World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is the betting favorite. But on Monday the fan favorite goes to be Tommy Paul.
“It makes it more fun. You’ve the gang behind you,” Paul said. “Obviously many of the matches here, while you’re an American and also you’re playing a foreign guy, you’re going to have the gang support in your side. Momentum plays a giant role.”
The 27-year-old American hasn’t cruised through the draw on the U.S. Open like Sinner, who has won his past eight straight matches.
But even without the minor steroid scandal lingering across the Italian, Paul goes to have the gang backing him.
Paul is a grinder, while Sinner has handled illness and a sore hip over the past few months.
The speedy, athletic Paul is a tricky returner who’ll make Sinner work. That’s how he beat the Italian two years ago within the Round of 16 at Eastbourne.
“I’m definitely going to try to make it uncomfortable for him,” Paul said. “From the baseline, I wouldn’t say I’m a greater ball striker than him, so I’ve definitely got to impose my game on him and take a look at and play my tennis greater than his tennis … the bang-bang tennis from the baseline. He’s probably the very best ball-striker on tour, and I’m not. I don’t wish to go toe-to-toe just banging on the baseline with him. I would like to try to mix things up.”
Three months ago, Latest York-born Paula Badosa thought she might need to offer up tennis.
Now the Spaniard is into Tuesday’s U.S. Open quarterfinals against American Emma Navarro, due to a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Yafan Wang.
“I’m gonna play an American, a house crowd. But I like this sort of stuff. It’s a challenge, and I’m really looking forward to it,” Badosa said. “[Navarro] may be very, very talented. We had a really big battle in Rome also. It was clay. It’s different. But she’s playing thoroughly. She’s been doing a excellent summer, also, playing good matches. … Possibly I’ll must be more aggressive than her.”
Last 12 months, Badosa suffered a stress fracture within the L4 vertebra, and earlier this season thought she might need to retire. But she has fought her way back.
Born in Manhattan to Spanish parents — who moved her to Barcelona on the age of seven— Badosa has tied her best-ever Grand Slam run in her birth city. But she doesn’t delude herself into pondering the gang will favor her.
“No, it’s not going to be for me. Come on, let’s be honest,” Badosa laughed, “Although I used to be born, I feel they only care concerning the flag. I’ll play against an American, and I feel they are going to cheer for them, but I totally get it.
“It’s still going to be cool. I still prefer it. It’s going to be my first time on Ashe. It’s going to be my first time in a [U.S. Open] quarterfinals, also. So it’s an experience for me. I like these form of challenges. I used to be born to play on big stages, and I’m really looking forward for that.”
