Three to See, Day 6: Will Federer have an easier time of it Saturday?

Each day during the US Open, we'll preview and predict three must-see matches.

Roger Federer [3] vs. Feliciano Lopez [31]

After winning Wimbledon without dropping a set, Federer has apparently decided to try to win all of his matches at the US Open in five sets. If so, it’s a long-shot effort: The only player in the Open era to win a Slam after going five in the first two rounds was Boris Becker at the 1996 Australian Open. But Federer says he feels good, and he certainly has a draw that’s working for him. After running his record to 17-0 against Mikhail Youzhny on Thursday, he’ll try to get to 13-0 against Lopez on Saturday. Federer hasn’t lost a set to Feli since 2011, but he’ll have to play better than he did against Youzhny. Lopez may only be ranked 40th, but he won a significant title at Queen’s Club this year, and he pushed Federer hard in a night match here—was it really that long ago?—in 2007.

Winner: Federer

Coco Vandeweghe [20] vs. Agnieszka Radwanska [10]

Anyone who watched these two play in Toronto last month knows that the Pole poses a matchup problem for the American. Radwanska leads their head to head 5-1, and all of her wins have come in straight sets; Vandweghe’s lone victory was a three-setter on grass last year. Radwanska makes Vandweghe do what she doesn’t want to have to do: Hit one—or two, or 10—more balls, and hit them from uncomfortable positions. But Vandeweghe’s game and concentration have improved with coach Pat Cash. This will be a good test of how far she’s come and, most likely, how far she has to go.

Winner: Radwanska

Madison Keys [15] vs. Elena Vesnina [17]

The top half of the women’s draw can’t rival the now-legendary bottom half of the men’s draw for chaos, but there is plenty of opportunity here. Keys and Vesnina are in the section that was vacated by Angelique Kerber, and the highest seed near them is Elina Svitolina, who has never been to the semis of a major. The American and the Russian will close the night session with some hard hitting; Keys has won their two meetings, and would seem to be in better form right now. But Vesnina won’t go without a fight.

Winner: Keys

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