Alexander Bublik, who is playing his first hard-court tournament of the summer, will battle Adrian Mannarino in round two of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. The winner will go up against either Tommy Paul or Dino Prizmic.
(15) Alexander Bublik vs. Adrian Mannarino
It will be fascinating contrast in styles when Bublik and Mannarino square off for the third time in their careers during U.S. Open second-round action on Wednesday. They split their two previous encounters, both also on outdoor hard courts. Bublik prevailed 6-3, 6-4 at the 2020 Doha tournament before Mannarino cruised 6-3, 6-2 last fall in Beijing.
Bublik was coming off a title the previous week in Hangzhou when he lost to Mannarino in Beijing, so that result can be thrown out the window. A much more rested and motivated Kazakh will surely be on display in this one. Bublik did not play at all on this hard-court swing prior to arriving in New York, but he looked good in a 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory over J.J. Wolf on Monday night. Mannarino defeated an in-form Thiago Agustin Tirante 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in his opening match, taking down one of the biggest hitters in the game. That is good preparation for facing Bublik, and the 38-year-old Frenchman can never be discounted at the U.S. Open — where he reached the fourth round last summer and the third round five other times. This could be the most fun match of the day.
Pick: Bublik in 5
Dino Prizmic vs. (20) Tommy Paul
This is the best chance in a while for an American man to win a Grand Slam for the first time since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open. Paul is somewhat a forgotten contender on that list since he finds himself a bit lower than usual at No. 21 in the rankings, but he remains dangerous when healthy. Paul appears to be in good shape at the moment; he advanced to the Montreal quarterfinals and took care of Coleman Wong in four sets on Sunday.
Photo credit – Dallas Open
Up next for the 29-year-old on Wednesday is a first-ever matchup with Prizmic, who has been held back a bit by injuries but is currently enjoying his best season on tour. The 21-year-old Croat reached the third round in Madrid and the fourth round in Rome — both as a qualifier — but has cooled off since those results. Prizmic needed three hours and 54 minutes across five sets to outlast Alexander Shevchenko on Sunday, and that kind of battle is not ideal preparation for someone who has already endured more than his fair share of physical issues.
Pick: Paul in 3