2023 ATP US Open Update: Top US Players Advance to Third Round
Three Top-10 Seeded Players Tumble in Second Round US Open Men's Singles Draw
No Problem in US Open Openers for Tournament Favorites Alcaraz and Djokovic
The upsets are starting to happen with top-10 seeds Holger Rune, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas among the big names not to get past the third round in the 2023 ATP US Open draw.
Defending champion and top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz and No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic had no issues in their first matches while seeded Americans Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul also took care of business.
A highlight when it comes to the US Open schedule will come when No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev takes on Christopher O’Connell in the Thursday night match on Louis Armstrong court.
When looking at US Open predictions, Djokovic is priced at -125 to win the US Open for the first time since 2018. Alcaraz, seeking to become the first back-to-back men’s singles champion since Roger Federer in 2007 and 2008, comes in at +175 followed by 2021 champ Medvedev at +700.
Here are some of the items making tennis news in the early rounds in the final Grand Slam tournament of 2023.
Favorites Roll On
It is time for a 2023 ATP US Open update.
While tournament favorites Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic had no issues in the Round of 128, other seeded players were not as fortunate.
No. 5 seed Casper Ruud did win his first match, but needed to win two of the sets in tiebreakers. His title hopes ended with a five-set loss to Zhizhen Wang in the second round.
It was the same story for fourth-seeded Holger Rune and No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Rune fell to Aslan Karatsev and Tsitsipas dropped a five-set showdown to qualifer Dominic Stricker.
American Michael Mmoh stunned No. 11 seed Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No. 15 seed, lost in four sets to American Mackenzie McDonald.
Another top-20 seed exited early when No. 18 Lorenzo Musetti was stunned by qualifier Titouan Droguet
No. 24 seed Tallon Griekspoor lost the fourth and fifth sets against Arthur Fils.
Dominic Thiem took out No. 25 seed Alexander Bublik in the first round before the 2020 US Open men’s singles champion was forced to retire in his next match.
Borna Coric, the No. 27 seed, won a total of 11 games in a loss to Sebastian Baez.
No. 29 Ugo Humpert lost to Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
Djokovic won in the second round, dropping two games in the final two sets against Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
Top Americans Advance
When it comes to the 2023 ATP US Open update, 10 U.S. players fell in the opening round. However, the American players thought to have the best chances to be playing in the second week avoided upsets in the first round.
No. 9 seed Taylor Fritz lost just five tennis games against fellow American Steve Johnson and he dropped another five games against Juan Pablo Varillas in the second round.
Next up for Fritz is unseeded Jakub Mensik.
With Tsitsipas already out, Fritz’s portion of the draw is opening up.
No. 10 seed Frances Tiafoe did not drop a set in the first two rounds as he looks ready to make a deep run in New York after advancing to the semifinals in 2022.
Tommy Paul, the No. 14 seed, lost three sets in the first two matches but survived against Stefano Travaglia and Roman Safiullin.
Ben Shelton is also through to the third round after Thiem retired in the second round.
Unseeded Christopher Eubanks won his first-round match before the No. 28 seed lost to Benjamin Bonzi.
Sebastian Korda was the only other seeded American player to tumble as Marton Fucsovics eliminated the No. 31 seed in five sets.
Fritz (+2200), Tiafoe (+3300) and Paul (+4000) have the best odds to win the tournament among the American men as they are looking to become the first U.S.-born players to win that title since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Nice Start for Veterans
It is uncertain how many more times that Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka will be playing in the US Open.
So far, so good for the two former US Open champions.
Murray, who topped Djokovic in five sets in the 2012 championship match, won in straight sets against Corentin Moutet. Next up is a showdown with Grigor Dimitrov.
Wawrinka, the 2016 champion, also won in straight sets after a tough opening-set tiebreaker to set up a match with No. 30 Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
American John Isner, who will retire after the US Open, gets to play at least one more match as he fittingly closed out Facundo Diaz Acosta in a tiebreaker.
Gael Monfils lives to play another day as he topped Taro Daniel in his opening match.
For tennis betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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