US Open predictions, August 31, 2026: Fils vs Tsitsipas, Alcaraz vs Safiullin

Monday's US Open first round pits Arthur Fils against Stefanos Tsitsipas on hard. Arthur Fils brings a 6-match winning streak into this one, 9-1 across the last ten. Stefanos Tsitsipas has won 6 of the last 10.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. Expect resistance, but the match-level math tilts clearly toward Fils.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Carlos Alcaraz goes up against Roman Safiullin in the US Open first round. Carlos Alcaraz has won 7 of the last 10. Roman Safiullin has dropped 2 straight and sits at 6-4 over the last ten.

Carlos Alcaraz simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. If Alcaraz plays anywhere close to a normal level, this ends in relatively comfortable fashion.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Ben Shelton goes up against Tallon Griekspoor in the US Open first round. Ben Shelton has won 8 of the last 10. Tallon Griekspoor is 4-6 across recent matches.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. Expect resistance, but the match-level math tilts clearly toward Shelton.

Learner Tien and Nuno Borges meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Learner Tien is 6-4 across recent matches. Nuno Borges is 7-3 across recent matches.

Learner Tien is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Tien around 55%. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Tien fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Alejandro Tabilo and Yannick Hanfmann meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Alejandro Tabilo comes in at 5 wins from the last ten. Yannick Hanfmann comes in at 6 wins from the last ten.

On paper it's close: comparable ratings, comparable serve numbers, small margins everywhere. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Tabilo is exactly that — a lean.

Monday's US Open first round pits Brandon Nakashima against Sebastian Baez on hard. Brandon Nakashima comes in at 8 wins from the last ten. Sebastian Baez has won 6 of the last 10.

Nakashima's 74.5% behind the first serve (against 64.7% for Baez) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. Nakashima should have enough here, though Baez has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

Aryna Sabalenka and Camila Osorio meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Aryna Sabalenka is 7-3 across recent matches. Camila Osorio is searching for form, having lost 3 in a row (5 of the last 10).

The serve is where this match separates: Sabalenka has been winning 67% of first-serve points to Osorio's 61.6%, and on hard that gap compounds fast. Osorio needs several things to break right at once; the percentages say they usually don't.

Monday's US Open first round pits Daria Snigur against Diana Shnaider on hard. Diana Shnaider has won 7 of the last 10. Daria Snigur has won 7 of the last 10.

Diana Shnaider is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Shnaider around 59%. Little separates them; Shnaider gets the nod on the finest of margins.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Andrey Rublev goes up against Marin Cilic in the US Open first round. Andrey Rublev is 6-4 across recent matches. Marin Cilic has won 4 of the last 10.

Andrey Rublev is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Rublev around 56%. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Rublev fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Katerina Siniakova meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Elisabetta Cocciaretto is 4-6 across recent matches. Katerina Siniakova comes in at 4 wins from the last ten.

Neither the serve numbers nor the ratings separate these two by much, which is why our number stays close to even. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Cocciaretto is exactly that — a lean.

Monday's US Open first round pits Andrey Rublev against Otto Virtanen on hard. Andrey Rublev is 6-4 across recent matches. Otto Virtanen limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 5 wins in 10.

Andrey Rublev simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. Little separates them; Rublev gets the nod on the finest of margins.

Monday's US Open first round pits Maja Chwalinska against Taylor Townsend on hard. Taylor Townsend is 5-5 across recent matches. Maja Chwalinska is searching for form, having lost 2 in a row (5 of the last 10).

Townsend's 64.3% behind the first serve (against 58.1% for Chwalinska) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. The edge belongs to Townsend — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

Aleksandar Kovacevic and Valentin Vacherot meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Valentin Vacherot limps in on a 4-match losing skid, just 4 wins in 10. Aleksandar Kovacevic comes in at 4 wins from the last ten.

Valentin Vacherot is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Vacherot around 58%. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Vacherot is exactly that — a lean.

Monday's US Open first round pits Amanda Anisimova against Ashlyn Krueger on hard. Amanda Anisimova is 6-4 across recent matches. Ashlyn Krueger has won 7 of the last 10.

