Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Borna Coric: US Open Preview and Prediction

Fourth seed, Stefanos Tsitsipas locks horns against the 27th seed Borna Coric in a mouthwatering third-round clash of the US Open. 

The Greek began his campaign with a straight-set demolition of Albert Ramos Vinolas. Conceding just four games, Tsitsipas was unstoppable as he smashed 13 aces, 38 winners and clocked an impressive 90% winning percentage on his first serve. 

He notched up another straight-set win over homeboy, Maxime Cressy in the second round. Though Cressy's serve was on target as he hit 21 aces, Tsitsipas withstood the assault with come power-packed groundstrokes. His breakpoint conversion was sluggish as he converted just two points out of 10 opportunities. 

On the other hand, Coric kickstarted his run clinching a three-setter against Pablo Andujar. He came out on top winning a marathon five-setter against Juan Ignacio Londero in the second round. Trailing two sets to one, the Croatian displayed amazing resilience to win the match. Despite smashing 15 aces, his second serve was inconsistent with just a winning percentage of 50. 

Strengths of Tsitsipas 

The World number six is touted as a future grand slam champion. With an attacking game, he has taken down the big names of tennis in his career. While his powerful forehand dictates the rallies, Tsitsipas has started using an effective backhand slice to vary the pace of play. His second-serve is quite inconsistent and Coric would look to exploit that. Tsitsipas is very sharp at the net and introduces a lot of deft touches to surprise his opponents. 

Strengths of Coric

He is an effective baseline player blessed with solid defense. His down-the-line backhand is one of the best on the tour. Coric has improved his return of serve off late. His forehand needs more depth as he cannot afford to be passive in rallies against a hard-hitter like Tsitsipas. 

Head to Head record 

The two players have faced each other only once in their career. Tsitsipas won their only meeting in the Rome Open in 2018 after Coric retired hurt. 

Having lost in the first round of the US Open last year, this is Tsitsipas's best chance to have a deep run in the tournament. After bouncing back from injury concerns and recovering from coronavirus, Coric is looking in good touch. Both the players will look to strengthen their momentum as they chase grand slam glory. 

Prediction - Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in four sets

Featured image credits: Getty Images