10SBALLS NEWS – RICKY DIMON’S PICKS FOR DAY 5 AT THE U.S. OPEN TENNIS, INCLUDING RAFAEL RAFA NADAL, JO-WILLI TSONGA, MARIN CILIC, JACK SOCK

Written by: Staff on 1st September 2016

10SBALLS NEWS - RICKY DIMON'S PICKS FOR DAY 5 AT THE U.S. OPEN TENNIS, INCLUDING RAFAEL RAFA NADAL, JO-WILLI TSONGA, MARIN CILIC, JACK SOCK

epa05518521 Rain falls on the fourth day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 01 September 2016. While inclement weather still stops all outer court play, the new retractable roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time allows the main court play to continue regardless of rainfall. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Perfect through two matches having not dropped a single set, Rafael Nadal will be back in action at the U.S. Open when he faces Andrey Kuznetsov on Friday. Another showdown between two players who have already squared off in 2016 pits 2014 champion Marin Cilic against Jack Sock. Jo-Wilfied Tsonga and Kevin Anderson are also bidding for a place in the last 16.

Ricky previews and makes his predictions for three of the most intriguing Friday matchups:

(4) Rafael Nadal vs. Andrey Kuznetsov

Already a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows, Nadal made a little bit more tournament history on Wednesday night when he and Andreas Seppi contested the first match under the Arthur Ashe Stadium closed roof. As for the actual tennis, itself, there was little intrigue. Nadal cruised past the veteran underdog 6-0, 7-5, 6-1 and has dropped only 13 total games through two rounds. Thus continues an encouraging comeback from wrist issues for the world No. 5, who had been sidelined since the French Open before finishing in fourth place at the Rio Olympics.

Up next for Nadal is a fourth career meeting with Kuznetsov, whom he has already defeated twice this season. The Russian was competitive in a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 Doha quarterfinal setback, but he got clobbered 6-3, 6-3 on the red clay of Madrid. They also collided at Roland Garros in 2015, when Nadal coasted 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. This slam should give Kuznetsov a better opportunity, as he is through to the last 32 for the second time in just three appearances thanks to victories over Thomaz Bellucci (four) and Albert Ramos-Vinolas (straight). But how good of an opportunity? Well, not very good.

Pick: Nadal in 3

(26) Jack Sock vs. (7) Marin Cilic

Marin Cilic of Croatia hits a return to Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine on the third day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2016. The US Open runs through September 11. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Cilic and Sock will be squaring off for the second time in their careers and for the second time this summer. Their only previous contest came during the recent Davis Cup quarters, with Sock benefiting from home-court advantage in the U.S.A. to pull off a 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 upset. It has been downhill ever since for the American, at least in singles (he captured the doubles bronze medal with Steve Johnson). Sock lost the decisive fifth rubber of the Davis Cup tie versus Croatia to Borna Coric and was the victim of a bad Olympic first-round setback against Taro Daniel. But the world No. 27 has erased demons of 2014 and 2015 U.S. Open retirements with wins this fortnight over Taylor Fritz (in five) and Mischa Zverev (6-1, 6-1, 6-2).

The champion of this tournament in 2014, Cilic–outside of the obvious top contenders–is looking like a possible title winner once again. Cilic recently won his first-ever Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati and so far in NYC he has hammered Rogerio Dutra Silva and Sergiy Stakhovsky in easy straight sets. Sock will be a much tougher adversary than the first two, but Cilic is too confident at the moment and simply too good in Flushing Meadows.

Pick: Cilic in 4

Marcos Baghdatis vs. (Q) Ryan Harrison

Ryan Harrison of the US hits a return to Milos Raonic of Canada on the third day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2016. The US Open runs through September 11. EPA/PETER FOLEY

Finally! For the first time in his career, Harrison is through to the third round of a Grand Slam. Although he is still just 24 years old, big things have been expected of the American since he earned his first ATP-level match victory at 15. After showing brief signs of living up to those lofty expectations, Harrison all but disappeared from the main tour over the past few years. This summer, though, the world No. 120 is once again playing some of the best tennis of his life. He successfully qualified and reached the third round in both Washington, D.C. and at the Toronto Masters, also qualified for this U.S. Open, and is now in round three following wins over Adrian Mannarino and Milos Raonic. Harrison cruised past Mannarino 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-3 and benefited from a hobbled Raonic to stun the world No. 6 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 on Wednesday.

Up next for Harrison is a third career showdown against Baghdatis, with the head-to-head series even at 1-1. Baghdatis took their only previous ATP-level meeting 7-6(7), 6-4 at the 2012 Brisbane tournament before Harrison got the job done 7-6(8), 6-4 in the final of the 2015 Happy Valley Challenger. Whereas round two of slams had been Harrison’s undoing, the third round has proven to be a massive roadblock for Baghdatis of late. In fact, the 44th-ranked Cypriot has lost eight consecutive matches at this stage of slams dating back to the 2010 Australian Open.

Pick: Harrison in 4

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

Topics: 10sballs.com, 2016 US Open, Andrey Kuznetsov, jack sock, Marcos Baghdatis, Marin Cilic, Rafa Nadal, Ryan Harrison, Sports, Tennis News, US Open tennis

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_Riceburger_ says:

September 1, 2016 at 9:35 am

RT @10sBalls_com: -@Dimonator’s Picks For Day 5 At The #USOpen #Tennis, Including Nadal, Tsonga, Cilic, Sock
https://t.co/YKuiYixjjg https:…
loveyjergens says:

September 1, 2016 at 10:56 am

RT @10sBalls_com: -@Dimonator’s Picks For Day 5 At The #USOpen #Tennis, Including Nadal, Tsonga, Cilic, Sock
https://t.co/YKuiYixjjg https:…