Damien Kayat previews Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Milos Raonic and Ugo Humbert vs Matteo Berrettini in selected 1st round matches of the US Open Men’s Championships on the 29t of August 2023.
2023 ATP Tour
Grand Slam Tennis
US Open Men’s Championships
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, New York, USA (Outdoor Hardcourt)
Selected First-Round Matches – 29th August
Stefanos Tsitsipas 31/100 | Milos Raonic 47/20
This one has upset potential written all over it. 7th seed Stefanis Tsitsipas has really struggled to impose himself this season. His record has been 2-4 in North American Masters 1000 event this year. He lost to Monfils in Toronto and just went down comfortably to Hurkacz in Cincinnati.
He has never progressed beyond the 3rd round here and I think he’s there for the taking. A former Grand Slam finalist, big-serving Milos Raonic has struggled for consistency since returning to action. I was really surprised to learn that he has never gone beyond the 4th round of this event.
But he has some terrific hardcourt wins under his belt and he could rise to the occasion in front of this riotous crowd. He has one of the great serves of his generation and it could overwhelm an out of sorts Tsitsipas. The Canadian also won their previous two meetings in 2020 (both of which came on hardcourts).
Verdict: Raonic to win in four at 7/1
Ugo Humbert 27/20 | Matteo Berrettini 58/100
This promises to be a fascinating first round clash. Mercurial Frenchman Ugo Humbert will look to build on recent good form to take down former Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini.
Humbert has performed well in the lead up to this event, reaching back-to-back semi-finals in Newport and Atlanta before a solid quarterfinal showing in Washington. The lefty has a powerful serve and he is well suited to slicker surfaces. But in Matteo Berrettini you have a grizzled Grand Slam campaigner.
Sure, a series of injuries have made him something of a diminished force this year. But highlighting his undoubted Grand Slam pedigree by pushing Carlos Alcaraz to four sets in their Wimbledon Round of 16 clash.
He reached the semi-finals here in 2019 and made it to the semi-finals in Melbourne last year. I think Berrettini is going to come to life in New York and he should overpower the awkward Frenchman.
Verdict: Berrettini to win straight sets at 47/20
