Aryna Sabalenka vs. Danielle Collins
How many times Sabalenka does double fault? A lot. But the good thing is that she keeps fighting, which is why the former No. 2 is still here. She is physically so strong, from both sides, and she storms her opponent immediately. She has had a tough year, but now she is thinking that “I am a great player.” This week, she certainly has been. The American Collins has had a difficult year, after she made it into the final at the Australian Open. During those two weeks, she was so potent. Both of them want to hit the ball very hard, right on the lines. Sabalenka will go into the third set and has a chance to knock her down. But Collins loves New York, and she will win it, 7-6. That would be a blast.
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Marin Cilic
At the US Open in 2014, the Croat won the event. With a huge serve, it looked like he would win Slams again. But he did not, and there were a couple times that he looked like he was spectacular during the matches, when he went deep at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. But after that, he lost a lot. Maybe he was confused a lot. It didn’t help that he plays almost each week. At least this week, the 33-year-old became much more in-your-face. He has to, as Alcaraz is also playing excellent ball, not every game, but he is has become a force. Cilic wants to hit a number of aces, Cilic has to try to knock Alcaraz down, because the Spaniard is much faster side to side. Cilic will try so ruthless, but in the fourth set, Alcaraz will aim for the lines and win it.
Karolina Pliskova vs. Vika Azarenka
The Czech has an amazing first serve, with hundreds of aces. She has been better than all of the players over the past 13 years, except for Serena. That is why she has won many huge events and aldo reached the final at the US Open and Wimbledon, but she has yet to win a Grand Slam. At the age of 30, the former No. 1 might not do it at the USO, or any Grand Slams. But this year and next year, when she goes deep, then perhaps she can go for it. She is powerful, but she does not run fast enough. As we have said before, Azarenka loves to put it away from both sides. She has won two Grand Slams, so obviously, she can be dangerous, but she is aging, too, and currently, she can be erratic. They have played each eight times, 4-4. This is a real toss-up. In the third set, Pliskova will hold the lines, and where down Azarenka.
Andrey Rublev vs. Cameron Norrie
Brit Norrie has had a great season. He is so fit, with his weighty forehand, his vicious backhand and his potent first serve. Even if he was decent, two years ago, he was a little bit soft. But now, he will shatter the ball. He has to, because the Russian is so much smarter than he did even last year. He is tall, he can be alert, and when he is running hard, then he can decide where he can go. Rublev has said that he has grown, on the court and off. When he first started, he could get livid, but now at his 24-years-old, he is calmer. This will be a five-setter, some brutal points, yet in the end, Rublev will bite Norrie.