US Open Tennis Day 7 Picks 2024 (Sunday 1st September)

The Carlos Alcaraz loss in the Second Round was a big upset, but the men's draw lost Novak Djokovic the next day and it really feels like the US Open is a wide open tournament.

With Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev on a collision course as soon as the Quarter Final, the rest of those making it through to the second week have to feel a big opportunity has presented itself with the defeats suffered by two of the top three players in the World Rankings.

It also means we have now reached another year without a men's Champion defending their title at the US Open with the last being Roger Federer all the way back in 2008.

The hope really springs for the likes of Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Zverev in the bottom half of the draw, but others like Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and home hope Frances Tiafoe will have their supporters.

And Alexei Popyrin might be trying to back up an upset, but he is the Canadian Masters Champion and looks to be playing about as well as he ever has.

Usually it has been the women's draws that have tended to lose big name Seeds before the second week of Grand Slams, but the top names are still working their way towards the title. As we reach the Fourth Round, things can change very quickly and there are some good looking matches heading out onto the court on Day 7 at the tournament.

Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 games v Elise Mertens: There have been some major upsets in the men's tournament, but the top of the women's market has been largely unaffected by any upsets so far at the US Open. The only one missing is Elena Rybakina, but she pulled out with an injury prior to her Third Round match.

The two time Australian Open Champion, Aryna Sabalenka, has made it through to the Fourth Round at the US Open again and she continues to look like the player to beat. However, there are going to be some mental obstacles to overcome for Sabalenka who has suffered some heartbreaking losses at the business end of the US Open throughout her career.

Back to back Semi Final exits was followed by reaching the Final twelve months ago and Aryna Sabalenka will feel she had her chances to win that match too.

She has largely been comfortable through the first three Rounds and it is not a bad thing that Aryna Sabalenka had to overcome some resistance in the Third Round. A confident player, Sabalenka has found her very best form on the hard courts and a huge game all around makes her very tough to stop.

Elise Mertens can tell you all about that having struggled to compete with the big hitting World Number 2 and the former World Number 12 is really going to have to step up her level if she is going to give Sabalenka something to think about.

A lot of the successes that Mertens has on the Tour is down to her return game, but this is a serve that has troubled her regularly. While she won the first hard court match against Sabalenka, Elise Mertens has now lost five in a row to this opponent on this surface and the most recent matches have seen her blown away as the Belgian has struggled to make much of an impact on the return.

Failing to do that means Mertens is under pressure when it comes to her own serve, which can be vulnerable, and an aggressive Aryna Sabalenka is not likely to allow her opponent to settle into those games. Too many second serves will be exploited, and it is no surprise that Aryna Sabalenka has broken the Mertens serve at least four times in each of the last five hard court matches against one another.

Earlier in her career, Aryna Sabalenka was perhaps not as convincing at protecting serve against someone like Mertens who will be looking to get as many balls back into play. However, in the last three matches on the hard courts, Sabalenka has only dropped serve four times combined against this opponent and that has allowed her to dominate on the scoreboard.

A solid three wins will give Elise Mertens confidence, but this has been a tough match up for her and Aryna Sabalenka may be able to move through the gears to produce a strong win.

Coco Gauff - 2.5 games v Emma Navarro: A rematch of a meeting at Wimbledon, you can see how much Emma Navarro has improved and how much more respected she is by the prices.

At Wimbledon, Coco Gauff was a huge favourite, but it was Emma Navarro who came through with the victory as she upset her compatriot. It was a deserved win and it will give Navarro a lot of credit when these two players meet in the Fourth Round at the US Open.

The build up to the US Open has been more positive for Emma Navarro compared with Coco Gauff, but it is the higher Ranked player who is the defending Champion. And despite both players being from the United States, it is almost certain that Coco Gauff will be the fan favourite having won in New York City and just having a higher profile all around.

She has yet to really show her best in the tournament, but Coco Gauff has played at a consistent level and that will give her belief as she looks for revenge for the defeat at Wimbledon. Character was shown in coming from behind to beat Elina Svitolina in the last Round and that should certainly bolster the mood in what has been an underwhelming season by the high standards that Gauff has set.

Emma Navarro was also able to get the best of a Ukrainian in the Third Round, but her win was much tighter and she was perhaps a little fortunate when all was said and done. Winning breeds momentum though and Navarro may feel she has the consistency of tennis that can cause problems for Coco Gauff, who has been a lot more up and down with her level of performances over the last few months.

However, the motivation of earning a touch of revenge for the defeat at Wimbledon should inspire Coco Gauff. She might have made her breakthrough on the Tour in SW19 in London, but Gauff is a much more effective grass court player than a hard court one, even if this has not been the season the World Number 3 would have been expecting.

The men's draw have suffered some big upsets with two of the top three Seeds eliminated before the second week of the tournament, but Coco Gauff has the qualities to avoid the same.

Take nothing away from Emma Navarro and that win at Wimbledon will certainly means she is going to have plenty of belief in this match, but her serve can be vulnerable at times. She is 5-5 against top 20 Ranked players on the hard courts, which is not a bad record, but the Navarro numbers have dipped significantly in those matches and the conditions in New York City may favour Coco Gauff, especially with the memories of her win here twelve months ago.

The match should be a really good one, but Coco Gauff should be able to cover this handicap mark even if she needs to win a deciding set.

Brandon Nakashima-Alexander Zverev over 36.5 games: There were plenty of knowledgable people speaking about the potential of Brandon Nakashima and he looked to be heading towards the top 20 of the World Rankings two years ago. He actually won the Next Gen World Tour Finals at the end of 2022, but injury has just stalled the career.

However, Brandon Nakashima has enjoyed a solid summer hard court series in the build towards the US Open, although Andrey Rublev ended his run at both Masters events played.

Some might have had their confidence dented, but not Nakashima who has won three matches here and two of those have been against top 20 Ranked opponents. The American has seen off Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti, but the challenges continue to get tougher for Brandon Nakashima in what has become a very open bottom half of the men's draw.

Novak Djokovic's departure has opened things up for every player in this half of the draw, but it is a player like Alexander Zverev that will move into favouritism to reach the Final. He did that at the US Open before and was a French Open Finalist earlier this season, but the added pressure is going to be a factor for Alexander Zverev to deal with.

Alexander Zverev has dropped a couple of sets, but he has been largely comfortable in his three wins in the main draw. The last match was a tough one for Zverev, but he showed resiliency after the difficult first couple of sets and eventually rolled through to the second week of the US Open.

Both players have to rely on their serve to set up the rest of their tennis and both Nakashima and Zverev will know that they have to improve on the Third Round showings. Easing through those service games will allow the player to just show some aggressive intent on the return and try and keep the other under pressure and the conditions are going to be favourable for servers.

The German has won their two previous matches, which have both been in Grand Slams, including once at the US Open. The meeting in New York City was in 2020 when Brandon Nakashima was the World Number 223, but he pushed the then World Number 7 Alexander Zverev before fading.

A much stronger Nakashima should be able to keep this one very competitive and there is an opportunity for the upset.

In reality Alexander Zverev should have enough to beat Brandon Nakashima- the feeling is that he will have to come through some difficult moments though and this could be another competitive Grand Slam match played between the two. Both should be good enough to at least win a set and that should set the match on the way to surpassing this total games line.

MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Coco Gauff - 2.5 Games @ 1.61 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Brandon Nakashima-Alexander Zverev Over 36.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

US Open Update: 17-12, + 4.84 Units (58 Units Staked, + 8.34% Yield)

College Football Week 1 Picks 2024 (August 31-September 2)

The realignment of rhe College Football landscape had become clear towards the end of the 2023 season, but actually seeing the huge Conference and the disintegration of the Pac-12 will have gotten fans talking.

