*Find the complete list of the 2016 US Open Men’s Singles tennis betting lines HERE!
Novak Djokovic (-800) vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (+500)
Djokovic isn’t going anywhere—at least for now. The defending US Open champion booked a spot in the quarters after teaching upset-seeking Kyle Edmund a lesson, defeating the 21-year old South African in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.
Djokovic is relatively fresh compared to Tsonga, as the Serbian has played just eight sets total thus far in the tournament. He had a walkover against Jiri Vesely in the second round and played just one set in the third round against Mikhail Youzhny, who retired after the first set. Djokovic is 15-6 in his career against Tsonga, whom he last beat in the quarters of Indian Wells Masters (hardcourt) back n March.
Tsonga, who’s gone through 14 sets prior to the showdown with Djokovic, barged into the quarters thanks to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2 win over Jack Sock. Tsonga’s service game has been fierce in the tournament, having won no less than 80 percent of his first serves in any of his previous four matches.
Writer’s Prediction: Once again, Djokovic shows Tsonga the exit with a win in a hard-fought five-setter.
Give it up for Lucas Pouille. The 25th-ranked Frenchman dashed the hopes of Rafael Nadal in the tournament with a rousing 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6) victory in the fourth round. For those keeping count, that’s Pouille’s third straight five-setter. Including his 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 triumph against Mikhail Kukushkin in the first round, Pouille has now played 19 sets, one shy of the maximum at this point of the tournament.
Fatigue could be creeping up on Pouille and that’s not something he’d like to deal with once he faces a rolling Monfils. Monfils has been blasting opponents in Flushing Meadows, as he’s yet to drop a set through four rounds. Monfils beat Pouille in their lone career meeting, earning a 6-7(3) 3-6 6-4 6-1 6-4 victory in the Round of 128 in last year’s Australian Open.
Del Potro continues to defy the odds, as he beat Dominic Thiem via retirement in the fourth round to set up a duel with Stan Wawrinka in the quarters. Ranked 124th in the world, Del Potro knows how it feels like to be come out on top in Flushing Meadows having won the event back in 2009.
Del Potro will be bringing his great service game into the matchup. He’s put in at least 81% of his first serves in each of his past three matches. Wawrinka, meanwhile, is coming off a 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 victory over Illya Marchenko. Wawrinka is the higher ranked player in this match, but Del Potro is the favorite, largely because he has the edge in the head-to-head series. The Argentinian is 4-2 all-time against the No. 3 Wawrinka.
Writer’s Prediction: Wawrinka wins in four sets.
Complete Listing of 2016 US Open Men’s Singles Quarterfinals Matchups
Matchup
Pick
Novak Djokovic (-800) vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (+500)
