Yee Haw…It’s an All-American Round-Up
Yee Haw…It’s an All-American Round-Up
And just like that it’s time once again for the most-leftist country in the world to host a grand slam. Over here at ATP Insider HQ it’s been a grueling summer spent re-educating the tennis masses via weekly column, and I’m excited to get back to my bread and butter: predicting matches.
But first, I must engage in an essential form of tennis praxis: self-promotion. Please check out my reportage about some (not particularly leftist) ex-tennis-pros and California rich guys in the newest issue of Racquet Mag. The ATP Insider’s influence continues to spread.
Back to the Open…
I know the questions you all want answered…Will we get the Novak vs. Alcaraz 2023 rubber match? Will J.J. Wolf do a Brian Bosworth cosplay? What exactly is going on in this photo…
I do expect big things from Jannik Sinner, who in addition to winning a Masters 1000, appears to have embraced the Italian-American tradition of suppressing his emotions. I think this bodes well for his chances in New York. Perhaps if he can scoot uptown and secure a sit down with Don Delillo, he can go full Nick Shay—recover the Thompson home run ball, kill a man, and reach the finals.
However, it doesn’t take a dialectical materialist to figure out that Djokovic, Carlitos, or (maaaaybe) Daniil Medvedev is going to win this tournament. For that reason, I’m not going to be paying much attention to the final outcome here.
Instead, I’ll be investigating an enduring trope propagated by the mainstream tennis media: the insistence that American Men’s Tennis is about to come back.
The U.S. Open is, after all, a time of hope and excitement. Young winners of Kalamazoo and the NCAA tournament, buoyed by the home crowd, often score early upsets. It’s the site of career weeks for great players (like Tiafoe) and not so great ones (like Robby Ginepri). Flushing Meadows is where Pete Sampras ended his career on a high note, where Andre reached his last grand slam final, and it’s the site of Andy Roddick’s lone triumph in 2003.
I’m am here to provide clarity in the murk of an oppressive capitalist hellscape by previewing every single first round singles match involving an American Man.
Let’s get after it.
The Predictions
You know the drill. Matches listen below are in the order they appear on the draw. Winners and leftism to be determined via dialectical prognostication.
Nicolas Moreno De Alboran vs. Lorenzo Sonego
One of the lesser known names amongst the crowd of Americans, Moreno De Alboran has been a slow but steady riser since turning pro in 2019. The 26-year-old former UCSB Gaucho won is first challenger last year and came through the qualifying here in Queens. This will be his first tour level main draw match, and I can’t say I love his chances against Sonego, who will be hitting every forehand as hard as he possibly can. Sonego in 3.
Alex Michelsen vs. Albert Ramos-Vinolas
Alex Michelsen, for those who are unaware, is the rising 19-year-old star of American tennis. Already ranked at 127th in the world, the lanky Californian reached his first ATP final this summer in Newport and recently made the unsurprising decision to turn pro, skipping out on his commitment to Georgia. It also goes without saying that Michelsen, a sort of a mishmash of Isner and Brooksby, appears to be wildly Conservative. His choice of Instagram followers is, to say the least, interesting….
I do however like his match-up against Ramos-Vinolas, the clay courter is on a bit of a down year and already skipped out on the rest of the hardcourt swing. I say Michelsen in 4.
Michael Mmoh vs. Karen Khachanov (11)
I like Michael Mmoh, I really do, but his insistence upon hitting every forehand while moving backwards will be a tough sell against Khachanov. Sure, Karen hasn’t competed since the French due to injury, but Mmoh has thrown in loses to Tristan Boyer and Christian Langmo this summer. Karen in 4.
John Isner vs. Facundo Diaz Acosta
It’s curtains for John Isner. The big fella announced this summer that the 2023 U.S. Open will be his final professional event. It’s a cyclic closure to the career of the most decorated American man since Andy Roddick. He arrived on the scene in 2007, as a wild card, ultimately falling in four sets to Federer in the third round. Now out of the top 100, Isner once again needed the USTA to gift him a spot in the draw. He’s also playing doubles with Jack Sock, who, after the USO, will be switching his occupation to Pickleball. Shameful. I say Big John keeps the career alive at least one more match, taking out Diaz Acosta in four tiebreak sets. After it’s all said and done at the Open, I wish Isner luck in his next career, be it in Venture Capital, owning a Car Dealership, or being the tallest Republican elected official ever.
