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US Open Day 3: Three to See

Aug 28th 2018

Fernando Verdasco versus Andy Murray

As is often the case, when a top player is just beginning his return to regular competition following an extended hiatus, it can lead to some intriguing early encounters at the biggest events.  That is the position an unseeded Andy Murray finds himself in as he takes on thirty-first seed, Fernando Verdasco.  The good news for Murray is that he has only ever lost once in his previous fourteen meetings against the Spaniard.  He has enjoyed more success at the majors, which is no surprise given that he owns the overall better game.  His backhand has historically been more solid and versatile than his opponents, and he has always enjoyed an advantage in the movement department.  But Verdasco is hardly someone to be taken lightly. 

Andy Murray

He is known for his powerful lefty serve and forehand, both of which have not really lost their sting in the twilight of his career.  Furthermore, he has gone deep at the majors and accumulated some very impressive victories over the course of a career that has seen him also rise into the Top 10.  He has played Murray close on a number of occasions as well, and his lone win against the Scot did come at a major.  Wednesday's match represents one of the best looks Verdasco will have at notching a second one on the board, with Murray still struggling to find his form and skeptical of his own ability to hold in a best-of-five format.  Still, Verdasco only feels like a slight favorite in this contest.  It goes against the grain to bet again Murray given what all he has accomplished, and the hunger is still obviously there.  The lopsided head-to-head is also apt to have a psychological impact on both players.  It is certainly one of the most interesting of the second-round encounters, and whatever the outcome may ultimately be, it should hardly come as a surprise.

Elina Svitolina versus Tatjana Maria

It seems most analysts have agreed that there are a dozen women, give or take, who could leave New York as the 2018 US Open Champion.  Although there has not been much chatter about her, Elina Svitolina is likely to be someone on most of those lists.  The Ukrainian is seeded seventh here and has been as high as Number 3 in the world.  She has won multiple titles the last couple of seasons, including repeating as champion in Rome as well as capturing the title in Toronto last summer.  She is not the biggest ball-striker, but she is no less a bear to put away.  She is one of the quickest players on tour, and she will definitely be the faster of the two in this battle.  She is exceptionally solid from either wing and can change the direction of the ball with ease. 

Elina Svitolina

She has a decent serve and does not shy away from moving forward.  She rarely gives anything away for free, meaning her opponent has to take the match from her.  Unfortunately for Svitolina, that is something her opponent, Tatjana Maria, has done more often than not as evidenced by her 3-2 lead in this rivalry.  Crucially, her most recent victory came earlier this summer in the first round of Wimbledon, and she will be looking for a similar result a round later here in New York.  Like Svitolina, she does not possess any imposing weapons, but she also does not play too high-risk.  Her forehand is the more reliable stroke from the baseline, so she is going to want to look to engage the seventh seed in forehand exchanges.  Additionally, the German is superior at the net, and it is imperative that she move to the forecourt whenever the opportunity presents itself to rob Svitolina of time.  If she can do that and put the ball on her forehand with some frequency, she could pull off another upset.  The odds still favor the seventh seed evening the head-to-head, but this one is definitely an upset alert.

Dominic Thiem versus Steve Johnson

Rising up the ranks means taking advantage of the opportunities when they present themselves, and Steve Johnson might very well have one on offer in his upcoming match with Dominic Thiem.  On paper, this would not seem the case, as Thiem appears to be the obvious favorite.  He is seeded ninth and securely ranked within the Top 10.  He is one of the most powerful ball-strikers on tour, and he can produce that power with equal ease from the backhand or the forehand.  He also gets some notable pop on his serve and owns some admirable versatility in his game.  That is what helped propel him to his first major final earlier this spring in Paris and has seen him through to the finish line against the most decorated in the sport. 

Steve Johnson

But looks can be deceiving, at least where this match is concerned.  Johnson just barely missed being seeded, so the gap between him and the Austrian in the rankings are negligible.  Johnson is also coming in fresh off a finalist appearance in Winston-Salem, so he is feeling more confident on the hard courts than the ninth seed.  And though Johnson's backhand is inferior to Thiem's, his hard and flat forehand is better suited to this surface than the loopy ground-strokes that have brought Thiem so much success on the clay.  And lastly, Johnson may trail in this rivalry 1-2, but he did earn the victory in their most recent meeting last year in Tokyo.  Their matches have always been competitive, and there is no reason why this one should be any different.  It would not be a stunner either, no matter what the outcome, but based on current form and momentum coming in, this feels like a golden opportunity for the American to thrill the home crowd by garnering the upset and moving through to the third round.