By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday August 29, 2024
Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe will contest their highly anticipated third-round showdown in Friday's day session on Ashe.
Photo Source: Mike Lawrence/ USTA/ US Open
Day 5 of the US Open means… round three commences! Here’s what we’ll be watching as a blockbuster Labor Day weekend kicks off in Flushing Meadows on Thursday…
Big Foe’s Revenge?
All eyes Will be on Friday’s All-American showdown between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal, which was also the first quarterfinal between two black American men in Grand Slam Open Era history.
Shelton stole the show from Big Foe last year, winning an entertaining tussle in four sets, and for good measure the 21-year-old southpaw defeated Tiafoe in the Houston final in April, spoiling Tiafoe’s chance at a title defense.
Could Friday man three strikes and you’re out for Foe, or will the 26-year-old hit back at his good friend-cum-rival to take the power back on Ashe?
Queenwen focuses on biting the big apple
Over on Grandstand, Chinese star Zheng Qinwen will look to make another impressive performance in what has been a fine season. Already an Australian Open finalist and Olympic gold medalist, Zheng wants to focus on making New York a new stomping ground.
The World No.7 reached her first major quarterfinal here last year, and will bid for the second week against talented German, Jule Niemeier. Remember, Niemeier defeated Zheng in their only previous meeting, in the third round at the US Open in 2022. The German has been working her way back up the rankings this year under the tutelage of coach Michael Geserer. She has not reached the second week of a major in the last two seasons and enters at a ranking of 101.
Novak at Night
Novak Djokovic hasn’t really hit his top gear in New York this year, but the four-time champion hopes to kick it into overdrive on Friday night when he faces Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in third round action.
Popyrin has twice taken a set from Djokovic at the majors this year, and the 6’5” Sydneysider is fresh off winning his maiden Masters title in Montreal a few weeks ago.
He’ll be confident, but Djokovic will be, well, Djokovic. The 24-Grand Slam champion, like Zheng, comes in full of confidence after earning the gold medal in Paris. He’d like nothing more than to finish his season with a record 25th major singles title. If he does it, he’d be the first player to successfully complete the US Open title since Roger Federer in 2008.