Roger Federer versus Frances Tiafoe

At the start of the season, no one, Federer included, would have believed that the Swiss would arrive in New York as the favorite to bag his third major of the year.  Yet that is exactly the position in which Federer finds himself, and the third seed will be a heavy favorite when he takes to the court against promising upstart Frances Tiafoe.  The home crowd has high hopes that this nineteen-year-old American will blossom into a future Grand Slam champion.  He already has a decent game, and he is particularly speedy around the court.  He also owns a big forehand that he is not afraid to unleash to gain the upper-hand in the rallies.  Furthermore, he should be feeling confident heading into this encounter. 

He reached the Round of 16 in Cincinnati, where he knocked off Alexander Zverev and played a tight one before falling to John Isner, and he put in a very respectable effort against the Swiss earlier this year in Miami.  While those facts are sure to ensure Federer respects what the American brings to the table, however, it will not change that he should expect to get through relatively comfortably.  He does everything better than the teenager, and his game is better-suited to this surface.  Tiafoe may have the tools to make this entertaining and could give fans a glimpse of the potential he has for the future, but barring his back is a major issue, Federer is advancing to Round 2.

Angelique Kerber versus Naomi Osaka

What a difference a year makes.  In 2016, Angelique Kerber won the Australian Open and the US Open and ascended to the top of the rankings.  Fast forward twelve months, and it is hard to imagine that she arrives in New York with any semblance of confidence.  She has struggled to string together victories and is in danger of falling further in the rankings if she cannot put together a strong effort to defend her title here.  Adding to her woes is that she faces a possibly dangerous hurdle straight out of the gates in Naomi Osaka.  The teenager from Japan is a promising talent, who has secured some notable wins as well as some respectable losses against the sport's biggest names. 

There are some questions concerning fitness after retiring in her fourth-round match in Toronto, but if she is back to feeling good, then she has the game to garner the upset on Tuesday. She is a powerful ball-striker and can be especially lethal off her forehand wing.  She will be the player looking to dictate play, and if she is firing on all cylinders will be in the enviable position of determining what happens out there.  The onus will be on Kerber to strike the right balance between offense and defense.  The German is the better mover, and when at her best, her defense is second to none.  But Kerber cannot rely solely on her wheels.  She must take it to Osaka because the teenager is not nearly as threatening when she is the one on defense.  It should be an interesting contest and one that may not be as straightforward as it seems on paper.  Kerber is the more experienced and overall better player, but she has not looked it throughout 2017.  If she continues her poor run of form, then an upset could be in the cards.  If she takes it up a notch, then she gets to continue her journey towards trying to retain her title.

Tomas Berdych versus Ryan Harrison

A potential popcorn match for the home crowd is the encounter that pits Ryan Harrison against fifteenth seed Tomas Berdych.  Earlier this summer, the American reached a career-high ranking of Number 40, and he also made the final of Atlanta where he pushed John Isner to two tiebreak sets.  Added to that, he has grown in confidence thanks to his success in doubles, which included winning the Roland Garros crown with partner Michael Venus.  And while he has lost to Berdych in their three previous meetings – among them this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon – he has taken sets off the Czech and played him close in the past. 

That said, Berdych's success against Harrison will certainly have him feeling good about his odds of success on Tuesday.  He has more experience playing at this level, and he easily boasts the more imposing game off the ground and on serve.  But Berdych will not be immune to the upset.  Although he put together some impressive runs this season, including a semifinal showing at Wimbledon, he has also been more inconsistent than usual, hence his drop to world no. 18 in the rankings.  Additionally, he has not played much this summer, forgoing Canada and losing his opener in Cincinnati.  If he is still struggling to find his form, then the third time could be the charm for Harrison against the Czech in the majors this year.  If he has discovered it though, then he is moving through to the second round.