Instead of Divisions, the new look Conferences are still determining how they want to figure out their schedules in the years ahead and so they have not tied themselves down this year. Eventually you have to figure Divisions will be back as the best way to really separate teams and give us the 'best' possible Championship Games, although there is also beginning to be a feeling that College Football is moving in a direction similar to the NFL and the individual Conferences will end up being brought together under a single umbrella.

That will be something that will play out in the months and years ahead, but the focus in 2024 will be the expanded College Football PlayOff.

Teams have been encouraged to remove some of the easier games on the schedule outside of Conference play and instead face other Power Conference opponents and we see a number of high-profile games in Week 1 of the season. The one that will perhaps pick up the most attention is the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Clemson Tigers, two teams that will have big aspirations of being crowned National Champions at the end of the season.

There are plenty of other tough looking games and the Florida State Seminoles found out that you would be ill-advised to look past any opponent in any given week. However, with the expanded PlayOff, the Seminoles still have plenty to play as they look to bounce back to conclude Week 1 and there will be plenty of time impress with the schedule being played.

Big name players leave College Football every year as they look to take the next step in their careers in the pro Ranks, but Nick Saban was the big name Head Coach who called time on his tenure leading the Alabama Crimson Tide. He has left the school in good shape, but replacing Saban is going to be a huge challenge in the expanded SEC.

Moves have been made in other places too, but this was the big story at the end of the 2024 season and Saban will now allow the fans to all know his thoughts as an analyst going forward.

2024 was another good year for the NFL Picks, but not so much for the College Football selections. An improvement is going to be needed, but a good start will allow some momentum to be built and that has to be focus right now.

Poor weeks can be overcome, so the focus has to be on a week by week basis and not to worry too much about the end of season record while in August. Instead you have to believe that will take care of itself as long as some early consistency can be produced and that is the key in Week 1 of the 2024 year.

Georgia Bulldogs vs Clemson Tigers Pick: The College Football season of the Super-Conferences has kicked off with a big upset in Week 0, but Week 1 is when the majority of teams get underway.

In the ACC, the Florida State Seminoles were downed by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and that has just hardened the position of the Clemson Tigers when it comes to being the favourite to win the Championship. It will be a grind with the entire Conference placed in one Division, rather than the usual split Divisions, and the Clemson Tigers are coming into 2024 having produced their worst season in some time.

Any team that wins nine games in a season will be pleased, but the Clemson Tigers have set a really strong standard under Head Coach Dabo Swinney. It was the first time since 2010 that the Tigers had not ended the season with double digit wins and there is a pressure on this team to build on 2023 and make sure they are playing in the expanded College Football PlayOff this time around.

Only the Alabama Crimson Tide have had more invites into the College Football PlayOff than the Clemson Tigers, and missing out two years in a row will feel like a massive underperformance.

This time around, the Tigers bring an experienced Defensive unit back and they also have a Quarter Back that played last year and that is a boost for Clemson. No one will doubt the talent on the Defensive side of the ball, but the key for the Tigers is whether Cade Klubnik can grow having thrown for over 2800 passing yards and 19 Touchdowns last season.

Turnovers proved to be the Achilles Heel for Klubnik and he is going up against the Georgia Bulldogs Defensive unit that may be amongst the very best in College Football.

Last year was a disappointment for the Georgia Bulldogs- they won the National Championship in 2021 and 2022 and had been unbeaten until being upset in the SEC Championship Game. With so many Conference Champions producing strong seasons, the Bulldogs were another team left out of the PlayOff in controversial circumstances and this is a team that will head into 2024 looking to make a real statement.

Head Coach Kirby Smart has really taken the Bulldogs to the next level and any team that has won thirty-two of the last thirty-four games played since the beginning of the 2021 season has to be respected. The NFL will take some of the top talent, but this Bulldogs team is filled with those talented players ready to come in and show how good they can be and this is a team loaded again.

The consistency at Quarter Back is always a boost for the top contenders and Georgia will have Carson Beck behind Center in his second full season as the starter in this position. Last year he almost threw for 4000 yards and 24 Touchdowns, although Beck will know that his main ambition is to make sure he does not lose any game.

With a powerful Offensive Line, the Bulldogs can really grind opponents down with the run and even this Tigers Defensive Line may struggle to contain Georgia.

Both Defensive units are going to feel like they can control the outcome of this game, but the edge has to be with Georgia and the same can be said in the Quarter Back position. An expanded College Football PlayOff means there is perhaps less jeopardy in losing this opening game as there would have been last year, but both Dabo Swinney and Kirby Smart will be keen to see their team make a big, early statement.

The last time these teams met was in September 2021 and it was Georgia who won by 7 points in a game they had been the underdog. This is a big spread considering the kind of talent and expectations that the Clemson Tigers will have, but the Georgia Bulldogs will be angry about not being given a chance to three-peat as National Champions and they can come out and just remind the rest of their rivals about how good they can be.

Clemson have been a productive double digit underdog in recent years, but it is rare to find them in such a position- if the Quarter Back is still struggling with his turnovers, Georgia can make use of the extra possessions to win this game and cover a big mark.

Penn State Nittany Lions @ West Virginia Mountaineers Pick: Returning some key players on the Offensive side of the ball has raised expectations around the Penn State Nittany Lions who have won at least ten games in half of the ten seasons under current Head Coach James Franklin.

The problem in recent years has been the fact that Penn State have been playing in the same Division as the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes, two teams that have been regularly earning a spot in the College Football PlayOff. Adding the likes of the Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans to the Big Ten Conference has just meant a change in format in 2024 and the Nittany Lions are now part of one big Conference, rather than Divisions to win to earn a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.

It makes the expanded PlayOff a target for the Nittany Lions, but Head Coach Franklin has made it clear that this an immediate tough test right out of the gate. A real road game is always going to be tough to open a season, but even more so when travelling to face the West Virginia Mountaineers who play out of the new-look Big 12.

After three losing seasons in four, Head Coach Neal Brown had to be concerned about his chances of holding onto his job at the beginning of the 2023 season. However, the Mountaineers put together a 9-4 record, which included winning a Bowl Game, and West Virginia will also be bringing back some experienced players to lead them.

Once again the big challenge is going to be deal with the raised expectations around the team after coming close to a double digit win total last year. The likes of the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns have moved to the SEC so there may be something of a void to fill at the top of the Big 12 Conference and that is certainly what the fans will expect from the Mountaineers.

Garrett Greene is returning at Quarter Back for West Virginia and the hope is that his experiences from 2023 will stand him in good stead in this campaign. He proved to be a dual-threat at the Quarter Back position with almost 2500 passing yards and 800 yards on the ground, but there is a hope that Greene will be able to grow as a passer.

These teams met last year, albeit in a game hosted by Penn State, and Garrett Greene really struggled with his passing having been restricted to 162 yards through the air. The problem for the West Virginia Quarter Back is he is going against a Penn State Defensive unit that looks experienced and having put up some very strong numbers last season.

Bigger news for the Nittany Lions is having Drew Allar returning at Quarter Back after a year in which he was not tasked with trying to win games. Instead he was a solid manager and Allar looked after his turnovers, which is vitally important, although this time there is more expected from him now he has the experiences of 2023 under his belt.

The Nittany Lions have added some quality Receiving options and a new Offensive Co-Ordinator is going to want to make an immediate mark on the team. A number of transfers have come into the Mountaineers Defensive unit, which could give them the depth that was lacking last year, and West Virginia played well enough to have something to build upon.