Emilio Nava vs. Casper Ruud (5)
Brutal first round here for Emilio Nava, who has points to defend from his upset win over John Millman last year. Still just 21, Nava, a qualifier, absolutely hammers the ball, but his results have stalled a bit over the last year. While he thrives at the challenger level, he’s yet to really breakthrough on the main tour and crack the top 100. While there will definitely be some fun tennis here, I just don’t think the young denizen of the San Fernando Valley has the variety to get through last year’s finalist. Ruud in 3.
J.J. Wolf vs. Zhizhen Zhang
Absolute league pass alert here. In a sport replete with swagless stars, these are two of the most swagged out guys on tour. This match will have so many sweatbands and forehand winners. J.J. is gonna be rocking a fit that is completely insane. Last year he was fan boat J.J. Early 2023 he was grindset J.J. Lately? Bro Country Singer J.J. He’s giving Morgan Wallen vibes (in a bad way), and losing a weird amount of 6-0 sets. These are both players on the edge of leaping into the top 30 and/or a Def Leopard music video. I say Wolf gets it done in 5.
Sebastian Korda (31) vs. Marton Fucsovic
This is a banner matchup for guys who move a little bit like action figures. Korda, who many think has the highest upside of the young Americans, has turned in a solid, but unremarkable, season. He took out Fucsovic in straights last week in Winston-Salem, but did withdraw before his semi-final due to an ankle injury. A little bit of an upset alert here, but I say he takes out Eastern European G.I. Joe in 4.
Frances Tiafoe (10) vs. Learner Tien
Our first of two All-American Showdowns. We have back-to-back Kalamazoo Champion Learner Tien against former Kalamazoo Champion Frances Tiafoe. Tien, only 17, is around 700 in the world and, once again, after winning the biggest junior tennis tournament in the United States didn’t react at all.
He graduated high school early to play the spring season at USC, where he did well enough near the top of the lineup that he recently elected to turn pro. While some (cough, Craig Shapiro), think he left school too early, Tien is still young, and certainly ahead of where 17-year-old Ben Shelton was. With that said, Tien is less of a freakish athlete than Ben, and his game will need a bit more polish to hang with the big boys. Last year, also as a wild card, he took the first set against Kecmanovic before getting smoked. I say Frances gets the job done in 3.
Tommy Paul (14) vs. Stefano Travaglia
Tommy Paul has really turned in an outstanding 2023. He made the semis in Australia. He took out Carlitos in Canada. He’s still palpably from New Jersey and knocking on the door of the top 10. I give Paul the edge here against my Italian countryman Travaglia, and not just because Paul and I were at the same party last week. I definitely think he came because he’s a fan of my work, and not because Yonnex sponsored the event. I do think Paul has one more leap left in him, but to make it, he’ll need to leave Tommy behind and embrace his destiny as New Jersey Small Business Owner Tom Paul. Paul in 3.
Marcos Giron vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (21)
In this short king showdown, we have ex-UCLA Bruin Marcos Giron, armed with his enormous quads, squaring off against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and his enormously bad attitude. Fokina comes in to this match with the better ranking, and he’s in much better form, too (although Giron did take out Rune this summer), but that only makes me doubt him in this match. If they get out there on a hot day, with a rowdy outer court crowd, this seems like an ideal situation for a Fokina implosion against the rock steady groundies of Giron. I’m hedging here. Either Fokina in 3 or Giron in 5.
Ben Shelton vs. Pedro Cachin
Ben Shelton has come a long way since he squandered his U.S. Open Wild Card last year and ruined my streak of perfect predictions. I’m definitely not still mad about it. He comes in as a heavy favorite against Pedro Cachin, who hasn’t bothered playing a match on hardcourts since Miami. Shelton has been vulnerable to lower ranked players this summer, and lost to fellow young lefty Jerry Shang in consecutive weeks, but I think after some early jitters he’ll settle down and get his first win at Flushing Meadows. Shelton in 4.
