Before each day's play in Flushing Meadows, we'll preview and predict three must-see matches.
One comes from the States, the other comes from Great Britain via Slovenia, but there’s not much to separate these two otherwise. Both are 26 years old, and they’re ranked within 10 spots of each other. Bedene won their only meeting, in three sets, indoors in Vienna in 2012. This one, which is back on DY’s favorite Court 17, may depend on whether the American can avoid a letdown after his big win on Tuesday, a comeback from two sets down over 11th seed Gilles Simon. Young doesn’t have a history of following up well, but he didn’t have a history of making comebacks until two days ago. Winner: Bedene
Isner has a chance to play Federer in the fourth round, but he’s had opportunities like that in the past here and has failed to get there. The road won’t be any easier this time. Youzhny is 33 and ranked just 93rd right now, but he’s 2-0 against Isner, and he won their only meeting at the Open, in four sets, in 2010. Isner is better than he was then, and after a straightforward first-round win, he should be fresh. Win or lose, he may not be fresh after this one. Winner: Isner
The Aussies have never played. For two guys from the same country, they couldn’t be more different in attitude. The 34-year-old Hewitt is the grinder’s grinder; the 22-year-old Tomic is the talented flake’s talented flake. But when it comes to their games, they’re more similar than you might think. Each likes to think and feel his way through rallies, pushing, pulling, slicing, and finding ways to force his opponent in awkward positions. We know Rusty, who is playing his last Grand Slam, will be up for the fight. If Tomic, who was accused of tanking at the Open a few years ago, is as well—and if he’s not intimidated by playing his sometime mentor—this could be interesting. Long, too. Winner: Hewitt