However, the Nittany Lions look a team that should be targeting a place in the new College Football PlayOff and they may just be able to quieten down a crowd before really taking control of this game. The spread is a big one, but the Nittany Lions Defensive unit may step up to force a couple of drives to stall and perhaps even turn the ball over, and that can give Penn State the chance to pull away from their hosts and cover this spread set.

Virginia Tech Hokies @ Vanderbilt Commodores Pick: For a long time, the Virginia Tech Hokies set the benchmark for success within the ACC, but those days look behind them.

For now.

There is a real belief that the end of the 2023 season may spark the Virginia Tech Hokies to not only finish near the top of the ACC standings, but to actually find themselves in a position to compete for the Championship and ultimately a place in the expanded College Football PlayOff.

Four of the previous five seasons had finished with a losing record and it felt like 2023 was going to be another, but the Hokies rallied to win their last two regular season games and then the Bowl Game to earn a 7-6 record. That alone might not have given the fans as much enthusiasm as they have going into the season, but the Hokies are bringing back a lot of the starters from last season, on both sides of the ball, and that is where Virginia Tech can grow.

Kyron Drones led the team at Quarter Back and the ability to present a dual challenge to Defensive units makes him and the Hokies that much more dangerous. This might be a road game to start the season, but Virginia Tech may not have been able to ask for too many opponents better than this one and especially not out of the Power Conferences.

The Vanderbilt Commodores have made several changes to their Coaching staff since the end of the 2023 season, but they have struggled in the SEC and have won just three Conference games since 2019. With changes there is always a hope that things can change quickly, but Vanderbilt will need time and they are changing the Offensive style, which leaves them vulnerable in 2024 as the new systems bed in.

Diego Pavia is expected to be given the starting job at Quarter Back having played at New Mexico State under the new Vanderbilt Head Coach Jerry Kill.

It should make the transition a little easier, but Pavia is stepping up his level and this Virginia Tech Hokies Defensive unit may be more accustomed as to how to deal with a dual-threat Quarter Back than most. We should see the team a little more aware of what they need to do and Vanderbilt suffered some big losses when playing the better teams last season, which is a concern in this game.

They are set as a considerable underdog, all things considered, but the Commodores can at least offer some resistance. However, eventually you would have to believe that the Virginia Tech Hokies will be able to show off the talent that had found momentum at the end of last season and the consistency should help the road favourite come away with a big win.

MY PICKS: Georgia Bulldogs - 11.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Penn State Nittany Lions - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Virginia Tech Hokies - 13.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish + 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

UCLA Bruins - 13.5 Points @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 31.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

US Open Tennis Day 6 Picks 2024 (Saturday 31st August)

It has been a tournament that has not produced a lot of drama through the early parts of the week, but the Carlos Alcaraz defeat in the Second Round will have reverberated around the grounds.

Of course we had to have people making huge statements of it being the 'biggest upset' of all time, but the reality is that every top player has suffered a defeat early in Grand Slams. The 'big four' largely avoided those, but Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal lost memorable matches in their peak and Carlos Alcaraz will learn a lot about himself in the weeks and months ahead.

The curse of the men's Silver Medalist struck again at the US Open, but it has been a strong year on the Tour for the young Spaniard who has won two of the four Grand Slams played.

His exit opens the door for Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner, although these two are set to meet in the Quarter Final.

All of that means we are going to have at least one surprising name in the Semi Final and that will ramp up the pressure on all of the players in the quarter of the draw that Alcaraz has departed.

The last couple of days have been mixed for the Tennis Picks made and Saturday is looking a quieter day with just three selections made.

I will update the US Open totals once the full Day 5 schedule has been completed.

Jack Draper - 5.5 games v Botic van de Zandschulp: Easily the biggest upset of the 2024 US Open, Botic van de Zandschulp is looking to back up the victory over Carlos Alcaraz in another match in which he is set as a significant underdog.

Of course, after winning the Second Round match against Alcaraz in the manner he did, Botic van de Zandschulp is not as big an underdog against his next opponent, but he is still an underdog. The layers are not taking too many risks after the season the Dutchman has had, even if at his best van de Zandschulp worked his way close to the top 20 in the World Rankings.

However, it has been a tough 2024 and Botic van de Zandschulp had won just 33% of his hard court matches prior to the start of the US Open. Back to back wins here will certainly have raised the confidence, but it has been a surprise considering he was pretty well beaten in Winston Salem in the lead up to the final Grand Slam of the season.

It was a special performance on Day 4, but van de Zandschulp will struggle to get back to that level displayed against Carlos Alcaraz. There is a bit more pressure on him after such a headline win and it cannot be ignored that he had been struggling on the hard courts this year.

In saying that, there is plenty of pressure on Jack Draper too.

The World Number 25 would have been hoping for a big run at the US Open, but the expectation will have risen after the exit of the player that has won the last two Grand Slam titles. That expectation level can play on the mind of any player and Draper is going to have to control his emotion and avoid looking too far ahead at the potential he has in this tournament.

Overall Jack Draper has been playing at a considerably higher level on this surface, but this will be a test for him.

The first set should be very competitive, but it is a match that Draper should be comfortable with if he continues to serve as efficiently as he can. The return game can be a bit inconsistent, and that is where this spread will be won or lost, but Botic van de Zandschulp had only been holding 73% of service games on the hard courts before this Grand Slam began.

With plenty of expectations on his own shoulders after dumping out one of the favourites, it may be tough for Botic van de Zandschulp to find the level needed to beat another player Ranked higher than himself. Jack Draper is a little inexperienced, but his quality of tennis should be at a high enough level to find his way through this match and eventually take complete control.

Tomas Machac - 1.5 sets v David Goffin: For the second Grand Slam in a row, two players at opposite ends of their careers meet, although this time it is a Third Round match rather than a First Round match as it was at Wimbledon.

David Goffin is a former top ten player, and he is still a capable player as he has shown through much of the season. The problem that Goffin has is when he has come up against the stronger players on the Tour and his hard court record against top 50 Ranked players was 1-4 prior to the US Open.

He has won two matches against such Ranked players to work his way into the Third Round, which has to be respected, but the serve has been vulnerable against the better players. This has added to the pressure on the return, but the Goffin numbers dip significantly and he breaks in 20% of return games played against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts compared with his 29% overall mark on this surface.

Challenging the Tomas Machac serve will not be much easier, although Goffin did break the young Czechia player seven times in their match on the Wimbledon grass. However, it was the nine breaks of his own serve that allowed Machac to fight back from 2-0 down in sets to win that First Round match in SW19, while the younger player is much more comfortable when it comes to playing on the hard courts compared with the grass.

Tomas Machac had not been in the best of form in the lead up to the US Open with early losses in Montreal and Cincinnati, but one of those defeats was to Alexei Popyrin who went on to win the tournament in Canada.

A bit more consistency is needed from a young player that has been expected to reach the top of the ATP Tour, and he is looking to crack the top 30 in the World Rankings for the first time. His win over Sebastian Korda, and the manner in which it was achieved, will certainly give Tomas Machac a boost in confidence and this is a match up that should not really worry him.

The pressure is on Machac to serve well, but he is control of that aspect of the match and it does feel like a contest that will be played on his racquet. David Goffin is still a decent mover around the court, and that will test the Tomas Machac's patience.

However, the fact they have met pretty recently will help and Tomas Machac has the momentum of winning the last three sets at Wimbledon against the Belgian. On a more favoured surface, Tomas Machac can frank that win and do so with a little more comfort on the scoreboard as he books a place in the second week.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: In May 2023, Iga Swiatek crushed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets and handed out a double bagel on her favoured clay courts.

It was a time when Pavlyuchenkova had spent a number of months on the sidelines and she was the World Number 506 in that match, but this time she is the World Number 27 and a Seeded player in the US Open. As far as Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is concerned, there is little doubt that she can only improve on the first match up with the current World Number 1.

