Each day during the US Open, we'll preview and predict three must-see matches.
Elina Svitolina [4] vs. Madison Keys [15]
Here’s a rare case at this year’s Open of two seeds, and two pre-tournament dark horses, who have made it as far as they were supposed to. With five titles in 2017, Svitolina has been one of the WTA’s players of the year, while Keys is still someone most prognosticators believe will win majors someday. With news of Serena Williams’ potential 2018 return making the rounds, Keys and Svitolina must feel as if they need to make some Grand Slam hay while the sun is still shining on them. They’ve played just once, in New Haven in 2015, and Keys was up a set and a break when Svitolina retired. This match will rest mostly on the American’s racquet. If she’s inspired enough by playing in front of a Labor Day home crowd, she could roll. But if she’s off at all, the workmanlike Svitolina, who has grown in confidence with each passing month this season, will be ready to take advantage.
Winner: Svitolina