Amanda Anisimova simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. The edge belongs to Anisimova — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

Monday's US Open first round pits Felix Auger Aliassime against Rinky Hijikata on hard. Felix Auger Aliassime has won 7 of the last 10. Rinky Hijikata has won 4 of the last 10.

Aliassime's 75.5% behind the first serve (against 68.6% for Hijikata) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. The edge belongs to Aliassime — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

Matteo Berrettini and Stan Wawrinka meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Matteo Berrettini comes in at 7 wins from the last ten. Stan Wawrinka comes in at 2 wins from the last ten.

Matteo Berrettini simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. The edge belongs to Berrettini — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Katie Volynets goes up against Linda Noskova in the US Open first round. Linda Noskova is 8-2 across recent matches. Katie Volynets has won 5 in a row and 8 of the last 10 overall.

Noskova's 69.3% behind the first serve (against 57.3% for Volynets) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. Expect resistance, but the match-level math tilts clearly toward Noskova.

Monday's US Open first round pits Jacob Fearnley against Martin Landaluce on hard. Jacob Fearnley comes in at 8 wins from the last ten. Martin Landaluce limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 2 wins in 10.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. Little separates them; Fearnley gets the nod on the finest of margins.

Monday's US Open first round pits Dalibor Svrcina against Valentin Royer on hard. Valentin Royer is rolling — 5 straight wins, 6 of 10 in recent play. Dalibor Svrcina limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 4 wins in 10.

The underlying stats are tight across the board — this is a matchup decided by a handful of points. Little separates them; Royer gets the nod on the finest of margins.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Alexei Popyrin goes up against Grigor Dimitrov in the US Open first round. Grigor Dimitrov limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 6 wins in 10. Alexei Popyrin comes in at 4 wins from the last ten.

Grigor Dimitrov simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Dimitrov fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Monday's US Open first round pits Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard against Jurij Rodionov on hard. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is searching for form, having lost 5 in a row (2 of the last 10). Jurij Rodionov has won 3 of the last 10.

Perricard's 78.2% behind the first serve (against 70.1% for Rodionov) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. Little separates them; Perricard gets the nod on the finest of margins.

Monday's US Open first round pits Adrian Mannarino against Thiago Agustin Tirante on hard. Thiago Agustin Tirante is 8-2 across recent matches. Adrian Mannarino is searching for form, having lost 4 in a row (3 of the last 10).

Neither the serve numbers nor the ratings separate these two by much, which is why our number stays close to even. Tirante should have enough here, though Mannarino has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Anna Blinkova goes up against Anna Kalinskaya in the US Open first round. Anna Kalinskaya comes in at 6 wins from the last ten. Anna Blinkova has dropped 2 straight and sits at 4-6 over the last ten.

Anna Kalinskaya simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. The edge belongs to Kalinskaya — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Damir Dzumhur goes up against Hubert Hurkacz in the US Open first round. Hubert Hurkacz brings a 4-match winning streak into this one, 8-2 across the last ten. Damir Dzumhur has won 6 of the last 10.

Hold strength tells the story — 76% versus 64.9% on first-serve points in Hurkacz's favor. Hurkacz should have enough here, though Dzumhur has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

Monday's US Open first round pits Aleksandar Vukic against Rei Sakamoto on hard. Aleksandar Vukic has dropped 2 straight and sits at 6-4 over the last ten. Rei Sakamoto comes in at 5 wins from the last ten.

On paper it's close: comparable ratings, comparable serve numbers, small margins everywhere. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Vukic is exactly that — a lean.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Liudmila Samsonova goes up against Maya Joint in the US Open first round. Liudmila Samsonova comes in at 6 wins from the last ten. Maya Joint limps in on a 3-match losing skid, just 4 wins in 10.

Samsonova's 69.2% behind the first serve (against 59.8% for Joint) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Samsonova is exactly that — a lean.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Alex Michelsen goes up against Federico Cina in the US Open first round. Alex Michelsen comes in at 7 wins from the last ten. Federico Cina has won 4 of the last 10.

