Marin Cilic versus Jack Sock

The third round has arrived, and the seeds are colliding.  This is where the matches really start to get intriguing, and one that has garnered particular interest from fans and pundits alike is the encounter between Marin Cilic and Jack Sock.  They put on an entertaining show when they met earlier this year in Davis Cup play, and if they can even come close to replicating that effort, everyone is in for a real treat.

As the seventh seed, Marin Cilic will enter this match as the favorite.  He is no stranger to the latter rounds of the slams and actually went all the way to the title at this venue two years ago, defeating Roger Federer in the process.  He is currently ranked Number 9 in the world, just one spot below his career-high of world no. 8.  He secured his first Masters shield in impressive fashion earlier this summer in Cincinnati and has defeated a number of the sport's best, including multiple victories over the Big 4.  With his win in Cincinnati, he looks to be playing a similar brand of tennis to the type that made him a Grand Slam champion, so no doubt he will be looking to make the most of it in his next round.

Jack Sock is unlikely to make life easy for the Croat, however.  The American has had a solid season and is ranked a respectable Number 27, but he was ranked as high as world no. 22 earlier this year.  He won his first tour title on the clay of Houston last season and nearly defended that title with his run to the final there in 2016.  He has also enjoyed a good summer, which has included winning the bronze in men's doubles and the gold in mixed doubles at the Rio Olympics.  He will hardly be lacking in confidence when he takes to the court against the seventh seed.

When Sock is feeling confident, that helps his game.  More specifically, it really helps him go after his big weapons, which are his forehand and his serve.  He is able to bully a lot of opponents with those shots, and it is imperative that he has a good serving day and is prepared to find his forehand if he wants to cause the upset on Friday.  A big part of the reason why it is so essential that Sock have good days in those departments is that like Sock, Cilic also owns an imposing serve and forehand.  Additionally, his backhand is by far a bigger weapon than the American's, as is his serve, albeit to a less degree.  And lastly, while the two are both competent at the net, it is the seventh seed who cuts the more intimidating figure thanks to his lanky frame.

In addition to having the superior game, Cilic also should be stronger mentally in this contest.  That is not to say that Sock will be lacking in belief.  He did defeat Cilic in their only encounter, in which he came from two sets down to upset Cilic in Davis Cup play earlier this season.  But Cilic is coming in off a big win in Cincinnati, and as evidenced by his higher ranking, has clearly enjoyed more success throughout the course of 2016.  He has played better tennis to get this point, and perhaps most importantly of all, unlike Sock, who has only ever advanced beyond this point on one occasion, Cilic is more readily used to making the latter stages of the slams.

This certainly has all of the ingredients to be an enthralling match and is sure to give fans plenty to smile about.  It is also a match that could go either way, as there is no question that Sock has the tools to spring the upset.  But Cilic is the more complete player, is the fresher and more experienced of the two, and has to be the more confident of the pair.  If he plays his brand of controlled but aggressive tennis, he is making it to the fourth round.

John Isner versus Kyle Edmund

Even the greatest legends in tennis once started as lowly-ranked underdogs, toiling away on the outer courts as they sought to make the breakthrough that would serve as a stepping stone to greatness.  It is a breakthrough that every player seeks, and while those who find it do not all go on to become legends, it can still prove beneficial in helping them along way to a respectable career.  John Isner has had those kinds of moments.  His opponent, Kyle Edmund has not.  But the Brit will be looking to capture that moment by disappointing the home fans with an upset of Isner to book a berth in the fourth round.

Isner will be the clear favorite when these two take to the court on Friday.  He is a former member of the Top 10 and is presently ranked Number 21.  He also has ten singles titles to his name as well as numerous finalist appearances, including at the Masters events in Indian Wells and Cincinnati.  He has successfully mixed it up with the sport's best, and the American hard court summer is when he has traditionally played his top tennis.

Unlike Isner, Edmund is a man still looking to establish himself.  The young Brit is in that transitional phase where he is performing at the top level of the Challenger Tour and is aiming to gain a strong foothold at the main tour level.  There is no shortage of people who think he has enough promise to do that.  He has accumulated some nice victories already and went three tough sets with his countryman Andy Murray earlier this summer in London.  He played a huge role in keeping Great Britain's hopes of defending its Davis Cup title alive, and he would dearly love to keep building on his momentum by reaching the second week of a major for the first time in his young career.

It is easy to assume that Edmund is fated to fall just shy of that mark given what all Isner brings to the table.  At 6'10” the American is known for his booming serve, and he often does a lot of damage with his powerful forehand.  He also makes for a strong presence at the net, where he has decent hands and often proves very difficult to pass.  But Edmund could hardly be described as defenseless.  He also boasts a sizable serve and an impressive forehand.  His return is slightly sharper as well, so if he is having a good serving day of his own and an equally solid day on the return, then he could turn the tables on the twentieth seed.

Edmund might also come into this match the more confident of the duo in spite of his lower ranking and certainly ought to be fresher.  Isner's results this summer were sub-par by his previous standards, including the loss of multiple tiebreaks.  He has had to work much harder to reach this stage, and as a man who has only been to the last eight of a major on one occasion, is someone who has really underachieved at the slams.  He also has to play with the pressure that comes with being the favorite, especially when up against someone as green as the Brit.  Edmund by contrast has no pressure on his shoulders, and he has reached this point without the loss of a set, including a straight-set victory over Richard Gasquet in the first round.  He may have lost in straights to Isner when they met in the second round of Roland Garros this past spring, but it was not a blowout.  He has grown since then and may be a little more ready for the occasion.

American fans will be keeping an eye on this one and have ample reason to be optimistic that their man will find a way to emerge the victor.  He has the skills and experience to do so for sure, but it would be wise to not discount Edmund's chances.  He has shown promise, and if he plays his A-game, he might just find a way to make that breakthrough every player seeks.  Only time will tell if that moment is now.