She is also a stronger hard court player than when operating on the red dirt, while Iga Swiatek is a really tough out on the clay. In reality, Swiatek has not made it to World Number 1 by dominating the clay portion of the season alone and she is a very comfortable hard court player and looks to have enough of an edge to win this Third Round match with something to spare.

The Pole disappointing failed to win the Gold Medal at the Paris Olympics, but did make it through to the Cincinnati Semi Final in her sole hard court tournament in the build into the US Open. The Third Round exit at the Australian Open will have stung, but Iga Swiatek is a former US Open Champion and the tennis level she can produce might be a touch too high for Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to keep up on the scoreboard.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova did reach the Cincinnati Quarter Final, but other hard court results have been much more mixed and she is going to have to step up her level against one of the top players on the Tour.

Much of this contest is going to be decided by the quality of the Russian's serving- if Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova can put a lot of first serves in play, she should be able to put Iga Swiatek under some pressure and perhaps stay with the World Number 1. However, too many second serves are likely going to be exploited, while Pavlyuchenkova has not returned as well as she would like when facing top 20 Ranked players on this surface.

She still has a 5-5 record in those matches so has to be respected.

However, Iga Swiatek rolled through the Second Round and may be picking up momentum and she can be backed to come through a tough opening set before pulling clear of her Seeded opponent.

MY PICKS: Jack Draper - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tomas Machac - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

US Open Update: 14-12, - 0.24 Units (52 Units Staked, - 0% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 5 Picks 2024 (Friday 30th August)

The Third Round at the US Open is scheduled to get underway on Day 5 of the tournament and the intensity of the matches should begin to build.

There are some very good looking matches set to take to the courts and it looks to be the busiest day for the Tennis Picks so far this week. It means Day 5 is an important one to try and set this tournament on a positive path to a winning event for the selections being made.

Casper Ruud - 1.5 sets v Juncheng Shang: A withdrawal in Canada and an early loss in Cincinnati meant Casper Ruud arrived in New York City as a vulnerable Seed. He is a former US Open Finalist, so clearly is very capable of playing on the hard courts in front of a vociferous crowd, but there were some doubts with the build up for the tournament being far from ideal.

Wins in the first two Rounds will have given him confidence, and he looked to be in pretty good nick in the Second Round when beating veteran Gael Monfils. He was out on the court for just shy of three hours, although not in the heat of the day when conditions in New York City have proved to be tough for many other players performing.

Conditions should be better for tennis when this Third Round match is played, but it is likely to be humid and we are moving into that time of the Grand Slam when matches become that much more difficult.

Now you are facing opponents who have also won a couple of matches in the main draw and Juncheng Shang has already eliminated one Seed in his run to the Third Round. The five set win over Alexander Bublik was backed up perfectly with a routine win in the Second Round, and Shang has shown he has an ability that is perhaps much higher than his World Ranking would suggest by putting a 9-5 record on the board against top 50 Ranked opponents on this surface.

The layers are not underestimating the capabilities of the World Number 72, especially as Juncheng Shang reached the Semi Final in Atlanta in the hard court tournaments used to build towards the US Open. The 19 year old also reached the Third Round at the Australian Open before finding Carlos Alcaraz too much to handle, and Shang is not going to be that worried about having to face someone like Casper Ruud.

Confidence and a left handed serve makes him dangerous, but Ruud has looked in good shape through the first couple of Rounds. He is a perfect 8-0 on the hard courts in 2024 when facing players Ranked outside the top 50, and Casper Ruud has been able to dominate behind his own serve in those matches.

Juncheng Shang is capable in his own return, but the serve is perhaps not quite as reliable as the one Casper Ruud has at this stage of their respective careers. That could prove to be key in this good looking Third Round match and it may see the former US Open Finalist push through for a solid win as he progresses through to the second week here again.

Ben Shelton - 1.5 games v Frances Tiafoe: Twelve months ago, Ben Shelton arrived at the US Open knowing he had already made a big impact on the Tour when he reached the Australian Open Quarter Final.

Not many would have picked the young American to surpass that, but he did by reaching the US Open Semi Final where his run was ended by eventual Champion Novak Djokovic.

However, Ben Shelton had upset compatriot Frances Tiafoe on his way to the Semi Final with a four set win in the Quarter Final and this time around Shelton will be playing in New York City as a Seeded player. The World Number 13 was Ranked down at Number 47 last year, although it does mean Shelton is playing under the pressure of having to defend a Semi Final run.

He doesn't really strike anyone as a player who will worry about external pressure though and Ben Shelton will have big ambitions for himself. Solid results through the course of the season have pushed him close to the top ten in the World Rankings, while he had plenty of wins in hard court matches while preparing for the US Open.

Wins over veterans Dominic Thiem and Roberto Bautista Agut without dropping a set will have given Ben Shelton some real confidence, but this is a significant step up in terms of class of opponent.

Frances Tiafoe has admitted that it has been a tough twelve months for himself, but he reached the Final at the Cincinnati Masters in the lead to the US Open. It was a run that came out of left field considering the form Tiafoe has produced over the course of the year, and his wins in the main draw will have furthered his belief.

As the World Number 20 would say himself, Frances Tiafoe has suffered a lot of tough losses, but this is a player that is more than capable of the 'upset'. In the last two years, Tiafoe has reached the Semi Final and the Quarter Final at his home Grand Slam and there is little doubt that he will be hugely motivated when playing in front of these fans.

We do know that Ben Shelton is perhaps not the strongest return player on the Tour, but he is a player with a monster serve and that makes him dangerous at all times. He looks especially dangerous against someone like Frances Tiafoe, who has struggled with his return through the course of the season, although both players were able to break serve a number of times when they played in the Quarter Final here last year.

There will be some swings in momentum through the course of this big time Third Round match, but the Ben Shelton serve can come through at key moments. It will put pressure on Frances Tiafoe, who has a 4-4 record when facing top 20 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over the last twelve months.

However, that would have read 1-3 before his run to the Cincinnati Final and Ben Shelton may just prove to have the right shots at the right time to pull clear of his compatriot again.

Alexei Popyrin + 7.5 games v Novak Djokovic: This is the third Grand Slam in 2024 where Alexei Popyrin will be forced to face Novak Djokovic and it is the former World Number 1 who has won the previous meetings at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Credit has to be given to Popyrin for winning a set each time and remaining competitive in those defeats, but winning the biggest title of his career in Canada earlier this month should mean he is playing with higher ambitions than merely being competitive.

This is a tough match up for Alexei Popyrin- his aggressive style behind a big serve has been working well enough to take him into the top 30 of the World Rankings for the first time, but it is tough to be able to do that against a defensive master like Novak Djokovic. You can for a set, but to do so for three or four hours is where it becomes very challenging and that has been clear in his two Grand Slam defeats against the Serb.

Alexei Popyrin has overcome some tough numbers to keep things close- he saved 8/11 Break Points faced in Melbourne and 6/8 Break Points faced in London and those numbers will have to be repeated in this one.

Ultimately he has also not been able to get into the Novak Djokovic service games as effectively as he would like and Popyrin has managed just three breaks in the two Grand Slam matches played.

Novak Djokovic admitted he was not serving at his best in the Second Round win over his compatriot Laslo Djere, but he was still comfortable enough and looks very focused on attempting to win a maiden Grand Slam title in 2024. The Gold Medal earned in Paris has bolstered the confidence and Djokovic remains one of the top players in the world on this surface.

The feeling is that Novak Djokovic will accept those hot streaks that Alexei Popyrin has been able to produce and by looking after his own serve, the Number 2 Seed will feel his opportunities will come.

