Few days after finishing the Western and Southern Open, our favourite tennis players are back in action in the ATP US Open.
It was noted before that the US Open is being held in a bubble environment where virtual fans will be watching the matches and safety protocols are strictly implemented.
However, so far, the New York-based bubble isn’t running as perfectly as it should as several players voiced out their concerns on how preventive measures are being implemented.
Benoit Paire, who is the 17th– seeded player in the Grand Slam, apparently was given the go-ahead to compete prematurely despite testing positive for COVID-19.
Because of this, many fear that this fiasco might overshadow the event itself if this isn’t being resolved. So the US Open league committee is expected to take action sooner or later.
However, the action continues to be underway in New York and SBOTOP is here to give you a quick recap of the latest ATP US Open 2020 updates.
David Goffin passes first test
While some players bemoaned the reality of missing actual fans, David Goffin used it as fuel to up his game in the first round at the Flushing Meadows.
The 10th-seeded ATP player received one of the toughest draws in the US Open with Reilly Opelka as his first-round opponent, and it took him almost three hours of action in order to move on.
Goffin converted four of his seven break points en route to a 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory, and the match almost slipped away from the Belgian’s hands especially after during the first two sets.
Opelka was fresh from a quarterfinals run in the recently concluded Western and Southern Open, but his superb run abruptly ended due to a lingering knee problem.
But the 22-year-old looked to be fresher this time around, and he gave Goffin all he could handle on this one.
“It was great because you never want to play that kind of guy in the first round of a Grand Slam. He can be confident. He hit some amazing shots and all of a sudden, you’re losing the set,” admitted Goffin.
With the win, Goffin advanced to the fourth round of the US Open in four consecutive times already. He has not lost before the third round of a major since the 2018 Wimbledon.
Alexander Zverev in pursuit for first Grand Slam
Alexander Zverev is undoubtedly one of the sport’s rising stars. At 23 years old, the German international is currently the seventh-seeded player in the ATP rankings.
But so far, his trophy case has yet to be filled with Grand Slam trophies, and Zverev is hopeful that he will finally get one this time around.
He opened his 2020 US Open stint on a good note with an outstanding win over Kevin Anderson yesterday, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.
This was Zverev’s first victory since the resumption of the ATP tour. In the Western and Southern Open last week, he lost against Andy Murray in the opening match.
After a very competitive opening two sets, Zverev notched five straight points on his opponent’s serve to break for a 3-1 advantage.
From there, the young German never looked back as he capitalised on the errors made by Anderson, winning back-to-back sets.
“I am actually quite happy with a first round like that. Kevin is not someone you usually play in a first round. I am extremely happy to be through,” said Zverev after the match.
Alexander Zverev will face the up-and-coming Brandon Nakashima in the next round.
Can anyone stop Novak Djokovic?
Novak Djokovic is the obvious favourite to win in New York according to our ATP US Open 2020 odds, and he showed everyone why with his latest win yesterday.
The Serbian superstar continued his flawless campaign by defeating Damir Dzumhur, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1. While it looked like he didn’t break much of a sweat in this match, Djokovic admitted that he was stressed out in certain stretches.
In the said match, Djokovic was seen shouting to his crew on numerous occasions. He probably needed his team to hype him up due to the absence of live fans in the stadium.
“I came out, played really well in the first set. In the second set, I lost my focus, kind of got stressed out a couple of times and even screamed,” said Djokovic.
“Your team, your box, is always cheering you on. Regardless of whether you have an empty or full stadium, you always turn to them mostly. You look up to them, expect them to be with you and support you on the journey throughout the match,” he added.
Awaiting Novak Djokovic will be Kyle Edmund, who is coming off a win over Alexander Bublik. The three-time US Open titlist owns a 5-1 edge in his head-to-heads over the 25-year old British international.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE TENNIS STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