Alex Michelsen is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Michelsen around 67%. Expect resistance, but the match-level math tilts clearly toward Michelsen.

Diane Parry and Viktorija Golubic meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Diane Parry has won 4 in a row and 7 of the last 10 overall. Viktorija Golubic is 6-4 across recent matches.

Parry's 66.2% behind the first serve (against 58% for Golubic) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. Little separates them; Parry gets the nod on the finest of margins.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when James Duckworth goes up against Matteo Arnaldi in the US Open first round. James Duckworth brings a 4-match winning streak into this one, 7-3 across the last ten. Matteo Arnaldi has dropped 2 straight and sits at 5-5 over the last ten.

The underlying stats are tight across the board — this is a matchup decided by a handful of points. Little separates them; Duckworth gets the nod on the finest of margins.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Ann Li goes up against Antonia Ruzic in the US Open first round. Ann Li has won 4 of the last 10. Antonia Ruzic is searching for form, having lost 3 in a row (2 of the last 10).

Hold strength tells the story — 65.3% versus 61.4% on first-serve points in Li's favor. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Li is exactly that — a lean.

Monday's US Open first round pits Cristina Bucsa against Sara Bejlek on hard. Sara Bejlek has won 7 of the last 10. Cristina Bucsa is 2-8 across recent matches.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. The edge belongs to Bejlek — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Karolina Muchova goes up against Sinja Kraus in the US Open first round. Karolina Muchova has won 9 of the last 10. Sinja Kraus limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 4 wins in 10.

Hold strength tells the story — 64.8% versus 59.2% on first-serve points in Muchova's favor. If Muchova plays anywhere close to a normal level, this ends in relatively comfortable fashion.

Monday's US Open first round pits Maria Timofeeva against Tamara Zidansek on hard. Tamara Zidansek is searching for form, having lost 2 in a row (5 of the last 10). Maria Timofeeva is 8-2 across recent matches.

The underlying stats are tight across the board — this is a matchup decided by a handful of points. Little separates them; Zidansek gets the nod on the finest of margins.

Alexander Blockx and Tomas Barrios Vera meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Alexander Blockx comes in at 4 wins from the last ten. Tomas Barrios Vera has dropped 7 straight and sits at 2-8 over the last ten.

Hold strength tells the story — 74.3% versus 64.9% on first-serve points in Blockx's favor. Expect resistance, but the match-level math tilts clearly toward Blockx.

Monday's US Open first round pits Harry Wendelken against Luciano Darderi on hard. Luciano Darderi comes in at 5 wins from the last ten. Harry Wendelken is searching for form, having lost 6 in a row (1 of the last 10).

Luciano Darderi is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Darderi around 61%. Expect resistance, but the match-level math tilts clearly toward Darderi.

Monday's US Open first round pits Nadia Podoroska against Simona Waltert on hard. Nadia Podoroska has dropped 4 straight and sits at 3-7 over the last ten. Simona Waltert is searching for form, having lost 2 in a row (5 of the last 10).

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Podoroska is exactly that — a lean.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Facundo Diaz Acosta goes up against Quentin Halys in the US Open first round. Quentin Halys limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 7 wins in 10. Facundo Diaz Acosta has won 5 in a row and 7 of the last 10 overall.

The serve is where this match separates: Halys has been winning 77.3% of first-serve points to Acosta's 67.4%, and on hard that gap compounds fast. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Halys fractionally more likely to land the big points.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Jakub Mensik goes up against Shintaro Mochizuki in the US Open first round. Jakub Mensik is 6-4 across recent matches. Shintaro Mochizuki has won 6 of the last 10.

Mensik's 76.7% behind the first serve (against 68.1% for Mochizuki) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. Anything other than a Mensik win would rank among the bigger surprises of the week.

Monday's US Open first round pits Elsa Jacquemot against Marie Bouzkova on hard. Marie Bouzkova is 6-4 across recent matches. Elsa Jacquemot limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 3 wins in 10.

Marie Bouzkova simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. The edge belongs to Bouzkova — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Alexander Bublik goes up against J J Wolf in the US Open first round. Alexander Bublik is 6-4 across recent matches. J J Wolf has won 2 of the last 10.