Most of the pressure will still be on Alexei Popyrin to find a way to at least give Djokovic something to think about when returning. He played well on the return in winning the Canadian Masters, but Popyrin was beaten early in Cincinnati and the New York City heat may have subsided a little, which may mean his own serve is impacted a little more.

However, in saying all that, Alexei Popyrin has shown he can produce the tennis needed to challenge Novak Djokovic and this time he will be playing as a Masters Champion. That confidence cannot be understated and Popyrin may be able to make use of the games that are being given to him in this Third Round match.

Victoria Azarenka - 4.5 games v Yafan Wang: A severe migraine looked like it could be very difficult to overcome, but Victoria Azarenka showed off her veteran experience in earning a spot in the US Open Third Round.

A former two time Australian Open Champion and three time US Open Finalist, Victoria Azarenka has seen her best tennis days. The numbers have remained impressive, but the Belarusian former World Number 1 lacks the consistency that saw her reach the top of the WTA Tour.

Even reaching the second week of a Grand Slam has become a challenge for Victoria Azarenka, but she did manage that at the Australian Open earlier this year. This is a player that is comfortable on the hard courts and Azarenka will be pleased with the draw having beaten Yafan Wang in the preparation events for the final Grand Slam of the season.

Over the last several weeks, Yafan Wang has had some mixed results on the hard courts, but she was able to take advantage of Maria Sakkari's injury issues in the First Round in New York City. She had won just two of the eight matches played against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts prior to that win over Sakkari and it may be tough to close the gap between the two players.

There were a couple of concerns about Victoria Azarenka heading into the tournament considering the last time she had played had ended prematurely in Toronto. Her performances in the first two Rounds should have the player and her fans feeling better and she can frank the victory she had over Yafan Wang in Washington during the hard court tournaments building up to this Grand Slam.

Serving more efficiently will help make things easier, but this is likely going to be a match in which a number of breaks of serve are shared out. Ultimately you have to believe Victoria Azarenka can get the better of the opportunities and she can produce a solid Third Round win.

Coco Gauff - 3.5 games v Elina Svitolina: There is little doubt that the continued war between Russia and Ukraine remains on the forefront of many minds, but it is so much harder for athletes from Ukraine. Many of the tennis players have made it clear how much they support their compatriots and it does mean fans are going to be behind them.

The biggest name may be Elina Svitolina and she has received massive support since returning to the Tour.

Her heart is worn on her sleeve and the fans have responded, but it will be tough to win the support from the stands when facing Coco Gauff, the American defending Champion. Form prior to the tournament has been erratic, but Gauff is going to feel very comfortable in New York City and on the courts where her maiden Grand Slam title has been won.

Coco Gauff began the season very well on the hard courts and also reached the Semi Final at the Australian Open, but she has suffered early losses in Toronto and Cincinnati. This perhaps meant Gauff was coming into the tournament as a vulnerable higher Seed, but she has looked more comfortable in this setting and this is a match up that should not be one that concerns her too much.

Of course there will be a respect for Elina Svitolina, but Coco Gauff has to believe her serve is the more effective of the two players and that can give her the edge in the match. It was the case in their most recent match in Auckland earlier this year as the higher Ranked player was able to exert her control, even in a match that ended up going the distance.

The previous match between the two was at the Australian Open back in 2021 when the Rankings were switched.

On that occasion Elina Svitolina won the match, but it was a close, competitive affair and Coco Gauff is a much improved player now. The return is likely going to put Elina Svitolina under pressure over the course of this Third Round match and it may be one that Gauff ends up winning with some relative comfort.

MY PICKS: Casper Ruud - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Ben Shelton - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alexei Popyrin + 7.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Victoria Azarenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Coco Gauff - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Emma Navarro - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Donna Vekic @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Brandon Nakashima - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 10-8, + 1.08 Units (36 Units Staked, + 3% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 4 Picks 2024 (Thursday 29th August)

Tough conditions can really make it very difficult for the players to produce their best tennis and those competing and those paying to attend the US Open will be glad to hear that cooler temperatures are set to hit New York City.

This should make it easier for players to lift their level of tennis and Day 4 will bring the conclusion of the Second Round.

As we move further into the event, the quality of matches should naturally improve.

The selections for Day 4 are in this thread and the US Open numbers will be updated after Day 3 is completed.

Arthur Fils - 1.5 sets v Gabriel Diallo: There is plenty of big hopes for Arthur Fils as the next big star of French Tennis, but he is still lacking a bit of experience as far as Grand Slam tournaments are concerned. He has played in a number of those, but Wimbledon last month was the first time he has moved past the Second Round and he is a favourite to do that again.

Of course being a favourite doesn't mean anything and this is going to be a tough match against Gabriel Diallo, a young Canadian who has come through the Qualifying Rounds. Beating Jaume Munar in the First Round will have given Diallo further belief, while the comfort of playing on the hard courts should help in the confidence department.

However, it should be noted that a lot of the successes that Gabriel Diallo has had have been on the Challenger Tour rather than the main ATP Tour. He was beaten by Karen Khachanov in the Canadian Masters earlier this month and that has dropped Diallo's record to 0-4 when facing top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts in 2024.

The serve has not been the issue in all honesty, but Gabriel Diallo has massively struggled on the return and has broken in just 5% of return games played against those top 100 Ranked opponents. The concern has to be that only one of those opponents were Ranked higher than where Arthur Fils is Ranked right now and the Frenchman has to believe he has the tennis to win the key points to come through this match in three or four sets.

Arthur Fils has a serve that has been well protected, while he has broken in 19% of return games played on the hard courts. Those numbers look very impressive when only considering hard court matches that Fils has played against players Ranked outside of the top 50 and he has won nine of those ten matches, while breaking in 29% of return games played.

This is key to the outcome of this Second Round match and Arthur Fils has the ability to make sure he is solid enough at the important moments to progress to the Third Round for the first time at the US Open.

Jack Draper - 7.5 games v Facundo Diaz Acosta: He reached his career best World Ranking back in April and that perhaps underlines the feeling that Facundo Diaz Acosta would be much happier playing on the clay courts than any other surface.

Over the last twelve months, the numbers have been night and day when comparing Facundo Diaz Acosta on the clay and on the hard courts and this period of the season may soon be forgotten. He had lost five hard court matches in a row before beating Hugo Gaston in the US Open First Round, and that includes losing early in Washington and Canada.

You cannot completely dismiss Facundo Diaz Acosta as a threat- as recently as 2021 he had a winning record in hard court matches and had actually played strong tennis. However, his record is 7-11 since the start of 2022 and Diaz Acosta's hopes of using the lefty serve as something of an advantage may not be as clear when facing a fellow southpaw in this one.

Jack Draper is the next man up as far as British Tennis is concerned after Andy Murray's retirement and both Daniel Evans and Cameron Norrie perhaps already past their best. The twenty-two year old has reached a career high World Ranking mark this month and is Seeded in the US Open, although he has been hoping to move past some controversy after a win over Felix Auger-Aliassime in Cincinnati earlier this month.

While being absolutely clear that he did not 'cheat', there has been some suggestions that Draper employed some gamesmanship in the win over Auger-Aliassime on the controversial Match Point, and that is perhaps weighing on him. You would not have thought that in his comfortable First Round win, but Draper had lost in the next Round in Cincinnati after the drama and the fans in New York City are quite quick to turn on players.

Ultimately this is a match that should see Jack Draper able to work his way into the tournament without being on a major show court. That has to be a help, not a hindrance, and Draper has shown his comfort on this surface throughout 2024.

While not always looking like the most convincing of return players, Jack Draper has broken in 25% of return games played on the hard courts this season. He should be able to exert plenty of pressure on his Second Round opponent and that is likely going to see the British Number 1 come through with an impressive victory to back up the opening win.

