Will Djokovic Extend His Perfect Season At The US Open Wednesday?

Two men have lifted ATP Tour titles in New York this year: Western & Southern Open champion Novak Djokovic and New York Open winner Kyle Edmund. The pair will meet in the US Open second round on Wednesday.

Djokovic will attempt to extend his unbeaten 2020 record to 25 matches against the Brit during the day session on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The World No. 1, who also owns a perfect 28-0 record in the opening two rounds of the US Open, will be wary of the challenge Edmund poses. Djokovic has won five of his ATP Head2Head series encounters against Edmund, but lost to the Brit on clay at the 2018 Mutua Madrid Open.

“[Kyle] does have a really good serve and forehand, two really big weapons,” said Djokovic. “I had some really good matches against him in the past. [At] Wimbledon, [we played a] tough four-setter a few years ago. He doesn't feel so much pressure, I think, playing on the big court.

“He actually likes the challenge. I have a lot of respect for him. He's a really hard worker, [he] puts a lot of hours on and off the court into perfecting his game… He does have the game and the potential to be in the Top 20 without a doubt, where I expect him to be soon. So it's going to be a tough one. I'm sure he has not so much to lose in that match.”

Djokovic is bidding to capture his 18th Grand Slam championship crown this fortnight. The Serbian currently sits in third position on the Grand Slam titles leaderboard, behind 20-time major champion Roger Federer and 19-time Grand Slam titlist Rafael Nadal. At last week’s Western & Southern Open, the 33-year-old matched Nadal’s record haul of 35 ATP Masters 1000 title with a three-set final victory against Milos Raonic.

This will be Djokovic and Edmund’s second meeting at the US Open. The Serbian ended Edmund’s debut appearance at the event in 2016 with a three-set victory in the Round of 16.

[NUMBER ONES]

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev will both face American opponents in the second round. Reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Tsitsipas will close the night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium against 23-year-old Maxime Cressy. Tsitsipas made an impressive start to his US Open campaign on Monday, dropping just four games against Albert Ramos-Vinolas, while Cressy claimed a four-set victory in his maiden tour-level match against Jozef Kovalik.

Zverev continues his US Open title bid against #NextGenATP star Brandon Nakashima on Louis Armstrong Stadium. The fifth seed, who beat 2017 runner-up Kevin Anderson in the first round, is aiming to reach the third round in New York for the third straight year. Delray Beach quarter-finalist Nakashima earned his first Grand Slam victory in the first round with a straight-sets win against Paolo Lorenzi.

Alongside Cressy and Nakashima, a further six Americans will compete on Day 3. Taylor Fritz, the top-ranked American left in the draw, Steve Johnson, Marcos Giron, Michael Mmoh, Mitchell Krueger and Jack Sock will each attempt to reach the third round on Wednesday.

David Goffin will look to build on his strong start to the tournament against Lloyd Harris of South Africa. The seventh seed broke 6’11” Reilly Opelka on four occasions to reach the second round in New York. Harris is attempting to reach the third round of a major championship for the first time, following his maiden US Open win against Marco Cecchinato on Monday.

Top-ranked Canadian Denis Shapovalov will face Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea on Louis Armstrong Stadium. The 2017 quarter-finalist, who needed four sets to get past fellow #NextGenATP star Sebastian Korda in the first round, has reached the third round on each of his previous three US Open visits.

ORDER OF PLAY – WEDNESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2020
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM start 12:00 pm
WTA Match
[1] Novak Djokovic v Kyle Edmund

Not Before 7:00 pm
WTA Match
[4] Stefanos Tsitsipas v Maxime Cressy

LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM start 11:00 am
WTA Match
Brandon Nakashima v [5] Alexander Zverev
WTA Match

Not Before 5:00 pm
[12] Denis Shapovalov v Soonwoo Kwon
WTA Match

COURT 17 start 11:00am
WTA Match
WTA Match
[32] Adrian Mannarino v Jack Sock
Gilles Simon v [19] Taylor Fritz

Click here to view the full US Open Day 3 schedule.

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