Three to See: US Open, Day 4: Barty vs. Tauson; Fritz vs. Brooksby; Nishikori vs. McDonald

WATCH: Ash Barty is a dominant No. 1

[1] Ash Barty vs. Clara Tauson

For the second time in three days, an 18-year-old from Denmark will take on a world No. 1. On Tuesday night, Holger Rune acquitted himself well and won a set against Novak Djokovic. Can Tauson make the same kind of inroads against Barty? Like Rune, Tauson is a former world junior No. 1, and she may come even more highly touted than he does. But the pro tour is a different world from the juniors, and Tauson’s transition has had its predictable ups and downs. She lost in the second round at Roland Garros and the first round at Wimbledon, but two weeks ago she won a title at a WTA event in Chicago.

If nothing else, Tauson will offer a stark contrast to Barty. The teenager is 6’0” and a heavy ball-striker with a point-ending forehand. Will she be able to handcuff the smaller, finesse-oriented Barty with her power, or will Barty use all of her guile, experience, and spin to teach her young opponent a lesson in top-tier tennis? I’m going with the latter. Winner: Barty

Taylor Fritz vs. Jenson Brooksby

Two Californians at slightly different stages of their careers will face off for the first time. Fritz, 23, is ranked No. 42 and has been poised on the brink of a Grand Slam breakthrough for a while now. Brooksby, 20, has made his name known to U.S. fans this summer with a run to the final in Newport, and the semis at the Citi Open.

Fritz plays classic serve-plus-one power tennis, while Brooksby crafts his points with drop shots, surprising spins, and stealth charges to the net. Can Brooksby absorb Fritz’s pace in time to redirect it? Can Fritz build on the momentum he must feel after beating Alex De Minaur for the first time on Tuesday night? Which one of these guys has the brighter future? We’ll find out more on Thursday. Winner: Fritz

Kei Nishikori vs. Mackenzie McDonald

Neither of these two men is seeded, or a threat to win the tournament. But if smooth, easy, speedy tennis is what you like, this is a match to pull up a seat to and enjoy.

Nishikori and McDonald are both 5’10 and 160 pounds, and with their excellent wheels and two-handed backhands, their games can seem like mirror images. They’ve put those games up against each other just once, at the Citi Open last month, and McDonald won in three crowd-pleasing sets. There were a lot of quality rallies between them in D.C., and I’d be surprised if there weren’t in New York as well. At 31, Nishikori, a former finalist here, has had the much better career. But at 26, McDonald’s still has room to grow. The winner likely gets Djokovic. Winner: McDonald