Naomi Osaka - 1.5 games v Karolina Muchova: There have been moments when Naomi Osaka has looked close to her best, but the consistency is the key if she is going to move back to the level she once was displaying on the Tour. The hard courts in particular were the favoured domain of Osaka and four Grand Slam titles on this surface means she would have been a player that most wanted to avoid in the early Rounds.

Number 10 Seeded Jelena Ostapenko drew the short straw and it was a crushing performance from Naomi Osaka who won very, very easily. The serve proved to be a big weapon for the former World Number 1 and a couple more wins will really help Naomi Osaka in her bid to improve her current Number 88 mark.

This is a tough test for Naomi Osaka, even if Karolina Muchova has had an injury hit year which has seen her own World Ranking drop out of the top 50. Only twelve months ago, Muchova was a member of the top ten of the World Rankings, to underline the lack of tennis she has played in recent months and the Czech player is in the same boat as Naomi Osaka in trying to find the consistency that took her into the upper echelons of the World Rankings.

A solid First Round win was secured, and Karolina Muchova did reach the Final in Palermo on a clay court in the build up to the Paris Olympics. However, she is just 2-2 after the First Round win since that run to the Final and Muchova may struggle with the power edge that Naomi Osaka will bring to the court.

There is so much to like about Muchova and the efforts she puts into matches on the Tour, while it is hard to ignore the fact she has gotten the most out of her talent. She is a solid hard court player at her best and did take a set from the in-form Jessica Pegula in a defeat in Cincinnati, but Naomi Osaka's serve could prove to be the difference in a match between two players searching to find their best.

At key times, the ability to perhaps muster one or two cheaper points may prove decisive for Naomi Osaka as she makes her way through another Round.

Diana Shnaider - 4.5 games v Clara Tauson: One of the players who have really improved over the last twelve months will be playing in the women's draw and still going relatively under the radar. That is a surprise considering Diana Shnaider is now a top 20 player, but the 20 year old is probably quite happy to be left alone to focus on developing and improving her tennis.

Twelve months ago, Diana Shnaider had to try and Qualify for the US Open and was beaten in the Second Qualifying Round, and being a Seed in 2024 shows how well she has played in the time between tournaments.

A run to the Semi Final in Toronto and a decent follow up in Cincinnati will have given Shnaider a lot of belief to take into the US Open and she dropped just one game in the First Round. The challenges will become a lot tougher going forward though and Shnaider will be aware of the qualities of Clara Tauson.

Another youngster, Clara Tauson has perhaps not pushed on as much as expected as injuries have perhaps held her back. The Dane is just 21 years old, but has dropped from her career best mark down to World Number 67 over the last two years, and she has been very reliant on her strong first serve on this surface this year.

If failing to hit that, Clara Tauson will find Diana Shnaider attacking her second serve and that in turn will put additional pressure on the return game. The younger of the two players will still believe there is room for improvement in her own return game, but Shnaider may feel more comfortable protecting her own second serve in what should be a fun match.

One additional factor is that Clara Tauson is 1-6 against top 50 Ranked players on the hard courts in 2024 and the Dane was pretty well beaten in those matches in Toronto and Cincinnati. The second serve numbers and return numbers have been dented compared with her overall mark when looking at those seven matches and Diana Shnaider may have the confidence to secure a strong win, even after the ups and downs that are likely to be a feature of the match.

Beatriz Haddad Maia - 4.5 games v Sara Sorribes Tormo: The match did not start as expected, but Beatriz Haddad Maia grew through the second and third set and was a comfortable winner when all was said and done. This has backed up her strong run in Cleveland in the last tournament prior to the US Open getting underway and this should be a good match up for her.

Take nothing away from Sara Sorribes Tormo who feels like an overachiever as a Singles player that reached World Number 32, but her best tennis days look to be behind her. She has dropped out of the top 100 these days and the draw was a very kind one for the Spaniard that allowed her to come through her First Round match against a young American player.

There has been very little winning in recent weeks before the US Open and Sara Sorribes Tormo is just 4-9 on the hard courts in 2024 when including the First Round win. Her serve is extremely vulnerable and Sorribes Tormo perhaps does not have the same kind of energy to get around court and play her defensive brand of tennis as she once did.

It has led to 40% of return points won, which is considerably down on recent years and now Sara Sorribes Tormo has to deal with an awkward serve in this Second Round match.

The lefty serve is always a dangerous weapon for players on the Tour and Beatriz Haddad Maia will make use of that, while her own return game will benefit from facing what is a pretty weak serve coming from the other side of the net. This is a player that has given the Brazilian some problems in the past, which means Haddad Maia should arrive on the court with a healthy respect for Sara Sorribes Tormo, even if the higher Ranked player has won the last two between them.

This is a big spread when you think of some of the inconsistent performances we have seen from Beatriz Haddad Maia, but the match should be played on her racquet. That is key and Haddad Maia have the qualities to eventually pull away for a big victory on the day as she progresses through to the Third Round.

MY PICKS: Arthur Fils - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jack Draper - 7.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Diana Shnaider - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Beatriz Haddad Maia - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

US Open Update: 8-5, + 3.76 Units (26 Units Staked, + 14.46% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 3 Picks 2024 (Wednesday 28th August)

There have been a few US Opens where the rain has played a part early in the event, but the hot conditions are making it tough for the players in a different way this year.

At least the tournament is running on schedule and Day 3 at the US Open means the start of the Second Round matches.

Juncheng Shang - 1.5 sets v Roberto Carballas Baena: Both of these players came through five sets in the First Round at the US Open, but there were one or two concerns about the Roberto Carballas Baena fitness at the end of his win over Jan Choinski.

For Juncheng Shang, the key will be to recover mentally from a big effort to beat Alexander Bublik in an upset, but the nineteen year old is playing on a career best World Ranking mark and looks capable of pushing further up the Rankings. Injury has perhaps held him back from already making an impact on the Tour, but Shang is confident on the hard courts and the win over Bublik will have opened up his little section in the draw.

Backing up big wins is always the challenge for younger, inexperienced players, and that is the challenge set for Juncheng Shang. He did beat Roberto Carballas Baena on a clay court earlier this season, which is the favoured courts of the Spaniard, and there is little doubt that Carballas Baena is not quite as sold when it comes to this surface.

Roberto Carballas Baena has not been able to avoid a losing record on the hard courts since 2018 and he will do well to do that this season too.

Two hard court preparation matches ended in straight sets defeats in Washington and in Canada and Roberto Carballas Baena looked to be floundering after blowing a 2-0 lead in sets in the First Round. That was also a match against the World Number 276 and Carballas Baena has a 4-7 record against top 100 Ranked players on the hard courts this season.

He is capable and the veteran will know a few tricks to try and get Juncheng Shang off his game, but Roberto Carballas Baena may need to get through the games quickly to preserve energy. Ultimately that is not the style he will employ as a clay courter and that should give the younger player the edge as he looks to frank the win on the clay courts against this opponent.

Roberto Carballas Baena took the opening set, but Juncheng Shang created more than three times as many Break Points and he should have an edge in this Second Round match on the hard courts. The feeling is that the young player will be able to back up the victory over a Seeded opponent and get past Roberto Carballas Baena in three or four sets.

Taylor Fritz - 1.5 sets v Matteo Berrettini: The hard court season should be a time when Taylor Fritz finds himself inspired, but it has been a tough month for the American. There will be no excuses at the US Open and Fritz was a comfortable First Round winner, but the form on this surface since the Indian Wells Masters has been extremely disappointing.

