U.S. Open R2 previews and predictions: Isner vs. Chung, Johnson vs. Edmund

American countrymen John Isner and Steve Johnson will try to power the host nation into the U.S. Open third round when they take the court again on Wednesday. Isner is going up against Hyeon Chung, while Johnson and Kyle Edmund are set for an all-unseeded showdown.

Hyeon Chung vs. (10) John Isner

Isner and Chung will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they meet again in round two of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. Their only previous encounter came last spring on the clay courts of Houston, where Isner got the job done 7-6(5), 6-4. Chung once again has the misfortune of being forced to face the 6’10” American on United States soil. Isner has been up to his usual tricks again this summer, with titles in Newport and Atlanta to go along with a semifinal showing in Cincinnati. The No. 10 seed’s fine form continue on Monday via a 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 defeat of Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Chung advanced to the second round of his third straight slam (including a third-round performance at the French Open) when he beat Horacio Zeballos 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4, 6-3. The 21-year-old South Korean is a solid 18-13 at the ATP level in 2017 and he is coming off a quarterfinal run in Winston-Salem, although a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Damir Dzumhur is concerning. Holding serve just about every single time is paramount when going up against Isner, and Chung’s delivery is not big enough or reliable enough to accomplish that feat.

Pick: Isner in 3

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Steve Johnson vs. Kyle Edmund

Edmund’s best-ever run at a major came at last year’s U.S. Open, where he ousted two Americans–Isner and Ernesto Escobedo–en route to the last 16 (lost to eventual runner-up Novak Djokovic). The Brit is even better now at 22 years old, up to No. 42 in the world thanks in part to 23 ATP-level match victories this season. Edmund played the entire U.S. Open Series in advance of the year’s final Grand Slam, and he saved his best for last with a semifinal run as a qualifier in Winston-Salem this past week.

Included in that performance was a 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 defeat of none other than Johnson, which evened their head-to-head series at one win apiece. They had previously faced each other at the 2015 Australian Open, where Johnson cruised 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. The 46th-ranked American’s 2017 campaign has been difficult both on and off the court, but he has kept it together to maintain at least decent form. Johnson got his fortnight off on the right foot by taking care of Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 7-6(2), 7-6(5) on Monday, while Edmund beat Robin Haase 6-3, 7-5, 6-3. With what is sure to be an enthusiastic crowd behind him, Johnson should be able to avenge his recent setback–but it won’t be easy.

Pick: Johnson in 5

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