28 of the 32 seeds in these portions of the draws advanced on Monday, including 15 of 16 women’s seeds. That was a bit surprising considering how many top players are not present at this US Open.
Will players be able to avoid the upsets again today? Let’s hope they can avoid the rain, as there are thunderstorms in Wednesday’s Flushing Meadows forecast.
Karolina Pliskova (1) vs. Caroline Garcia
This is a marquee second round matchup between the top seed and a recent member of the top five. After peaking at No.4 two years ago, Garcia had a rough 2019 with an equal amount of match wins and losses. And the 26-year-old Frenchwoman is just 6-7 this season. But a player as talented as Caroline seems destined to return to her winning ways sooner than later. She’s split six previous meetings with Pliskova, and they’re 2-2 on hard courts. Pliskova is one of the least-talked about top seeds at a Major in recent memory. But she was a finalist here four years ago, and claimed a hard court title earlier this year in Brisbane with wins over Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys. Garcia is a tough draw, so Pliskova will need to avoid getting negative under pressure, as her former coach Rennae Stubbs has said is her auto-setting. Despite that, Pliskova should have enough fire power to advance to the US Open third round for the fifth straight year.
Novak Djokovic (1) vs. Kyle Edmund
Edmund was a champion in this same state earlier this year, raising the trophy at the New York Open on Long Island in February. And 25-year-old Brit owns a victory over Djokovic, which occurred two years ago on clay in Madrid. However, in their other five meetings, Novak has taken 12 of 13 sets played. The world No.1’s all-court game diffuses Edmund’s strong groundies. While Djokovic was severely cranky on Arthur Ashe Stadium two days ago, he still comfortably won in straight sets. The outcome today should not be much different, as Novak looks to extend his 2020 record to 25-0.
Naomi Osaka (4) vs. Camila Giorgi
The 2018 champion withdrew from the final of the Western & Southern Open just four days ago with a hamstring injury. But Osaka looked healthy in Monday night’s first round, surviving a three-set encounter against veteran Masaki Doi. Her opponent today is one of the hardest hitters on tour. The 28-year-old Italian has recently achieved some nice results on American hard courts, reaching the finals in both Washington and the Bronx last summer. But Osaka’s game is much less one-dimensional than Giorgi’s, and Naomi easily prevailed in their only previous meeting two years ago on a hart court. A healthy Osaka is the favorite to remain undefeated in the second round of this event in her career.
Taylor Fritz (19) vs. Gilles Simon
The contrasts between these two players are numerous. Fritz is a hard-hitting 22-year-old on the rise, while Simon is a 35-year-old undoubtedly in the twilight of his career. Both men had some strong results pre-pandemic: Simon made the semis in Marseille, while Fritz was a finalist in Acapulco. Gilles prevailed the only other time they’ve met, though that was over four years ago on clay. The Frenchman has always been a tough out with his counterpunching style, and is still capable of frustrating top players. Fritz has been and up-and-down player thus far in his career, but he should possess enough power off the ground to hit his way through this tough second round challenge.
Jennifer Brady (28) vs. CiCi Bellis (WC)
This is a battle between two young Americans on the comeback. 25-year-old Brady had a breakout season three years ago, reaching the fourth round here as well as at the Australian Open. The next two seasons were rough for Jennifer, but she has played magnificently in 2020. Including qualifying rounds, Brady has 18 match wins this year, and was the champion in Lexington a few weeks ago. 21-year-old Bellis first made her impression six years ago at this event as a 15-year-old, when she upset Dominika Cibulkova. But CiCi has been inundated with injuries at such a young age. Bellis had four surgeries the last few years, on her wrist, arm, and elbow. Finally healthy again, she has shown some good form, having reached the third round of the Australian earlier this year. Bellis won their only previous meeting, two years ago in Sydney qualifying. But Brady is a much an improved player this season, and her recent results should provide her with the necessary confidence to advance.
Other Notable Matches on Day 3:
Sascha Zverev (6) vs. Brandon Nakashima (WC). Zverev served well and survived a tough first round draw in Kevin Anderson. Nakashima is a 19-year-old American who won his first Grand Slam match on Monday.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (4) vs. Maxime Cressy (WC), another American wild card who hadn’t won a match at a Major prior to this fortnight.
In an all-German affair, 2016 champion Angelique Kerber (17) vs. Anna-Lena Friedsam. Kerber is 2-0 against her countrywoman.
