What to watch on Tuesday at the U.S. Open: No. 1 Djokovic, Kerber faces Vinci
NEW YORK – The first half of the quarterfinals matches will be played on Tuesday at the U.S. Open. Here are the matches and storylines you’ll want to keep an eye on, whether you're watching on TV or roaming around the grounds in Flushing Meadows. Play begins at 12 p.m. ET and coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. The full television and broadcast schedule can be found here. Full order of play for Tuesday can be found here.
Frenchmen in New York
France has three men in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time since 1947, and they’ll all be in action on Tuesday. No. 24-seed Lucas Pouille is the talk of the tournament after knocking off Rafael Nadal in a five-setter, and he’ll face the always-entertaining Gael Monfils (not before 1 p.m. ET, Arthur Ashe), who he lost to in a five-setter at last year’s Australian Open.
No. 9-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has a challenge ahead of him in Novak Djokovic as he tries to set up an all-French semifinal match, though Djokovic’s wrist or arm injury is still something that could affect the match (second night session match, Arthur Ashe). Tsonga defeated Djokovic in five of the first seven meetings between the two from 2008-10 before the Serb took control of the series. Tsonga has lost 11 of the last 12, with his win coming at the 2014 Rogers Cup. The Frenchman has beaten Djokovic once at a Grand Slam, in the 2011 Australian Open quarters.
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Caroline Woznacki vs. Anastasija Sevastova
Wozniacki has dropped one set at the Open, and is coming off a commanding win over eighth-ranked Madison Keys. She’ll face fellow unseeded played Sevastova (first night session match, Arthur Ashe) who has yet to lose a set and is on a Cinderella run of her own, knocking off No. 3-seed Garbine Mugurze and No. 13-seed Johanna Konta in the third round. Both players have sat back on the baseline and played well there; Wozniacki has taken 57% of her baseline points, second in the women’s draw, while Sevastova ranks sixth at 53%.
The two have met once before, in the fourth round of the 2011 Australian Open, where Wozniacki won the match in straight sets.
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Roberta Vinci vs. Angelique Kerber
Tuesday’s match will be the sixth meeting between the two since they first faced each other in 2012, and the only one at a Grand Slam (12 p.m. ET, Arthur Ashe). Vinci, who’s beaten Kerber three times, is into her fourth quarterfinal round in the last five U.S. Open appearances and trying to get back to the final for a second straight year.
Vinci is coming off a solid win over Lesia Tsurenko while Kerber got through a test against Petra Kvitova to advance to the quarterfinals. The No. 2-ranked German has yet to drop a set this tournament and has her eyes set on a U.S. Open title and the No. 1 ranking. If she were to beat last year's runner-up Vinci, Kerber would be in her fifth career Grand Slam semifinal and third this season.
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American doubles watch
Serena Williams won’t be in action, so if you’re an American you can look forward to a pair of doubles matches. The Bryan brothers and the women's team of Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend will both be in action in the quarterfinals.
