U.S. Open R3 previews and predictions: De Minaur vs. Evans, Machac vs. Goffin

Alex De Minaur and Dan Evans will square off in a wide-open section of the U.S. Open draw during third-round action on Saturday. Tomas Machac and David Goffin–both unseeded–are also aiming for a spot in week two.

(10) Alex de Minaur vs. Dan Evans

Earlier this week, it is unlikely that either De Minaur or Evans could envision himself in the fourth round of the U.S. Open. However, one will make it that far after they square off on Saturday night. De Minaur went into this tournament well less than 100 percent due to a hip injury sustained at Wimbledon that prevented him from playing any hard-court warmup events. Evans trailed Karen Khachanov 0-4, 15-40 in the first round–a match that turned out to be the longest in tournament history, won by Evans.

This will be a war of attrition in which the last man standing will find himself in the second week of the season’s final major. The good news for De Minaur is that he has mostly advanced with ease, beating Marcos Giron in four sets and Otto Virtanen in straights. Evans crucially rolled over Mariano Navone 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in round two, but a five-hour and 35-minute match can stay in your legs for a while. De Minaur is an opponent who can exploit any physical weakness, so the 10th-ranked Australian may have the upper hand. But just about anything could happen in this one.

Pick: De Minaur in 4

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David Goffin vs. Tomas Machac

Goffin will have to relive a nightmare with Machac on the other side of the net on Saturday afternoon. The collapse of the year took place at Wimbledon, where Goffin led two sets to love and eventually by 5-0 in the fifth set only to see Machac storm back and win 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(5).

Their second meeting at least gives Goffin a chance to avenge that ridiculous loss, but it won’t be easy. An in-form Machac is coming off a gold medal in mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics with fellow Czech Katerina Siniakova and he crushed a red-hot Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday. Goffin easily upset Alejandro Tabilo in the opening round before scraping past an ice-cold Adrian Mannarino 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1). It’s hard to see the 33-year-old Belgian winning this one quickly–and if it goes five, both the mental and physical edge would favor Machac.

Pick: Machac in 5

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