Tommy Paul vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP US Open

Prediction published on 31/08/2023, 15:06  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 31/08/2023 at 16:07 in Tennis Predictions

14th seeded Tommy Paul bids to reach the fourth round of the US Open for the first time. Standing in his way is the 21st seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokkina. An unseeded opponent will be faced in the last 16, either Ben Shelton or Aslan Karatsev. Paul reached the last four of the Australian Open earlier this year. That's important to note as the Australian Open is the only other Grand Slam played on an outdoor hard court. The American has been in good form of late and beat Carlos Alcaraz in the Toronto hard court tournament held in August. That took Paul into the last four. Alcaraz got his revenge in Cincinnati but that was another last 16 reached by Paul and he did take another set off the Spaniard. So far in this tournament, Paul has had a bit of a struggle. It took him four sets to get past qualifier Stefano Travaglia but it was even harder in round two. Paul lost the first two sets to unseeded Roman Safiullin but then won the next three for the loss of only nine games.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has twice before reached the fourth round of the US Open. He managed that feat in both 2020 and 2022. His last two Grand Slams have both seen him lose at this stage. The Spaniard was ranked 21st at the start of this US Open and is three places lower in the live rankings. The 24-year-old has also been in good recent form and he got to the semi-finals in Toronto, beating both Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud in that tournament. He's reached the third round without dropping a set. This is his third match against Paul with the other two played earlier this year. Both were on an outdoor hard court with Paul winning them both. We go for the American to make it three wins against Davidovich-Fokina.