Finally we can start the main draw of the US Open, here’s a preview for two of today’s first-round matches playing on Sunday: Denis Shapovalov vs. Miomir Kecmanovic and Jiri Lehecka vs. Pablo Carreno Busta, with our predictions.
Denis Shapovalov vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Shapovalov comes in unseeded but with a fairly good season, a runner-up finish in Los Cabos among other decent results. The 47th-ranked Canadian is not always consistent but has a very high top level which we hope to see this US Open.
Kecmanovic’s form has been so-and-so, he hasn’t won back-to-back matches on tour since beginning of the year, and went out in the 2nd round at Winston-Salem.
Shapovalov holds a very strong 5-0 lead in their head-to-head on tour, all on hard courts, though the last three meetings between them have all gone the distance. Last meeting was in Dallas (indoors) last year, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3.
Predictions
The head-to-head is about as lopsided as it gets, and even with Shapovalov’s own inconsistency this summer, he’s shown he knows how to find a way past Kecmanovic specifically.
My bet: Shapovalov to win in four sets.
Jiri Lehecka vs Pablo Carreno Busta
Lehecka, the 18th seed, has had an up-and-down season overall, but has some solid results (Wimbledon, Montreal…) since he lost to today’s opponent at Roland Garros a few months ago.
Carreno Busta is a player that is hard to predict at times. He has been one of the more remarkable comeback stories on tour, having been down close to 1000 in the rankings due to injuries, less than two years ago. The 35-year-old has shown he can still hang with the best when it matters, often forcing long 5 set matches.
Their head-to-head is tied 1-1: Lehecka won their hard-court meeting in Dubai back in February, 7-6(6), 6-4, before Carreno Busta got his revenge on the clay at Roland Garros in May, 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-3.
Predictions and best bets
Lehecka has clearly been the better player since their meeting at the French Open. Hard courts also should suit Lehecka more than clay did, and if he brings his best level and stays aggressive off both wings, he has the tools to control this one. Carreno Busta’s fighting spirit makes an easy afternoon unlikely, but he is 4-6 in his last 10 matches and also suffered from back problems very recently.
My bet: Lehecka to win in four sets.
Check all the best matches of the first round.