In saying that, Taylor Fritz may point out that he has been given a couple of tough early draws with Sebastian Korda and Brandon Nakashima getting the better of him in the two Masters events played in preparation for the US Open. Both are very comfortable on the hard courts and Nakashima has already produced an upset at this Grand Slam when seeing off Holger Rune in the First Round.

Taylor Fritz may have hoped that he would be able to ease his way into the tournament, but he has been unfortunate in being placed in the same mini-section as Matteo Berrettini, one of the dangerous floaters who is Unseeded in the tournament.

In January 2022, Matteo Berrettini was the World Number 6 and he looked to be the leading Italian hope on the ATP Tour having reached the Semi Final at the US Open in 2019 and the Wimbledon Final in 2021. Another Semi Final run at the Australian Open in 2022 and two Quarter Final runs at the US Open in 2021 and 2022 are other highlights of his career, but Berrettini's star has been stolen by Jannik Sinner as injuries have restricted his time on the Tour over the last couple of years.

He actually missed the first two Slams in 2024 and a Second Round exit at Wimbledon is disappointing, while Matteo Berrettini lost early in Cincinnati in his sole hard court match played before his First Round win at the US Open. Beating Albert Ramos is one thing and this is a big step up for the Italian who is now playing as the World Number 44 and who will be hoping that he can steer clear of injuries in the weeks, months and years ahead.

You know both players are going to be looking to back up monster serving and see if they can put pressure on the other, especially as the return games have been suspect to say the least. Since Indian Wells, Taylor Fritz has broken in just shy of 9% of return games played on the hard courts in four matches, but looked better in the First Round against a weaker opponent, while Matteo Berrettini has broken in 14% of return games played on this surface over the same time period.

Taylor Fritz may get a bit more backing from the crowd being at home, but Matteo Berrettini is very popular and that should make this an entertaining match.

The American, who is a top 12 Seed in the tournament, has had the better of Matteo Berrettini in their previous three meetings and that should play a part in the match. All of those have been on the hard courts and at a time when Berrettini was a top 20 Ranked player and who had been the higher Ranked player twice, but it is Taylor Fritz who has found a winning performance each time.

The service numbers have been key- Taylor Fritz has won 69% of service points played in those three wins and he has held 92% of games, while Matteo Berrettini has won 62% of the points played behind his own serve and that has led to holds in 83% of games played.

Taylor Fritz may not have been in the best of forms heading into the tournament, but this is a match up that should not worry him too much. He will feel if he can serve as well as he can, he should keep the pressure on Matteo Berrettini and ultimately that should help the American through to the next Round in three or four sets.

Alexander Zverev - 7.5 games v Alexandre Muller: Dropping a set is not a massive concern for a player in the early Rounds of a Grand Slam event, but you don't want to make a habit of that. Every extra minute spent on the court at this moment will add up over the course of the fortnight taking part in a Slam and it is important for contenders to have to exert too much extra energy in the early Rounds.

This has perhaps been an issue for Alexander Zverev in the past and there will have been some frustration at dropping the second set in his First Round win. However, he rolled through the remainder of the match in a comfortable four set win and the overall form this year suggests the World Number 4 can have a big impact in New York City, where he is a former Finalist.

The draw has been kind enough for Alexander Zverev and he is a big favourite when facing Alexandre Muller in the Second Round.

The Frenchman is the World Number 77, which means he is very close to surpassing his career best Ranking which was set earlier in the year. The best performances have been on the clay courts, but Alexandre Muller has shown plenty of quality on the hard courts, albeit against the opponents he would expect to beat.

Even the First Round win here was against an opponent who is considerably higher in the World Rankings and so Muller did what was expected in his four set win. Prior to that, Muller had lost five in a row on the hard courts against top 100 Ranked opponents and his service numbers have been disappointing in those numbers.

He may be aided by the faster conditions most players have spoken about at the US Open, especially with the hot conditions helping. However, Alexandre Muller could find himself under pressure from Alexander Zverev and the big serve of the World Number 4 may put him in a strong position to cover this line.

It is a big mark, so it will be challenging, but Alexander Zverev may have the majority of Break Points as he did in the First Round. Some of the defeats suffered by Alexandre Muller against the better players on the Tour and especially on the hard courts suggest this one could get away from him and backing Zverev for a second time in the tournament is the play.

Grigor Dimitrov - 7.5 games v Rinky Hijikata: He reached the Final at the Miami Masters earlier in the year, but early defeats in Canada and Cincinnati may have knocked some of the confidence that Grigor Dimitrov has ahead of his latest attempt to finally win a Grand Slam title.

The Bulgarian is still a member of the top ten of the World Rankings and he was a comfortable First Round winner, albeit as a significant favourite. The defeat to Alexei Popyrin in Canada is not as bad as it may have felt considering the Australian moved through the draw to win a maiden Masters title, but the Grigor Dimitrov defeat in Cincinnati is much more concerning.

Overall it has been a very solid year on the hard courts for Dimitrov, but the Third Round loss in Melbourne would have hurt and he will be expecting much better in New York City.

The match up in this Second Round at the US Open looks a decent one for Dimitrov and that is taking nothing away from Rinky Hijikata.

A four set win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the First Round will have been a boost for Rinky Hijikata, but the World Number 62 has struggled in matches where he is perhaps expecting to lose. His 1-5 record against top 50 Ranked opponents in hard court matches in 2024 backs that up and Hijikata has really struggled with his return game in those six matches.

Two of those defeats have been against Grigor Dimitrov and it is hard to ignore the fact that Rinky Hijikata has not been nearly as competitive as he would have wanted to be in those two defeats. One was before the Australian Open, but the second was earlier this month and it is going to be a huge test for Hijikata to turn things around considering he has been broken in 57% of service games played.

This will put a considerable amount of pressure on his return game, which, as already mentioned, is an area that Hijikata has struggled with when it comes to the stronger players on the Tour. It is clear that Grigor Dimitrov remains one of those and the Australian has not broken the Dimitrov serve, despite facing him twice this season.

The spread is a big one and the margin is tight- if Dimitrov starts slowly, who throws in a couple of poor service games, it will be tough to cover. However, he should be able to create a lot of Break Points and that should mean Grigor Dimitrov is in a position to win a set by a wide enough margin to be in a position to move through to the Third Round with some relative comfort.

MY PICKS: Juncheng Shang - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Taylor Fritz - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 7.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Grigor Dimitrov - 7.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Barbora Krejcikova - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 4-4, - 1 Unit (16 Units Staked, - 6.25% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 2 Picks 2024 (Tuesday 27th August)

The opening day of the US Open has already given the fans of the sport some drama with a couple of upsets and some First Round matches proving to be tougher than expected.

Credit has to be given to Qinwen Zheng for fighting back and beating a quality opponent in Amanda Anisimova, although I am looking forward to seeing the latter develop and fulfil her potential. A number of personal issues have made things hard for Anisimova to do that, but hopefully she is ready for a much stronger 2025 and can start to move up the World Rankings.

Holger Rune was eliminated and a couple of veterans have called time on their careers after defeats.

Both Dominic Thiem and Diego Schwartzman should be proud of what they achieved in their careers, but will move away from the tennis court for now. There does feel like a real change all around the Tour and on Day 2 there are more players in action that are closer to the end of their careers than the start.

Mixed results on Day 1 are frustrating, especially when two matches fell into the losing column by a single game each.

A bit more luck will help as we move into Day 2 with the focus on the women's tournament as the majority of selections are from those First Round matches set to be played.

Danielle Collins - 5.5 games v Caroline Dolehide: The World Number 11 enters her final Grand Slam on the Tour and there is still a feeling that Danielle Collins has a lot more to offer. She is not that far away from her career best Ranking that was set in July 2022 and Danielle Collins won a big title in Miami earlier this year to underline her potential on the hard courts.

