ROGER FEDERER U.S. OPEN STARTS TUES/NIGHT • RICKY’S PREVIEW & PICKS FOR DAY 2 • INCLUDING FEDERER VS. TIAFOE AND NADAL VS. LAJOVIC

Written by: Staff on 28th August 2017

ROGER FEDERER U.S. OPEN STARTS TUES/NIGHT • RICKY'S PREVIEW & PICKS FOR DAY 2 • INCLUDING FEDERER VS. TIAFOE AND NADAL VS. LAJOVIC

epa06169134 Fans watch play on the outer courts beneath Arthur Ashe Stadium on the first day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 28 August 2017. The US Open runs through September 10. EPA-EFE/JUSTIN LANE |

By Ricky Dimon

The U.S. Open first round concludes on Tuesday, when both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal kick off their campaigns. Federer is facing Frances Tiafoe, while Nadal is going up against Dusan Lajovic. Nick Kyrgios, Gael Monfils, Tomas Berdych, and Fernando Verdasco are also in action.

Ricky previews some of the more intriguing matchups and makes his predictions.

(3) Roger Federer vs. Frances Tiafoe: Tiafoe accounted himself extremely well in his only previous date with Federer, a 7-6(2), 6-3 setback earlier this year in Miami. But a showdown against the 19-time major winner during a night session in Arthur Ashe Stadium is a whole different beast. It will be a good experience for the 19-year-old but also a tough one. If Federer’s back is even close to 100 percent, he is a clear favorite to win this title. Federer in 3.

John Millman vs. (14) Nick Kyrgios: Aside from their country of origin, these two Australians could not be any more different. Kyrgios is a combustible character who is oozing with talent throughout his big-hitting game. Millman, on the other hand, is generally considered to be one of the nicest guys on the ATP Tour and he gets the absolute most out of his game even though his natural ability is not exactly off the charts. Advantage: Kyrgios…as long as his hip is 100 percent–and it looked like it was en route to the Cincinnati final. Kyrgios in 3.

(1) Rafael Nadal vs. Dusan Lajovic: Nadal has not been past the fourth round since winning a second U.S. Open title in 2013. But this year’s version of Nadal is turning back the clock. He boasts a 49-9 record that includes a 10th French Open title and a runner-up performance at the Australian Open. Lajovic, meanwhile, is 0-8 lifetime against top 10 opponents (0-1 against Nadal) and 2-21 in total sets against those foes (0-3 against Nadal). Nadal in 3.

Jeremy Chardy vs. (18) Gael Monfils: This will be the third meeting between the two Frenchmen and the third in round one of a major. Monfils got the best of it at the 2009 U.S. Open before Chardy won in five sets at Wimbledon in 2016. Chapter 3 may not be high in quality, because Monfils is once again a physical question mark and Chardy has not played since Wimbledon. Monfils loves playing in New York City, so he should coast if fit. Monfils in 3.

Ryan Harrison vs. (15) Tomas Berdych: Berdych vs. Harrison is starting to get old–at least for Harrison. They have squared off three times, all in the last 13 months–and all have gone Berdych’s way. He most recently beat Harrison 6-4, 6-3, 6-7(8), 6-3 earlier this summer at the All-England Club. Harrison is playing some of the best tennis of his career right now, but he simply does not have the same kind of firepower that the Czech possesses. Berdych in 4.

Marcos Baghdatis vs. (WC) Taylor Fritz: Baghdatis and Fritz came close to playing each other in Winston-Salem, but Baghdatis lost to Roberto Bautista Agut and Fritz fell to the Spaniard one day later. Now they will collide on a much grander stage in New York. Fritz is slowly rounding into form after spending the early stages of this season on fitness as opposed to getting matches under his belt. Baghdatis is also playing decent tennis these days he reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open last summer, but he is on the way down and Fritz is on the way up. It’s the American’s time. Fritz in 4.

Fernando Verdasco vs. Vasek Pospisil: This matchup would have been especially fun a couple of years ago. But Verdasco is past his prime and Pospisil is stuck in a prolonged funk–at least compared to the standards he set for himself with a 2015 Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance. The Spaniard has shown decent form of late, whereas Pospisil is a disastrous 1-6 in his last seven matches dating back to late June. Verdasco in 3.