The US Open continues and Tuesday's matchups are incredible!
I’ve found value in two of Tuesday's matches: Rybakina vs Aiava and Bouzas Maneiro vs Martic.
Read on to find US Open picks and predictions for Tuesday, August 27.
Note: Match times are subject to change. Read here for tips on viewing tennis matches and seeing tennis odds.
US Open Picks
Elena Rybakina (-3000) vs Destanee Aiava (+1200) US Open Prediction
1:00 p.m. ET, Grandstand
Elena Rybakina has had a tough season health-wise and she's coming into the US Open having played just one match on hard courts this summer, a defeat to Leylah Fernandez in Cincinnati. The Kazakh, however, is 22-5 on hard courts in 2024, with a 208-92 career-record on the surface.
This year, Rybakina leads the WTA in aces and is in the top five in the percentage of first serves, service points and service games won. The 25-year-old does a great job of dictating from the ground, particularly with her forehand, although she hits with overwhelming pace from both wings. The Kazakh's court positioning is superb, as well.
Rybakina's movement and defense can be sluggish along with her lack of variety which can cause her to be erratic — as was the case in Cincinnati.
Destanee Aiava qualified for the US Open, losing just 15 games across the three matches. Aiava is now 6-4 this summer on hard courts, with a 22-14 record in 2024 on the surface. As a professional, the Aussie is a strong 173-108 on hard.
Aiava has a big first serve and powerful ground-strokes. During qualifying, she was hitting her spots from the baseline, playing with incredible controlled aggression. She overwhelmed her opponents with pace and absorbed power surprisingly well, even when faced with Ana Konjuh's powerful game.
However, Aiava isn't super athletic nor quick around the court and sometimes, she can become erratic during baseline exchanges.
While the Rybakina coaching carousel has begun, I'm more concerned about her lack of hard-court preparations and her poor performance in Cincinnati.
While Aiava is a deserved underdog, her ability to absorb pace and turn points around in US Open qualifying was particularly impressive. She was serving huge, only getting broken four times in the three matches combined, and playing with controlled aggression.
This ability to play first-strike tennis and force Rybakina out of her comfort zone, on defense, should help Aiava to challenge Rybakina.
Not to mention that Aiava already played a few matches in the US Open conditions, while Rybakina is coming into New York undercooked.
US Open Pick: Over 17.5 games (-116 via FanDuel)
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (-155) vs Petra Martic (+120) US Open Prediction
1:00 p.m. ET, Court 16
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro last reached the round of 16 of Cleveland (hard) after qualifying, but fell to Katerina Siniakova in a third-set tiebreak. The Spaniard is now 5-3 during the summer hard-court events, with an impressive 22-8 record on hard courts in 2024. Bouzas Maneiro has a 74-35 mark on the surface as a professional.
Bouzas Maneiro does nothing special but plays solid, baseline tennis. The 21-year-old is very consistent, spreads the court well and gets great depth on her shots. She's also able to hit with pace into the openings she creates for herself given her strong point construction. In addition, the Spaniard is fit and quick around the court.
With that said, both on her serve and from the ground, Bouzas Maneiro lacks heavy firepower.
Petra Martic struggled in her last tournament in Monterrey (hard), falling 4-6, 1-6 to Yue Yuan in the round of 16 (her second match). The 33-year-old veteran has struggled on hard courts this season, going just 5-8, with Monterrey her only warmup event for the US Open.
Martic is 219-191 on hard courts for her career, but it feels more of a testament to what she's done rather than her current form. As a whole, the Croat is just 14-19 this year. At her best, Martic could dictate with her heavy forehand, keep the ball out of her opponents' strike zones with her cutting backhand and outlast her opponents from the baseline.
However, that rally tolerance has decreased this season, Martic's backhand is a liability and the Croat has lost some punch on her forehand.
At this stage of their respective careers, in professional tennis, Bouzas Maneiro is ascending, whereas Martic is falling.
Bouzas Maneiro has the rally tolerance to wear the 33-year-old down and force errors off of Martic's racquet. She has the tennis IQ to get the ball onto the Croat's backhand without pressing. The longer the match goes, the more it favors Bouzas Maneiro, as well.
In addition, Martic's heavy forehand, lacking the punch it once had, should sit up in Bouzas Maneiro's strike zone.
US Open Pick: Bouzas Maneiro -1.5 games (-135 via BetMGM)