Christopher Eubanks (28) vs. Soon-woo Kwon
Chris Eubanks is a seed in a grand slam. That would’ve seemed insane at the start of the year, but since his Cinderella run at Wimbledon anything seems possible. Eubanks has come back down to earth since leaving the grass, but Kwon has been hurt since the early days of spring. I imagine it’ll be tough for him to get much rhythm against the big serving, tricky American. An unfortunate first round showdown for two very fun players. Eubanks in 4.
Taylor Fritz (9) vs. Steve Johnson
The second All-American Showdown. While Tien and Tiafoe will be fighting for Kalamazoo Champ supremacy, Fritz and Johnson are doing battle for the soul of something far more sacred: Orange County. You might be saying, “wait, Taylor Fritz doesn’t even live in Orange County.” Well, I don’t care. He’s from San Diego and lives in Palos Verdes. I’m taking the average. Will Frtiz and his Zoomer Tik Toking ways be able to outlast Steve Johnson’s frat boy country club swag? I’m not sure. Johnson, as I’ve written about is in strong form of late. He won his wildcard via the pro-circuit sweepstakes, and scoring a few matches in New York could absolutely re-set his career. Fritz, despite his higher ranking, hasn’t been invulnerable to upsets by his countrymen. Just last year at the USO he fell in the first round to Brandon Holt. The problem here, for Johnson, is that Fritz possesses the one shot that alludes him: a top spin backhand. Fritz in 4.
Mackenzie McDonald vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime (15)
A very interesting matchup. By the numbers, Felix, a former semi-finalist at the Open, should be a major favorite. But, the guy can barely win a match this year. Mackie, on the other hand, has scored three top ten wins this summer and possesses a rock solid all court game. I’m punching the double Bruins first round upset ticket. McDonald in 5.
Zachary Svajda vs. Francisco Cerundolo (20)
Zachary Svajda, himself a former back-to-back Kalamazoo Champion, has come through the qualifying to secure himself a third appearance at the USO. Svajda, who currently sits around 200th in the world, might be one of the most gifted ball strikers in men’s tennis. The guy moves effortless, takes his shots early, and can square up a winner from almost anywhere on the court off both sides. He’s also relentlessly steady, a solid returner, and has pretty great touch, too. So, why then, is Zachardy Svajda not making more noise on the circuit? He’s incredibly small. He’s media guide 5’9, but that seems…generous. My guy looked like a child next to the not particularly imposing Thanasi Kokkinakis this summer. Cerundolo, on the other hand, has quietly entered the top 20. There will be some fun tennis, no doubt, but Cerundolo in 3.
Brandon Nakashima vs. Laslo Djere (32)
It’s been kind of a middling year from both of these guys, but this match-up will be a close one. Djere, the slightly stronger player in terms of ranking, prefers the clay. Both prefer their backhands. I’m kind of stumped on this one. Definitely a five setter. Slight edge to Nakashima.
Ethan Quinn vs. Bernabe Zapata-Miralles
Last, but not least, Ethan Quinn. The baby-faced 19-year-old NCAA champ recently turned pro after a stellar Freshman campaign at Georgia. He’s tall, he hits the ball hard, he’s never beaten anyone in the top 100. I do like his upside though and, on cursory glance, his politics seem to trend toward “unaware who is president” rather than “amateur Nazi,” which, by the standards we’re working with, is pretty good all things considered. Zapata-Miralles hasn’t really won many tour level matches on hardcourt this year, so this one could be winnable for the young American. I say Quinn gets out to an early lead, but the moment gets too big for him. Bernabe in 5.
Final Thoughts
So, I guess American Men’s Tennis is thriving? Cool. Well, sort of. Like I said, the early rounds are the time for optimism. The struggle will be winning in week two. But hey, most of these guys are young, only time will tell if they are elite tennis leftists.
See you at the open.