U.S. Open R3 previews and picks: Federer vs. Mannarino, Isner vs. Kohlschreiber

Roger Federer will be aiming for a spot in the U.S. Open fourth round when he takes the court on Saturday against Adrian Mannarino. Meanwhile, John Isner and Philipp Kohlschreiber have a rematch on their hands.

(7) Roger Federer vs. Adrian Mannarino

Federer will continue his quest for a sixth U.S. Open title when is featured during the night session on Saturday. The seventh-ranked Swiss moved safely through his first two rounds by dismissing Grega Zemlja and Carlos Berlocq in straight sets. Federer is by no means in peak form at the moment, but he is off to a good enough start in New York and he showed signs of his former self earlier this month in Cincinnati (lost to Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals).

Up next for the 17-time Grand Slam champion is a third career meeting with Mannarino. Both of their previous dates have gone Federer’s way; 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 at Wimbledon in 2011 and 6-2, 6-3 later that year on the indoor hard courts of Paris. Mannarino has now advanced to at least the last 32 in each of his last two majors (reached the fourth round at the All-England Club). The 65th-ranked Frenchman has taken care of both Horacio Zeballos and Sam Querrey in four sets. Mannarino is playing well, but this should be another routine day at the office for Federer.

Pick: Federer in 3 losing 8-10 games

[polldaddy poll=7360617]

(13) John Isner vs. (22) Philipp Kohlschreiber

Isner and Kohlschreiber will be doing battle in a rematch of a U.S. Open showdown at the exact same stage of last year’s event. In fact, it ended up delivering the latest finish in tournament history (tied)–2:26 A.M. Kohlschreiber pulled off a third-round upset with a 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory that put him on the scoreboard against Isner for the first time in four tries. Isner won their three previous encounters at the China Open in 2010 and twice in 2012 (at Masters events in Rome and Toronto).

The 14th-ranked American had also been playing well at this time last summer, but he is even more on fire in 2013. He is 16-2 on hard courts in the United States dating back to the Atlanta second round, a stretch that includes a title in Atlanta and runner-up showings in both Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati. So far in New York, Isner has taken out Filippo Volandri and Gael Monfils. Kohlschreiber booked his spot in the last 32 with scalps of Colin Altamirano and Edouard Roger-Vasselin. The 25th-ranked German is a solid 25-17 for the season. Isner may be somewhat fatigued from a tough one against Monfils, but is much-improved from 2012 and he should be able to get revenge on Kohlschreiber

Pick: Isner in 4

[polldaddy poll=7360620]