We have reached the semifinals in Atlanta. After a day full of battles in the hot and humid weather, four players remain and will look to achieve a spot in the finals on Sunday.
With two Americans left in the draw, one is guaranteed to arrive in the final as they face off in the bottom half of the bracket.
Let's dive in and see where the value lies in these semifinal matchups.
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Alex De Minaur (-215) vs. Ilya Ivashka (+172)
3:00 p.m. ET
Both De Minaur and Ivashka did well to dominate their third sets as their opponents' level of play seemed to diminish.
De Minaur was down 4-6, 3-3 against Mannarino and struggling to hold serve or make any impact on return games before rattling off nine straight games to close out the match. His ability to frustrate opponents with his speed, aided by the extreme weather in Atlanta, was enough to send Mannarino into a spiral.
Ivashka looked strong in the first set before Tommy Paul stormed back in the second. Wasting no time in the third however, Ivashka dominated to win it, 6-1. Ivashka has served well on these courts, using their speed and bounce to his advantage. Being broken just once in each of his three matches so far this tournament, Ivashka has kept the pressure on his opponents and remained focused throughout three-three setters.
This will be a clash of opposing play styles. De Minaur plays tremendous defense, using his speed to consistently force his opponent to play the extra ball. In contrast, Ivashka looks to dictate through powerful and heavy groundstrokes.
De Minaur won this event in his last showing in 2019 and will be looking to repeat that victory this year. However, with a tough opponent in Ivashka, it will not be an easy task for the Australian.
With the contrasting styles facing off, I expect we will see swings where both players look to be dominating the match. As we have seen in many of their matches so far this week, I would not be surprised to see this one go three sets.
Pick: Over 22.5 Games (-115 via FanDuel)
Jenson Brooksby (-152) vs. Frances Tiafoe (+126)
7:00 p.m. ET
Two young Americans face off in the night match in Atlanta. Brooksby got the best of Tiafoe last year in Washington in a tight 7-6, 7-5 score line.
Tiafoe looked phenomenal as he dispatched compatriot Brandon Nakashima in two dominant sets. After facing a break point in his opening service game, Nakashima failed to earn another look to break his serve. Showcasing his raw power and excellent footwork, Tiafoe improved to 5-0 against his opponent to arrive in the semifinals.
Brooksby did well to dismiss of six-time Atlanta champion John Isner. Using his remarkable defense and relentless shot making to test the big serving American, Brooksby was eventually able to break down Isner's game and set up the rematch with Tiafoe.
Their matchup in Washington last year was in the midst of Brooksby’s breakthrough. Brooksby was riding extreme confidence and momentum while sneaking out the victory over Tiafoe. The courts and conditions in Atlanta play much faster than those in Washington, which will favor the older American — Tiafoe.
Tiafoe will look to hit through the defense of Brooksby and use the court conditions to help him hold serve.
However, Brooksby’s effort never falls short and he will be sure to test Tiafoe.
Pick: Over 22.5 Games (-135 via FanDuel)
