It’s another Sunday start at the U.S. Open, and one of the more intriguing Day 1 matchups pits Denis Shapovalov against Miomir Kecmanovic. Thiago Agustin Tirante and Adrian Mannarino are also on the schedule.
Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Denis Shapovalov
Shapovalov and Kecmanovic will be going head-to-head for the seventh time in their careers (sixth time on the main tour) when they meet again in round one of the U.S. Open on Sunday. All six of their previous encounters have gone Shapovalov’s way, although he has been pushed to a final set by Kecmanovic on three consecutive occasions and four times overall. They most recently faced each other last year on the indoor hard courts of Dallas, where Shapovalov prevailed 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3.
Can Kecmanovic finally turn the tide? Based on current form, that seems like an uphill battle. The 64th-ranked Serb has not won back-to-back matches at the ATP level since February and is coming off a second-round loss in Winston-Salem. Shapovalov’s hard-court summer features a runner-up performance in Los Cabos and a wild 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 setback against a red-hot Rafael Jodar in Cincinnati. The 47th-ranked Canadian is playing decent tennis and has performed well at Flushing Meadows in the past, so look for him to advance.
Pick: Shapovalov in 5
Thiago Agustin Tirante vs. Adrian Mannarino
This is a tale of two players at opposite ends of the career spectrum. Whereas Mannarino’s days on the pro tour could be coming to a close, Tirante is enjoying his breakthrough in 2026. It is no surprise that this marks their first-ever meeting, as they generally don’t participate in — or least don’t fare well in — the same tournaments. Mannarino does his best work on grass and indoor hard courts, while Tirante has produced much of his success on clay.
But don’t sleep on the huge-hitting Argentine when it comes to hard courts. He has been on fire this month, with wins over Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, and Jakub Mensik that propelled him to the fourth round in Montreal and the quarterfinals in Cincinnati. Mannarino, on the other hand, is 3-8 in his last 11 matches dating back to Queen’s Club. The 38-year-old Frenchman has played well at the U.S. Open in the past, but nothing suggests that he will find success at this stage of his career against an opponent like Tirante.
Pick: Tirante in 3
WWW?
Shapo in 5; and Mannarino always a deceptively tough out… he could win this match…in 4