The second round of action at the US Open is set to wrap up on Thursday as we near Labor Day weekend from Flushing Meadows.
With so many matches still on the docket, there's still plenty of value to pick off in the betting markets.
Let's take a look at a pair of matches, with one favorite and one underdog piquing my interest for Thursday's slate.
Match times are subject to change. Read here for tips on viewing the US Open.
Irina-Camelia Begu (-260) vs. Yue Yuan (+210)
12:15 p.m. ET
What an opening-round victory for Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu against Elise Mertens. She had to come back from a set and early break down against the Belgian to advance to round two.
That's no easy task, considering Mertens had reached at least the third round in her last 18 Grand Slam appearances.
As for her opponent, Yue Yuan has been in strong form, coming through qualifiers and then dispatching Australia's Jaimee Fourlis in the first round. That said, there were injury concerns that hampered her movement, and that is not something you want to be dealing with against Begu.
For starters, Begu's big serve should benefit from the quicker conditions in New York – especially considering this is more than likely to be played on one of the venue's outer courts – which tend to play on the quicker side relative to the main show courts.
Secondly, her grinding style from the baseline is enough to wear down some of the best on the women's tour, let alone Yuan, who's struggled for form in 2022 outside of this run and a decent win streak in Australia all the way back in January.
The injury concern for Yuan is also not to be underestimated. She struggled to close the first set from 5-0 up and took a prolonged medical timeout after she did win it 6-3 (she faced two break points at *5-3 before closing the set).
She then needed another MTO just a few games into the second. Don't let the scoreline fool you, she wasn't at 100% and struggling between points to move.
She won't get away with that against Begu, who is a much stronger opponent than anyone Yuan has seen in the last two weeks.
Pick: Begu -4.5 Games (+104 via PointsBet)
Alison van Uytvanck (-160) vs. Clara Burel(+129)
4:15 p.m. ET
After a sensational win for Clara Burel in the opening round against Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, the young Frenchwoman will look to take it one step further and reach the third round of a Grand Slam for just the second time in her career.
With her serve clicking – she's won over 70% of first serve points in three of her four matches – and strong movement, she has a great chance to do so.
Burel has finally found some rhythm the past week or so in new York, having now won four consecutive matches in New York dating back to qualifiers.
Playing a player that profiles very similarly to Rybakina, but with far less dynamism to her game in Alison van Uytvanck, Burel and her team should certainly fancy their chances to pull off another upset.
With van Uytvanck struggling in the movement department not being the strongest of returners, Burel should once again be able to find plenty of quick points behind her first serve.
From the baseline, she still has a decent amount of pop to her game as well, and she has the ability to move the opponent around.
For a young player like Burel, having just played someone who's going to employ the same game plan as her first round opponent should be an advantage.
The path to victory has already been charted. It's up to the 21-year-old to execute it once again.
Picks: Burel ML (+129 via DraftKings)
