Jo-Wilfried Tsonga versus Jack Sock

The business end of the tournament has arrived with the second week of the US Open set to get underway.  This is where the match-ups really tend to start getting interesting, and one of the most compelling Round of 16 matches on the men's side is the one featuring Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jack Sock.  It came down to the wire when these two met a year ago in Madrid, and fans will be hoping for more of the same drama on Sunday.

Fans have often flocked to see Tsonga.  The Frenchman has a reputation for flare and plays a brand of exciting tennis that has brought him a fair amount of success through the years.  He has twice reigned victorious at the Masters level, winning titles at the events in both Paris and in Canada, and he is a former Australian Open Finalist.  He has gone deep at the other majors as well and has been ranked as high as Number 5.  Injuries have taken their toll in recent months, but he is still ranked a very respectable Number 11 and aiming to move up higher with a good run in New York.

Of course, Sock is also looking to make something happen in Flushing Meadows by breaking new ground here.  The American would dearly love to work his way into to the Top 20, and he can help his cause by continuing his run at the year's final major.  He had a decent North American hard court summer, but his bronze medal finish in men's double and gold medal finish in the mixed at Rio infused the twenty-sixth seed with confidence before heading to New York.  He will be hoping that carries him to a victory over Tsonga on Sunday.

This battle could come down to the finest of margins, as these two are pretty evenly matched.  Each man is looking to make headway with his serve and dictate play with his forehand, so naturally a high first-serve percentage is going to be key.  Another area to watch is how each man defends and uses his backhand.  It is the weaker wing for both, so how it holds up under pressure will be critical.  The other factor to keep an eye out for is which one will control the net.  Both are adept in the forecourt, but it is the Frenchman who tends to look to get there with greater frequency.  Sock either needs to be prepared to hit plenty of passing shots or else move forward more himself to take that play away from the ninth seed.

Executing under pressure takes belief though, and in this department again, these two are arguably even.  Sock has had the better summer, particularly with his victories in Rio.  He also produced his best tennis of the tournament in his routine dismissal of Marin Cilic in the last round.  That said, Tsonga also looks to be playing his best tennis of the tournament based on his win over Kevin Anderson in the third round.  He did win his only meeting against Sock, which was that nail-biter last year in Madrid, and unlike the American, he has been to this stage of a slam on multiple occasions.  That might be enough to make up for his sub-par summer hard court season.

Only time will tell which of these two men is ready to step up to the plate and stake his place in the quarterfinals.  On paper, Tsonga is the favorite.  He is seeded higher, has more experience at this level, and did win their only prior meeting.  Despite all of that, however, it could be Sock's time.  Many have felt the American has what it takes to go deep at a major, and there is hardly a better venue for him to prove them right than the US Open.  He has played better tennis of late, and if he brings his A-game on Sunday, then he is perhaps the one to be considered the slight favorite to move through at the Frenchman's expense.

Angelique Kerber versus Petra Kvitova

In virtually every journey in which a player takes to a major title, she is forced to overcome at least one “danger” match.  Angelique Kerber has a lot of work to do before she even potentially reaches her first US Open Final, but she does have what can be termed a “danger” match before her.  It comes in the form of facing Petra Kvitova in what could be a blockbuster Round of 16 battle.

Based on current results, Kerber would look like the obvious choice to move through.  The German won her maiden major title in Melbourne at the start of the season, reached the final of Wimbledon and took home the silver in singles at Rio.  She has also been remarkably consistent in between all of that, including reaching the final of Cincinnati right before coming to New York.  Suffice it to say, she should be in a good place with her game and be brimming with confidence.

The same cannot quite be said for Petra Kvitova.  The Czech has a history of being erratic, and it shows in her results.  She can be brilliant one moment and horrendous the next, but it is those brilliant moments that make her such a dangerous opponent for anyone.  Because of her inconsistencies, it can be easy to forget that Kvitova was once ranked as high as Number 2 and has seventeen singles titles to her credit, including two at Wimbledon.  She has not had the greatest 2016 but after winning the bronze in Rio and reaching the semifinals in New Haven, she may be hitting her stride at the right time.

If Kvitova is in the zone, then this is her match to win, irrespective of what the rankings might say.  The fourteenth seed is the bigger ball-striker and when truly in the zone, can hit the majority of her opponents right off the court.  She is also able to mix some touch and feel into her game from both the baseline and in the forecourt, which makes her powerful ground strokes all the more effective.  No doubt, Kerber has to come with her running shoes on and be prepared to spend at least part of the match acting as a backboard to test the consistency of the Czech by making her hit that one extra ball.  The trick for the German though will be to avoid relying too much on her defense.  If Kvitova is having one of her more erratic days, that might be enough, but she should not bank on it.  Instead, she has to look to go on the attack herself and move Kvitova around the court.  That should help avoid allowing her to get into a rhythm and perhaps bring out to Kvitova's erratic nature on the court.

Kerber will naturally want to make Kvitova frustrated on court because the Czech will not be lacking in belief against Kerber.  They have split their previous eight meetings at four each, and the vast majority of those encounters have gone three sets.  Given that she has two Wimbledon titles and has gone deep at the other majors, she is also unlikely to let nerves impact her game.  The US Open has been the worst slam for Kvitova throughout her career, however, and Kerber is a little more comfortable on the hard courts.  Couple that with all of the success Kerber has enjoyed in 2016, and that might give her the edge. 

All in all, this could be an enthralling fourth-round contest.  They are two great champions with entertaining games that could produce plenty of breathtaking offense and defense.  How great it is will depend much on Kvitova.  She has the bigger game, and if it’s at its best, not only will this be a great match, but it could end in an upset.  That said, with all that Kerber has done and the unpredictable nature of the Czech, the German has to be the one favored to move through to the last eight.  She just has to rise to the occasion herself.