title in Winston-Salem. Thiem’s hard-court preparation did not go well, but it has not mattered in convincing wins over Daniel Gimeno-Traver and Denis Istomin. Now the Austrian has some momentum, which combined with incredible natural talent is a dangerous recipe for opponents. Thiem in 5.

(22) Viktor Troicki vs. Donald Young

Troicki could not have asked for a much better draw at the U.S. Open. He opened with two unseeded and relatively unheralded Americans in Frances Tiafoe and Rajeev Ram. Now he faces Young, also unseeded but in an all likelihood a much tougher opponent. The world No. 68 is hoping to reach the fourth round of this event for a second time, having previously done so in 2011. Young is one of those streaky players whose lows are quite low and hot streaks are scorching. This current run, which includes an upset of Gilles Simon from two sets and 3-0 in the third down, could put Young on a serious roll. Young in 4.

Donald Young of the US hits a return to Aljaz Bedene of Great Britain during their match on the fourth day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 03 September 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/PETER FOLEY

(13) John Isner vs. Jiri Vesely

So much for Isner vs. Ivo Karlovic. That huge-serving matchup almost became a reality, but Vesely outlasted Karlovic in a third-set tiebreaker on Thursday. Thus it will be a first-ever meeting between the American and the Czech on Saturday. Isner rolled through his first two matches without losing a set. Improbably, he did not even have to play a single tiebreaker. Vesely is a tough opponent, but he ain’t no Philipp Kohlschreiber. At long last, Isner gets to play someone else in the third round of the U.S. Open. Isner in 4.

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

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Bernard Tomic, Dominic Thiem, Donald Young, Flushing Meadows, Jiri Vesely, John Isner, Kevin Anderson, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Richard Gasquet, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, sports news, Tennis, Thomaz Bellucci, US Open tennis, Viktor Troicki

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10sBalls_com says:

September 4, 2015 at 10:45 am

-@Dimonator’s DAY 6 PICKS AT THE @usopen, INCLUDING @rogerfederer VS KOHLSCHREIBER AND GASQUET VS TOMIC- http://t.co/FWHG5bekkM #USOpen2015
Dimonator says:

September 4, 2015 at 10:53 am

RT @10sBalls_com: -@Dimonator’s DAY 6 PICKS AT THE @usopen, INCLUDING @rogerfederer VS KOHLSCHREIBER AND GASQUET VS TOMIC- http://t.co/FWHG…