Five Things to Watch, US Open Day 3: Barty; Bryans; Dimitrov vs. Coric
Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric will face off for the first time, while the Bryan Brothers begin their quest to end a five-year drought at the majors.
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Wake up every morning with Tennis Channel Live at the US Open, starting at 8 a.m. ET. For three hours leading up to the start of play, Tennis Channel's team will break down upcoming matches, review tournament storylines and focus on everything Flushing Meadows.
Tennis Channel's encore, all-night match coverage will begin every evening at 11 p.m. ET, with the exception of earlier starts on Saturday and Sunday of championship weekend.
The second round of singles action kicks off on Tuesday at the US Open, along with our first look at doubles. These are five storylines to look out for on Day 3 in New York.
1. The first career meeting between Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric promises to be one of the more compelling matches on the men’s side. Dimitrov will pit his flashy shotmaking and athleticism against Coric’s rock-solid game and elite physical fitness. Dimitrov certainly has the game to take down the No. 12 seed, but will he have the mental strength to outlast one of the game’s fiercest competitors? We’ll soon find out.
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2. The crowd will be rocking for Bob and Mike Bryan's 24th US Open appearance. Will it be their last? The greatest men's doubles team of all time has not won a Grand Slam title since 2014 in Flushing Meadows, and turning 41 this year is not making things any easier. They have a tough first-round test against the huge hitting duo of Vasek Pospisil and Hubert Hurkacz.
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3. In their last meeting, Ashleigh Barty squeaked by Lauren Davis, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, in a qualifying match five years ago Acapulco. Suffice to say that the stakes will be a bit higher on Tuesday. The low-bouncing Barty slice shouldn’t trouble the diminutive Davis, who stands just a shade above five feet tall. Last month, Davis defeated defending Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, in the second round of the Open. She also held match points against top-seeded Simona Halep at the 2018 Australian Open, so she has no problem thriving as an underdog.
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4. Win or lose, Jenson Brooksby has a big decision to make. The 18-year-old American has committed to play tennis at Baylor University in 2020, but he could opt to forfeit his NCAA eligibility and kickstart his professional career with a sizeable $100,000 check. If he defeats Basilashvili, he guarantees himself at least $163,000—and the decision to turn pro becomes much more tempting.
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5. Twelfth seed Anastasija Sevastova will look to continue defending last year’s semifinal points against the talented 18-year-old Iga Swiatek. The Pole has soared up the rankings this year, rising 129 spot to her current career-high of No. 49. Until Monday's win over Eugenie Bouchard, Sevastova had yet to win a match during her North American hard-court swing. This feels like an upset in the making.
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Wake up every morning with Tennis Channel Live at the US Open, starting at 8 a.m. ET. For three hours leading up to the start of play, Tennis Channel's team will break down upcoming matches, review tournament storylines and focus on everything Flushing Meadows.
Tennis Channel's encore, all-night match coverage will begin every evening at 11 p.m. ET, with the exception of earlier starts on Saturday and Sunday of championship weekend.