Playing in front of the home fans one more time in the last Grand Slam of her career is going to provide plenty of motivation for the American.

However, this is a tough First Round match for Danielle Collins against Caroline Dolehide, another player from the United States who will want to impress the home crowd. While Collins has one foot out of the professional Tour, Caroline Dolehide will be hoping that there is more to come from herself as a top 50 Ranked player and who is looking to move towards the top 40.

A run to the Semi Final in Washington shows the kind of standard that Caroline Dolehide can set, but early losses in Toronto and Cincinnati are tough to take. It also means she has lost three hard court matches in a row ahead of this US Open First Round clash against an opponent that has largely found a way to get the better of Dolehide.

That includes a relatively comfortable win at the French Open and Danielle Collins is a much happier player on the hard courts, even if she has had limited preparation for the US Open. The same can be said for Caroline Dolehide, but the latter is still finding her feet when it comes to playing some of the stronger players on the Tour and Collins remains one of those, even if retirement is now looming.

Danielle Collins has the superior serve, which is hugely important in hard court matches, and she has been able to find a way to challenge the Dolehide serve in their professional matches. She has actually won a higher percentage of points played on the Caroline Dolehide serve than the server and any similar output here will give the higher Ranked American every chance of opening her final US Open with a strong win.

Emma Raducanu - 4.5 games v Sofia Kenin: Both of these former Grand Slam Champions are searching for the form to get closer to the level that was produced when picking up the major titles.

In 2021 in her second ever main draw appearance at a Grand Slam, Emma Raducanu was able to roll through the Qualifiers and the main draw at the US Open to win the title here. The surprising run saw her move into the top ten of the World Rankings a few months later, but injury and an unwillingness to perhaps go through the hard yards have meant the career has stalled somewhat.

Instead of facing Qualifying matches to play in Toronto or Cincinnati, Emma Raducanu made a pretty bizarre decision to head back to the United Kingdom and prepare for the US Open there. Some have criticised her focus, but Raducanu is young and remains very talented and this is a decent looking First Round match for her.

Sofia Kenin won the Australian Open in 2020 and followed up by reaching the French Open Final a few months later, but injury and a complete loss of form has seen her plummet down the World Rankings. She is a former World Number 4, but Kenin is playing as the World Number 54 these days and she has reached the second week of a Grand Slam tournament just once since the beginning of 2021.

The home crowd may get behind her, but Sofia Kenin has struggled for wins on the hard courts and a 2-11 record on the surface in 2024 is very, very disappointing. Confidence looks shattered right now for the 25 year old and the hard court numbers makes it very hard to believe she can stay competitive, even if Emma Raducanu has not played a lot of tennis this month.

Prior to skipping the two Masters events, Emma Raducanu worked her way through to the Quarter Final in Washington, and a slightly more productive second serve and return game may just give the British player the edge.

Previous experiences at the US Open have to offer Raducanu some inspiration, even if she has not won a match in New York City since winning the title in 2021. The last couple of years have been every bit as difficult for Sofia Kenin and the form in the build up to the US Open has looked way below the kind of levels that the American once produced.

There may be a few breaks of serve shared out, but that stronger second serve should pave the way for Emma Raducanu to win this opening match between two relatively recent Grand Slam Champions who have lost their way.

Beatriz Haddad Maia - 2.5 games v Elina Avanesyan: Fourteen months ago, Beatriz Haddad Maia was Ranked inside the top ten, but inconsistency has perhaps hindered her progress. We have seen more of that in preparation for the final Grand Slam of the season after Haddad Maia was beaten relatively early in Toronto and Cincinnati before making a run to the Final in Cleveland.

She was not quite able to win the title, but the Brazilian should feel better about her tennis and her opening First Round match being on Day 2 at the US Open should help.

First up is a tough looking match against Elina Avanesyan who is playing on a career high World Ranking mark and the young player is improving all of the time. Earlier this year Avanesyan reached the Third Round at the Australian Open and she did make use of her Lucky Loser return to the Cincinnati main draw earlier this month, although the numbers show a player that still has some room for improvement.

The 3-4 record on the hard courts against top 50 Ranked opponents has to be respected and certainly will make Elina Avanesyan confident of her chances of upsetting this opponent. The numbers have been solid in those matches, even if Avanesyan will likely need to play stronger tennis than she is able to put together on a regular basis, but there is a way for her to win this match.

It is something that Beatriz Haddad Maia will have to respect and anything short of her own usual level will see her as a vulnerable Seeded player in the draw.

Much is going to depend on the Haddad Maia serve- this can be a big weapon for the Brazilian when she plays at her best and will put some pressure on Elina Avanesyan.

The latter is someone who has a serve that can be challenged and, although having decent return numbers, that is going to build a pressure on Avanesyan to find a way into the Haddad Maia service games.

Nothing ever seems to come easy for Beatriz Haddad Maia these days, but the performances in Cleveland are encouraging and that should put her in a good position to come through with a win and a cover. Elina Avanesyan is still growing on the Tour and is beginning to earn a bit more confidence, but we may see more from her in the big events next year and this US Open may end prematurely for her.

Naomi Osaka - 1.5 games v Jelena Ostapenko: Eight years have passed since Jelena Ostapenko and Naomi Osaka last met on the Tour and a lot has changed for both of these players.

Since that meeting at the French Open in 2016, Naomi Osaka has moved on to become a four time Grand Slam Champion, a mother, and someone who has needed to spend time away from the Tour. Injury had been an issue before motherhood, while the pressures of being a well known athlete never really sat well with Osaka and it is time that may have gotten her to appreciate being on the Tour more than she did before.

Missing a year on the Tour is challenging for any player and Naomi Osaka has admitted that she is struggling to find the consistency needed at the highest level. There have been one or two really good performances, but some very disappointing losses and it may take a bit more time for Naomi Osaka to really feel like she is in control when playing on the biggest courts.

Since Miami back in March, Naomi Osaka has only won two matches in a row at two tournaments and that has meant losing early in the main draw in Toronto and failing to Qualify for Cincinnati.

The hard court numbers are not at her 2021 levels, which is when Osaka won the last of her Grand Slam titles, but she isn't playing badly. Ultimately she is coming up short in matches, which could be attributed to the match rustiness that comes with a year out of the Tour, but this is a match up that might be actually enjoyable for Naomi Osaka.

It is expected to be a big hitting match with Jelena Ostapenko not afraid to play ultra-aggressive tennis, even when things are not quite going to plan. However, that approach can leave the Latvian vulnerable in matches and Ostapenko did suffer two disappointing losses in Toronto and Cincinnati to Lucky Losers returning to the main draw.

Two hard court titles have been won on the hard courts in January and February, but the performances on the surface have been much more erratic since then. Jelena Ostapenko is very capable on her best day and she will not lack for motivation in a match like this one, which will be played on one of the big Flushing Meadows show-courts.

The return games of both of these players have perhaps not been as strong as they would have liked, but it does feel like Naomi Osaka is the one that will get a bit more joy out of the conditions when it comes to her own service games. In an expected close match, that could be key to determining the final outcome and the feeling is that the former two time US Open Champion will find a way past Jelena Ostapenko in three sets.

Despite having to go the distance, an opportunity to cover this handicap mark should be there for the former Champion and Naomi Osaka may just use the crowd support to eventually get on top of Jelena Ostapenko in a stand out First Round match.

MY PICKS: Danielle Collins - 5.5 Games @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Emma Raducanu - 4.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Beatriz Haddad Maia - 2.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

US Open Update: 2-2, - 0.34 Units (8 Units Staked, - 4.25% Yield)