The serve is where this match separates: Bublik has been winning 77.7% of first-serve points to Wolf's 72.4%, and on hard that gap compounds fast. Bublik should have enough here, though Wolf has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Karen Khachanov goes up against Roman Andres Burruchaga in the US Open first round. Karen Khachanov has dropped 4 straight and sits at 4-6 over the last ten. Roman Andres Burruchaga is searching for form, having lost 4 in a row (5 of the last 10).

Hold strength tells the story — 72% versus 65.8% on first-serve points in Khachanov's favor. Khachanov should have enough here, though Burruchaga has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

Monday's US Open first round pits Anhelina Kalinina against Himeno Sakatsume on hard. Anhelina Kalinina is 4-6 across recent matches. Himeno Sakatsume comes in at 4 wins from the last ten.

On paper it's close: comparable ratings, comparable serve numbers, small margins everywhere. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Kalinina fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Emma Navarro and Lois Boisson meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Emma Navarro has won 5 of the last 10. Lois Boisson comes in at 2 wins from the last ten.

Emma Navarro is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Navarro around 53%. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Navarro fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Julia Grabher and Sorana Cirstea meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Sorana Cirstea comes in at 5 wins from the last ten. Julia Grabher comes in at 5 wins from the last ten.

Sorana Cirstea is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Cirstea around 67%. Cirstea should have enough here, though Grabher has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Clara Tauson goes up against Sloane Stephens in the US Open first round. Clara Tauson comes in at 4 wins from the last ten. Sloane Stephens has dropped 2 straight and sits at 3-7 over the last ten.

Tauson's 67.4% behind the first serve (against 60.8% for Stephens) means break chances should be scarce in one direction. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Tauson is exactly that — a lean.

Harriet Dart and Peyton Stearns meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Peyton Stearns is 5-5 across recent matches. Harriet Dart is searching for form, having lost 2 in a row (3 of the last 10).

Peyton Stearns is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Stearns around 61%. The edge belongs to Stearns — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Kimberly Birrell goes up against Petra Marcinko in the US Open first round. Kimberly Birrell is searching for form, having lost 4 in a row (2 of the last 10). Petra Marcinko limps in on a 3-match losing skid, just 5 wins in 10.

Kimberly Birrell simply rates much higher on hard, and our number follows from it. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Birrell fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Mananchaya Sawangkaew and Panna Udvardy meet in the first round at US Open on Monday. Mananchaya Sawangkaew is 6-4 across recent matches. Panna Udvardy comes in at 4 wins from the last ten.

Mananchaya Sawangkaew is clearly higher-rated on hard — our number puts Sawangkaew around 56%. A tiebreak or two would surprise nobody, with Sawangkaew fractionally more likely to land the big points.

Monday's US Open first round pits Lilli Tagger against Tamara Korpatsch on hard. Lilli Tagger limps in on a 2-match losing skid, just 5 wins in 10. Tamara Korpatsch has won 5 of the last 10.

Hold strength tells the story — 66.1% versus 58.5% on first-serve points in Tagger's favor. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Tagger is exactly that — a lean.

Monday's US Open first round pits Anouk Koevermans against Caty Mcnally on hard. Caty Mcnally comes in at 6 wins from the last ten. Anouk Koevermans comes in at 7 wins from the last ten.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. Little separates them; Mcnally gets the nod on the finest of margins.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Juncheng Shang goes up against Marco Trungelliti in the US Open first round. Juncheng Shang is searching for form, having lost 2 in a row (4 of the last 10). Marco Trungelliti is 4-6 across recent matches.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. This one is close to a coin flip, and the lean toward Shang is exactly that — a lean.

A spot in the next round is at stake on Monday, when Sofia Kenin goes up against Venus Williams in the US Open first round. Sofia Kenin has won 3 of the last 10. Venus Williams limps in on a 10-match losing skid, just 0 wins in 10.

There's a wide gap in our ratings on hard, and our number follows from it. The edge belongs to Kenin — real, but not the kind you take for granted at this level.