Washington, D.C. R1 previews and predictions: Tien vs. Mannarino, Shelton vs. Damm

The first U.S. Open tuneup event is in full swing in Washington, D.C., with Americans Ben Shelton and Learner Tien taking on opponents Martin Damm and Adrian Mannarino, respectively, on Tuesday.

Learner Tien vs. Adrian Mannarino

This is a first meeting between two lefties heading in very different directions. Learner Tien arrives at his career-high ranking off the back of an Australian Open quarterfinal and multiple Masters 1000 runs, sitting at 21-12 for the season. Adrian Mannarino, by contrast, has had a season to forget, down in the 40s after a stretch that’s seen him win barely a third of his matches. Of note, the last time Tien played a similar player (Cam Norrie) he was able to squeeze out a tight win.

DC’s medium-fast hard courts favor exactly what Tien does well, taking the ball early and dictating from the backhand side. Add in the muggy DC afternoon heat, which tends to wear down older legs faster than young ones, and benefit goes to the American. Mannarino can still make any opponent work for it on a good day, so I wouldn’t be shocked by a tight opener, but the physical and form gap should tell in the end. Look for Tien to get through in three.

Cheryl pick: Tien in 3

Ricky pick: Tien in 2

(3) Ben Shelton vs. (Q) Martin Damm

Another pair of lefties takes the court as Ben Shelton opens his home hard court swing. He will need to find his footing again after a first round exit at Wimbledon that snapped some of the momentum from his Stuttgart title run earlier in the year. Martin Damm, meanwhile, qualified for the main draw the hard way, including a gritty three set comeback in the final round of qualifying. It’s their first meeting.

The gap here is mostly about level. Shelton is a top ten player with home crowd support and a serve that should hold up regardless of who’s on the other side of the net, while Damm is currently ranked in the 104 and has struggled against higher ranked opponents this year. The talent and experience gap should be enough for Shelton to avoid a letdown. Look for Shelton to close this one out without needing a third set.

Cheryl pick: Shelton in 2

Ricky pick: Shelton in 3

• X
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Bluesky