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U.S. Open - Day 3 preview

Stephanie Myles
Lleyton Hewitt in action a few weeks ago in Cincinnati. He has a tough first-rounder in No. 6 seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)
Lleyton Hewitt in action a few weeks ago in Cincinnati. He has a tough first-rounder in No. 6 seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)

NEW YORK – It takes three days, for reasons only the U.S. Open knows, to wrap up the men's first-round singles matches.

It must feel like an eternity to those who have been here close to a week, just waiting.

But as the mixed doubles also gets under way along with the men's and women's doubles, all the events are finally in full swing.

The last man to take the court in men's singles will be No. 3 seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland, who plays a night-session match.

TV Schedule

10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. - Tennis Channel
1 p.m. - 6 p.m. - ESPN
6 p.m. to conclusion of play: ESPN2

 

MATCHES TO WATCH - MEN

[6] Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)

Every time former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt takes the court at a Grand Slam, you wonder if it will be the last time even though he's shown no signs of wanting to stop. But with all his physical issues, surgeries, and wear-and-tear, the Aussie keeps coming out and giving it everything he has without fanfare, without flash. In Berdych, he meets a bigger, stronger foe but one who hasn't had the greatest summer.

[7] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. [WC] Ryan Harrison (USA)

Dimitrov, at 23, is the youngest player in the top 10. Harrison, a much-hyped American prospect just a few years ago, seems older but is actually nearly exactly a year younger than Dimitrov. Both came up getting plenty of opportunities and wild cards to pave the way to the top level of tennis. But while it appeared to help Dimitrov, who was a standout as a junior (he was just 16 when he reached the U.S. Open junior doubles final in 2007 with Canadian Vasek Pospisil), the general consensus is that it hurt Harrison.

He has another wild card here. And he needed one; he's currently ranked No. 184 after reaching a career best No. 43 just over two years ago.

The Latvian ripped it up in practice over the weekend. Can he do the same in his first-round match?
The Latvian ripped it up in practice over the weekend. Can he do the same in his first-round match?

[11] Ernests Gulbis (LAT) vs Kenny De Schepper (FRA)

If practice counted, you would already hand the U.S. Open trophy out to Gulbis, who ripped it up on Court 17 and wowed the fans watching on in practice matches against Canadian Frank Dancevic and GIlles SImon of France over the weekend. But, as with Berdych, he's also been quiet this summer. In De Schepper, he meets a rare breed on the ATP Tour. The Frenchman is a huge man, a huge server (there are plenty of those). But he's a lefty. De Schepper was the one who squeezed into the main draw with the withdrawal of Rafael Nadal.

MATCHES TO WATCH - WOMEN

Venus Williams's opponent in the first round was a decade older; Wednesday, she plays one a decade younger. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Venus Williams's opponent in the first round was a decade older; Wednesday, she plays one a decade younger. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

[19] Venus Williams (USA) vs Timea Bacsinszky (SUI)

It's great to see Venus on the big stadium court at the Open again. And on the basis of her summer, she certainly deserves it. Bacsinzsky, at 25, has been around for a decade – she was playing Davis Cup for Switzerland when she was 15. Injuries, an overbearing father, and lack of motivation at times have stalled her career. She's solid, but isn't likely to give Williams much trouble if the American is playing at her level.

[31] Kurumi Nara (JPN) vs Belinda Bencic (SUI)

Bencic is the Bascinszky of the 2010s out of Switzerland, except with more pedigree and more talent. With all the talk of the 17-year-olds making moves on the men's tour, Bencic, also 17, has already made her move. She's old-school in her approach to the game, more precision and placement than power. And she has some reputable names in her corner: Melanie Molitor, the mother and coach of Swiss legend Martina Hingis, has worked with her. And Hingis herself has practiced with her here in New York.

As for Nara, she's proof positive that if you work hard, keep your head down, and do your thing, good things can happen. She's a seeded player at the U.S. Open at age 22 – not out of nowhere, but with little fanfare.

Here she (at right) is at the 2007 Open, with another rising Japanese player, Misako Doi, after winning a big junior doubles match against then-junior powerhouse Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia. She was just 15 then.

Misaki Doi and Kurumi Nara of Japan at the 2007 U.S. Open, competing in the junior event.
Misaki Doi and Kurumi Nara of Japan at the 2007 U.S. Open, competing in the junior event.

U.S. players in action

Men's singles

Ryan Harrison vs. [7] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
Steve Johnson vs. Tatsuma Ito (JPN)

Women's singles

[19] Venus WIlliams vs. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI)[21] Sloane Stephens vs. Johanna Larsson (SWE)
Madison Brenghe vs. [26] Sabine Lisicki (USA)

Men's doubles

[1] Mike and Bob Bryan vs. Max Mirnyi (BLR) / Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)
[WC] Michael MMoh and Francis Tiafoe vs. Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) / Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM)

Women's doubles

[6] Raquel Kops-Jones / Abigail Spears vs. Zarina Diyas (KAZ) /Yi-Fan Xu (CHN)
Vania King and Lisa Raymond vs. [16] Julia Goerges/Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER)
Alison Riske and Coco Vandeweghe vs. Silvia Soler Espinosa (ESP) / Heather Watson (GBR)
Nicole Gibbs and Maria Sanchez vs. Lauren Davis / Renata Voracova (CZE)
[WC] Louise Chirico and Katherine Stewart vs. Marina Erakovic (NZL) / Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP)
[WC] Alicia Black and Bernard Pera vs. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) / Pauline Parmentier (FRA)
[WC] Grace Min and Melanie Oudin vs. Petra Cetkovska (CZE) / Katarzyna Piter (POL)
[WC] Irina Falcon and Anna Tatishvili vs. Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) / Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE)
Shelby Rogers and Romina Oprandi (SUI) vs. Oksana Kalashnikova (GEO) / Olga Savchuk (UKR)
Christina Mchale and Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) vs. Alison Van Uytvanck / Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)

Mixed doubles

[WC} Alicia Black and Ernesto Escobedo vs. [1] Sania Mirza (IND) / Bruno Soares (BRA)
[WC] Shelby Rogers and Bradley Klahn vs. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) / Aisam Qureshi (PAK)