Order of play (All times local, -5 hours from BST)
Arthur Ashe Stadium
12:00:
Kateryna Kozlova (Ukr) v (6) Petra Kvitova (Cze)
(1) Novak Djokovic (Ser) v Kyle Edmund (Gbr)
Not before 19:00
(4) Naomi Osaka (Jpn) v Camila Giorgi (Ita)
(4) Stefanos Tsitsipas (Gre) v Maxime Cressy (USA)
Louis Armstrong Stadium
11:00:
(17) Angelique Kerber (Ger) v Anna-Lena Friedsam (Ger)
Brandon Nakashima (USA) v (5) Alexander Zverev (Ger)
(1) Karolina Pliskova (Cze) v Caroline Garcia (Fra)
(12) Denis Shapovalov (Can) v Soon Woo Kwon (Kor)
Madison Brengle (USA) v (19) Dayana Yastremska (Ukr)
Court 4
11:00:
Simone Bolelli (Ita) & Maximo Gonzalez (Arg) v Santiago Gonzalez (Mex) & Kenneth Skupski (Gbr)
Sander Gille (Bel) & Joran Vliegen (Bel) v (2) Lukasz Kubot (Pol) & Marcelo Melo (Bra)
(7) Victoria Azarenka (Blr) & Sofia Kenin (USA) v Ellen Perez (Aus) & Storm Sanders (Aus)
Court 5
11:00:
(30) Kristina Mladenovic (Fra) v Varvara Gracheva (Rus)
Lloyd George Harris (Rsa) v (7) David Goffin (Bel)
Cameron Norrie (Gbr) v Federico Coria (Arg)
Cori Gauff (USA) & Catherine McNally (USA) v Hailey Baptiste (USA) & Whitney Osuigwe (USA)
Court 6
11:00:
(8) Wesley Koolhof (Ned) & Nikola Metkic (Cro) v Nikola Cacic (Ser) & Divij Sharan (Ind)
Egor Gerasimov (Blr) v Jordan Thompson (Aus)
(11) Elena Rybakina (Kaz) v Shelby Rogers (USA)
Court 7
11:00:
Kaja Juvan (Slo) v (14) Anett Kontaveit (Est)
Vera Lapko (Blr) v (23) Yulia Putintseva (Kaz)
Michael Mmoh (USA) v (28) Jan-Lennard Struff (Ger)
Court 8
11:00:
(24) Magda Linette (Pol) v Danka Kovinic (Mne)
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (Spa) v (24) Hubert Hurkacz (Pol)
Juan Ignacio Londero (Arg) v (27) Borna Coric (Cro)
Court 9
11:00:
(7) Raven Klaasen (Rsa) & Oliver Marach (Aut) v Marcus Daniell (Nzl) & Philipp Oswald (Aut)
Luke Bambridge (Gbr) & Ben McLachlan (Jpn) v Christopher Eubanks (USA) & MacKenzie McDonald (USA)
Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukr) & Nadiia Kichenok (Ukr) v Hayley Carter (USA) & Luisa Stefani (Bra)
Nao Hibino (Jpn) & Makoto Ninomiya (Jpn) v Anna Blinkova (Rus) & Polina Kudermetova (Rus)
Court 11
11:00:
(26) Filip Krajinovic (Ser) v Marcos Giron (USA)
Kirsten Flipkens (Bel) v Jessica Pegula (USA)
Ann Li (USA) v (13) Alison Riske (USA)
Ricardas Berankis (Lit) v Steve Johnson (USA)
Court 12
11:00:
(12) Marketa Vondrousova (Cze) v Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Blr)
Mikhail Kukushkin (Kaz) v (13) Christian Garin (Chi)
Marta Kostyuk (Ukr) v (31) Anastasija Sevastova (Lat)
Pablo Carreno-Busta (Spa) Mitchell Krueger (USA)
Court 14
11:00:
Raluca Olaru (Rom) & Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spa) v Lucie Hradecka (Cze) & Andreja Klepac (Slo)
Jeremy Chardy (Fra) & Fabrice Martin (Fra) v Christian Harrison (USA) & Ryan Harrison (USA)
Anastasia Rodionova (Aus) & Sabrin Santamaria (USA) v (2) Elise Mertens (Bel) & Aryna Sabalenka (Blr)
Asia Muhammad (USA) & Taylor Townsend (USA) v (5) Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) & Shuai Zhang (Chn)
Court 15
11:00:
Austin Krajicek (USA) & Franko Skugor (Cro) v (3) Rajeev Ram (USA) & Joe Salisbury (Gbr)
Mate Pavic (Cro) & Bruno Soares (Bra) v (5) Marcel Granollers (Spa) & Horacio Zeballos (Arg)
Alexa Guarachi (Chi) & Desirae Krawczyk (USA) v Laura Siegemund (Ger) & Vera Zvonareva (Rus)
Court 17
11:00:
Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukr) v (8) Petra Martic (Cro)
Catherine Cartan Bellis (USA) v (28) Jennifer Brady (USA)
(32) Adrian Mannarino (Fra) v Jack Sock (USA)
Gilles Simon (Fra) v (19) Taylor Harry Fritz (USA)
