RICKY’S PREVIEW AND PICK • 2017 U.S. OPEN • ROGER FEDERER VS. FELICIANO LOPEZ & RAFA NADAL VS. MAYER

Written by: Staff on 1st September 2017

RICKY'S PREVIEW AND PICK • 2017 U.S. OPEN • ROGER FEDERER VS. FELICIANO LOPEZ & RAFA NADAL VS. MAYER

epa06172646 Feliciano Lopez of Spain hits a return to Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia on the third day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 30 August 2017. The US Open runs through September 10. EPA-EFE/ANDREW GOMBERT |

By Ricky Dimon

Editors Note • we rarely put a note above a story. Right now the team at 10sballs are all positioned everywhere on both the ladies and men’s tournament. It’s a fabulous U.S. Open. It’s just had a great energy. Ok. Here’s the remarks on Rickys picks. {Tracy Austin are you reading this? We are questioning your @Dimonator.}

First match we choose Federer in three sets – possibly four. Five tops. But Federer for certain!

We are good with RAFA NADAL in three.. Agree

We disagree again • We see Delpo same as Roger in Three, Four or five sets • but going to the Big Guy.

We love DOM but we think he is tired. He has played a ton of tennis. Few breaks. Rests. Yes he has the brilliance of Alex Stober on his Team. But it’s a mere mortals thing… So going with Mannarino in four maybe five sets.

Last match here Ricky. We choose Goffin in we don’t know how many sets. Just saying… (LJ)

U.S. Open third-round action will resume on Saturday, when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are once again taking the court in a packed top half of the draw. Nadal is taking on lucky loser Leonardo Mayer, while Federer is facing Feliciano Lopez. Juan Martin Del Potro and Dominic Thiem are also in action.

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

(31) Feliciano Lopez vs. (3) Roger Federer: Lopez has been in lackluster form since winning Queen’s Club earlier this summer. The good news for him is that his form won’t matter much in this one. If Federer is close to 100 percent, Federer will win. If Federer is hurt, Federer will lose. The fact that almost anyone in the draw other than Mikhail Youzhny would have defeated Federer on Thursday does not bode well for the 36-year-old. His back looks shot. Pick: Lopez in 4.

(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (LL) Leonardo Mayer: Nadal’s health is not a problem for once. The surface, however, is. He has slumped since capturing another French Open title and he was down a set and a break to Taro Daniel before recovering to get the job done on Thursday night. The competition level remains low for this one, as Mayer is a lucky loser who fell in qualifying to Maximilian Marterer of all people. This should be a beatdown for Nadal, who at least played better in the second half of his match against Daniel. Pick: Nadal in 3.

(11) Roberto Bautista Agut vs. (24) Juan Martin Del Potro: Which man has a better chance to win this up-for-grabs title? Del Potro by a mile because he has the game with which to beat the best players in the world. But which man has a better chance in this single match? Well, the thing with Bautista is that he can’t beat anyone ranked ahead of him but he also never loses to guys he shouldn’t lose to. And right now he shouldn’t lose to Del Potro. The Spaniard is in stellar form and Del Potro just hasn’t risen to any occasions this season. Bautista Agut in 4.

(30) Adrian Mannarino vs. (6) Dominic Thiem: Contrary to what Thiem’s 5-0 record against Mannarino suggests, this is a fascinating matchup. It’s one guy (Thiem) who plays as far from the baseline as possible and takes massive cuts at the ball vs. another guy (Mannarino) who plays as close to the baseline as possible and barely takes a backswing. Thiem would roll at the French Open; Mannarino would cruise at Wimbledon. At the U.S. Open, it should be competitive. Thiem in 4.

(9) David Goffin vs. (18) Gael Monfils: All three previous encounters have gone the distance (Monfils leads it 2-1). Both players both went the distance on Thursday, five-setters against Donald Young (Monfils) and Guido Pella (Goffin). This one could go five, too, but I like Monfils to finish a difficult one in four. Goffin has been out due to injury and is not match-tough. Monfils in 4.