How to watch: From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN2; streaming on the ESPN app.
The last of the third-round singles matchups will wrap up today at the United States Open, as will the second round of doubles play. Many of the favored players are still settling into a groove, while some young prospects have another chance to shine and make their presence known on the world stage.
Here are some matches to keep an eye on.
Because of the number of matches cycling through courts, the times for individual matchups are at best a guess and certain to fluctuate based on the times at which earlier play is completed. All times are Eastern.
Arthur Ashe Stadium | 2:30 p.m.
Serena Williams vs. Sloane Stephens
Williams, chasing a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title, finished second at the U.S. Open in the past two years. This year, she has been leaving every ounce of her energy on the court. Williams’s frustrations and ecstasies during her matches are broadcast as if to inform viewers that winning is not a straightforward process but a struggle that even one of tennis’s greats must grapple with every day. Now, she’ll face yet another challenge on her path to victory in Stephens, a fellow American.
Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, lost in the first round of the 2019 U.S. Open and the 2020 Australian Open. Those struggles with her form continued through last week, when she lost in the first round of the Western and Southern Open. However, through the first two rounds of the U.S. Open, she has delivered dominating performances, dropping only 10 games across four sets.
Although Williams has won five of her six matches against Stephens, they will be meeting for the first time since the 2015 French Open. Much has changed since then, and if Stephens can continue her current run of form, she might just be able to pull off an upset.
Court 5 | 2 p.m.
Alex de Minaur vs. Karen Khachanov
De Minaur, the 21st seed, has often been called the “speed demon” by rivals on tour. To earn that designation is no small feat, especially considering the company he is surrounded by. Last year, de Minaur, 21, won his first three ATP Tour titles, all on hardcourts. He also reached his first Grand Slam round of 16 at the U.S. Open.
Khachanov, the 11th seed, is not a particularly pacey player. Instead, he relies on his powerful forehand to dictate points and move his opponents from side to side, creating openings for runaway winners. After a five-set victory over Jannik Sinner in the first round, Khachanov cruised past Andrey Kuznetsov in the second, demonstrating how his superior firepower can often smother opponents.
This contrast in styles will make for an interesting match. Even though their patterns may be predictable, both players are capable of moments of brilliance when forced into a corner.
Arthur Ashe Stadium | NOON
J.J. Wolf vs. Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev, the runner-up at the 2019 U.S. Open, has cruised to the third round, spending just over four hours on the court through his first two rounds. Wolf, in his first main draw at a Grand Slam event, has spent about the same time on the court, upsetting the 29th-seeded Guido Pella in the process.
Medvedev, one of the favorites for this year’s title, especially with Roger Federer out recovering from a knee surgery, is a counterpuncher, using his movement to evade opponents’ onslaughts. Wolf’s compact, punchy groundstrokes are almost perfect for him to prey on. Even if Wolf does not pose a serious threat in this match, it would be unwise to overlook him. Whatever lessons Wolf, 21, learns today could be fodder for his future on the tour.
Louis Armstrong | 7 p.m.
Sofia Kenin vs. Ons Jabeur
Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, has looked dominant in her first two rounds. Her aggressive style of play can overwhelm players, especially on a quicker surface. Her excellent backhand, which she can lean into for pace or deftly disguise to pull her opponents around the court, is just the tip of the iceberg. With her current run of form, there’s no reason Kenin, 21, shouldn’t feel confident in not only making a deep run, but also going for her second Grand Slam title in a row.
Jabeur, the 27th seed from Tunisia, has needed a tiebreaker in each of her two-set matches on the way to the third round. Jabeur has a tendency to throw off opponents by mixing up her shots, and not always going for a predictable, effective shot that she could hit. For Jabeur to pull out the upset, she will need to dig through her entire bag of “crazy shots,” as she enjoys referring to them, and find the ones Kenin just can’t quite handle.
Other important matches:
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Maria Sakkari versus Amanda Anisimova, Louis Armstrong Stadium | 11 a.m.
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Roberto Bautista Agut versus Vasek Pospisil, Louis Armstrong Stadium | 1 p.m.
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Elise Mertens versus Caty McNally, Court 11 | 1 p.m.
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Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah versus Jean-Julien Rojer/Horia Tecau, Court 12 | 1 p.m.
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Matteo Berrettini versus Casper Ruud, Court 17 | 1 p.m.
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Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic versus Gabriel Dabrowski/Alison Riske, Court 11 | 3 p.m.
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Elise Mertens/Aryna Sabalenka versus Jessica Pegula/Shelby Rogers, Court 11 | 5 p.m.
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Madison Keys versus Alizé Cornet, Arthur Ashe Stadium | 7 p.m.
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Marin Cilic versus Dominic Thiem, Arthur Ashe Stadium | 9 p.m.
Here’s this fan’s game plan for juggling the matches.
I looked at the schedule of play when it was released and realized immediately that I would not be able to watch every match that interested me. Even though this year’s digital tools allow me to zip from court to court without wading through crowds of fans, even those precious seconds will seem wasted as I move between excellent matches.
At 11 a.m. I could choose to watch Maria Sakkari face off against Amanda Anisimova at Louis Armstrong Stadium, or pick any one of four high-level doubles matches to start my day in a more tactical mood. By noon, Wolf and Medvedev will start to warm up, and watching a compact power-baseliner against a lanky defensive stalwart may just sway my attention.
By 3 p.m., my choices become even harder. By then, surely Williams and Stephens will start their battle, a matchup that tennis fans have waited five years to see again. By then, the men’s doubles defending champions, Cabal and Farah will be playing as well, on Court 12. It makes me imagine myself back on Court 17, standing at the top of the stands so I can try to catch a glimpse of Court 12 between points. My main focus on Court 17 would be Berrettini and Ruud, two hard hitters eager to make deep runs in the tournament, who will most likely be finishing their match around this time.
In my head I’ll be sprinting — even if the remote renders it just one click away — to Louis Armstrong Stadium. First, to watch a resurgent Victoria Azarenka play Iga Swiatek. Azarenka has looked nearly unstoppable in the past two weeks of play, but Swiatek is a promising teenager who seems to be absolutely fearless in the face of power baseliners.
To end the night, I’ll watch Kenin and Jabeur. For me, it’s a shame that they will meet so early in the tournament. I enjoy watching them both immensely, and would have liked to see both get into the second week of the tournament at least. But the draw was agnostic to my input, and so I know this match will provide a wonderful nightcap full of entertaining tennis.
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September 05, 2020 at 11:02AM
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2020 U.S. Open: What to Watch on Saturday - The New York Times
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