By Chris Oddo | Wednesday August 29, 2018
It’s going to be another scorcher in New York City, but at least the women can now take their shirts off on court. And also, players can jump into ice baths with their opponents after three sets. Great, now that that’s settled, let’s jump into the popcorn matches of Day 4—and yes, there are plenty.
See the Full Day 4 Order of Play Here
Benoit Paire v Roger Federer
You know how people wonder how it is that Roger Federer never breaks a sweat? How can it be? Everybody else is cramping and dripping puddles and there is Federer—elegant and refined as ever—with not even a hair out of place. Well those theories will be tested tomorrow because Federer is playing the second match of the day session on Arthur Ashe stadium. Temperatures are expected to be hot, hot HOT.
Federer brings a 6-0 lifetime record against Paire into the match but the Swiss did drop a set against Paire in their last outing and he had to save two match points before he finally won it in a third-set breaker. Federer is a combined 35-0 in U.S. Open first and second round matches, and he’ll be the heavy favorite against the Frenchman. Expect a straight-set win from Federer, but we’re not sure that he won’t break a sweat…
Gael Monfils v Kei Nishikori
The first night session match on the new Louis Armstrong stadium will feature a very enticing matchup between two players who love to play in the Big Apple. Gael Monfils and Kei Nishikori have had quite a rivalry—they’ve played four times, going the distance each time, and on the last three of those matches, they’ve needed a third-set breaker to decide it.
Monfils opened his hardcourt season with a four-set win over Facundo Bagnis while Nishikori is still looking to find his form on the hardcourts as well—he has gone 4-3 since Wimbledon with losses to Alexander Zverev in D.C., Robin Haase at Toronto and Stan Wawrinka in Cincinnati. Maybe the lack of results this summer is a blessing for both players. It’s about fitness as much as it is about form, especially in the New York heat. And if both are in good shape this should be a cracker of a match.
Alex De Minaur v Frances Tiafoe
The last match on Court No.17 should be a cracker as well. American Frances Tiafoe, fresh off his first career U.S. Open win, will face Australia’s rising Alex de Minaur. The winner will reach the third round for the first time at New York and all we have to go on is a three-set match that the pair played in the qualifying draw at Brisbane in 2017—de Minaur won the match 6-4 in the third.
This is a great opportunity for both players, and it should be a thrilling affair between two NextGen players that are four and five in the Race to Milan. As far as players that have yet to turn 21, Tiafoe (44) and De Minaur (45) are No. 4 and No.5 in the ATP rankings, behind only Stefanos Tsitsipas, Denis Shapovalov and Andrey Rublev.
Caroline Garcia v Monica Puig
The matchup certainly has favored Monica Puig in the past—the Puerto Rican leads Caroline Garcia 3-0 in their head-to-head—so does that mean that the No.6-seeded Frenchwoman is on upset alert? You bet.
But let’s also keep in mind that Garcia has been one of the most consistent players on tour in 2018, reaching the quarterfinals or better in 12 of the 17 events she has played. Garcia, who has reached the round of 16 at two majors this season, will bid for her 30th win against Puig, who won a match at the U.S. Open for just the second time in the first round when she double-bageled Stefanie Voegele.
Puig is a talented player, but she has a history of faltering at the Slams—the 24-year-old has only reached the third round in four of her previous 21 Grand Slam appearances.