Milos Raonic wasn't sure whether he'd play at the US Open, but he will, and it's a great matchup against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Canadian most recently played at the Canadian Open, where he had some really good performances and a couple of wins. It was a promising sight to see, considering how long he was absent from the ATP Tour in recent years.
The hope is to do the same at the US Open, and he'll have a pretty decent chance thanks to his serve and overall aggressive play. It's the type of play that gets rewarded in New York, though he could have been luckier with the draw. Facing Tsitsipas in the opening round is less than ideal, but such is the curse of a non-seeded player.
Head-to-head:
Raonic and Tsitsipas actually played two times so far, and the Canadian won both matches. Both matches were played in 2020, so before the Canadian's troubles, which is important to note. Right now, it would be quite a stretch to suggest he's a better player than the Greek.
Prediction:
The matchup is interesting, as Tsitsipas tends to struggle with players who play aggressively and have a good serve. His return is not the best, and he can certainly be attacked on his backhand, which gives Raonic a decent chance here.
It's likely going to take a few tie-breaks as Tsitsipas is hard to break himself, but it's certainly a matchup the Canadian will play. Neither is interested in long rallies, though Tsitsipas is likely to try and extend them as much as possible.
If he manages to succeed he'll have a good chance. Another thing is stamina, which is an asset for Tsitsipas. The longer the match goes on, the harder it will be for Raonic to create any kind of advantage.
Prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in four sets.
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