Before each day’s play at the U.S. Open, Steve Tignor will preview and predict three must-see matches.
Milos Raonic vs. Ryan Harrison
Harrison may be the most pleasant surprise of the summer in U.S. tennis. Once touted as a future Slam contender, he’s now 24 and ranked No. 120, but he’s on something of a roll right now. Harrison won two main-draw matches in D.C. and Toronto, came through qualifying at the Open without dropping a set and won his first-round match—also in straight sets—over 54th-ranked Adrian Mannarino. Is all of that going to come to a grinding halt against the sixth-ranked Raonic? Harrison does own a win over Raonic, at Indian Wells in 2011, but while the American has made strides of late, the Canadian, who reached the Wimbledon final, has made bigger ones.
Winner: Raonic
CiCi Bellis vs. Shelby Rogers
World No. 49 vs. world No. 158 may not sound like much of a match to watch, let alone one to remember. But these two Americans should draw a crowd in the new Grandstand. Bellis was the toast of New York two years ago, when she won a main-draw match as a 15-year-old. Now, at the ripe old age of 17, she looks ready for Act II. Bellis won two matches in Stanford this summer, qualified for the Open and won her first-round match here. Now the crowd-pleasing Californian will face the higher-ranked and bigger-hitting Rogers, who made her own Cinderella run to the quarters at Roland Garros this spring. They’ve played once, at a $75K event on clay this season, and Rogers won in three sets.
Winner: Rogers
Novak Djokovic vs. Jiri Vesely
One question looms over the men’s draw at the moment: How is Novak Djokovic’s physical state? Before the tournament, it was his left wrist that was bothering him; during his first-round match, though, Djokovic had treatment on his right arm. We’ll find out more about what, if anything, is ailing him in this one. In their only meeting, Vesely upset Djokovic in the opening round in Monte Carlo this spring. The left-handed Czech is ranked No. 49, but based on his more notable results—wins over Djokovic in Monte Carlo and Dominic Thiem at Wimbledon—he seems like he should be ranked much higher. Even if Djokovic is at full strength, Vesely won’t be an easy out. But what are the chances the world No. 1 is going to lose to the world No. 49 two straight times?
Winner: Djokovic