US Open Predictions: Tennis Tips & Best Bets for Day 2

On Tuesday, August 27, we’ll be treated to some great matches for Day 2 of the 2024 US Open, the final major of the tennis season. The event will take place in Flushing Meadows, New York, home to the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium. The action inside the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center should be exciting, as this is the last chance for the world’s best players to really make their mark on the season. And the great thing about this year’s tournament is that we’ll have some great early-round matches.

As always, I will be providing the best tennis bets throughout the event. With that in mind, keep reading for my US Open predictions for the opening day of competition.

MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts are betting on!

Record 2024: 727-722 (+25.80 units)

Ena Shibahara vs Daria Saville

Shibahara is coming off an impressive qualifying run. She defeated Katarina Zavatska in a thrilling three-set match, winning the first set and leading Francesca Jones 4-1 in the second before the Briton retired, and then outlasted Arianne Hartono in another gruelling three-set match. Shibahara has now won four of her last five matches, all on hard courts. Meanwhile, Saville has not played a match since losing to Marta Kostyuk at Wimbledon. So not only will Saville be dealing with rust here, but she will also be playing on a new surface.

I’m not going to give Shibahara the win, as I think Saville will improve as the match progresses. But I’m going to take a chance on the 26-year-old to win the opening set. Shibahara will probably be a little nervous on this big stage, but she’s also become quite comfortable in these conditions. She should be much sharper than her opponent at the start, making this a game worth playing with plus-money odds.

Bet: Shibahara to win set 1 (+120)

Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas is currently a bit of a nightmare. The Greek star has just fired his father as his coach. The two had always had a strange working relationship, as his father was very strict with him. But eventually things got out of hand and Tsitsipas decided he had to move on. That puts Tsitsipas in a strange position towards the end of the year. But as it stands, he has lost three of his last four matches. And one of those was an unacceptable loss to Kei Nishikori, who is completely over it.

Tsitsipas' serve hasn't been as dangerous in 2024 as it has been in previous years, as his hold percentage of 86.0% is the lowest it's been since 2019. He's also missing his forehand more often than usual. That's especially worrying considering it's been one of the most dangerous shots the sport has seen in years, and his strength off the forehand wing has made up for his miserable backhand. Furthermore, Tsitsipas' break percentage on hardcourts is just 19.2% over the past 52 weeks. That's going to make it tough for him to handle Kokkinakis, who has a great first serve.

Kokkinakis is also playing good tennis in this match, as he is 5-2 in his last seven matches. One of those losses was a match where he retired against Sebastian Korda after losing a win. He had an easy forehand to decide the match, but he messed it up, and then he went completely nuts. He also lost a thrilling three-set match against Hubert Hurkacz in Montreal, and there is absolutely no shame in that.

Overall, I don't see much that will stop Kokkinakis from keeping this match exciting. In fact, the last time these two met was at the Australian Open, when Tsitsipas won 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-4. That was an absolute war, and it took place when Tsitsipas was at the peak of his powers. This time around, Kokkinakis should be able to spice things up even more, and I actually think he has a decent chance of winning.

Even if Tsitsipas wins this match, he is a player not to be missed this week.

Bet: Kokkinakis +4.5 hands (-120 – 1.5 units) + Kokkinakis ML (+245 – 0.5 units)

Destanee Aiava vs. Elena Rybakina

Rybakina lost her first match in Cincinnati to Leylah Fernandez, and it was a disappointing result for the world number 4. Rybakina was also playing her first match in almost a month at that point, and it just feels like she hasn’t been able to find a rhythm all year. Rybakina’s record in 2024 is still great, but the stop-and-start nature of her season makes her hard to trust when it comes to covering a big spread. That’s why I’m playing Aiava to cover a 7.5 game spread.

Aiava is another player who had to come through the qualifiers, and she did so by recording some solid wins. The most impressive of the bunch was a straight-set win over Ana Konjuh, who is a former world number 20. To be honest, Aiava has weapons that can make anyone uncomfortable if she hits her spots. The biggest one is a booming forehand, which she should be able to use freely here as she has nothing to lose in this match. But overall, this is really just a fade on Rybakina, who can win this match convincingly and still not be able to cover.

At 7.5 games, Aiava can lose 6-3, 6-2 and still cover that spread. Don't be surprised if she scares Rybakina even more than that, though. Not only has Rybakina been inconsistent in staying on court this year, she also fired Stefano Vukov. The coach played a huge role in Rybakina reaching the top of the women's game, so playing without him could be an adjustment for her.

Bet: Aiava +7.5 games (-127 – 1.5 units)

Added plays

I usually have a LOT MORE on the Pro Picks page. These plays count toward my record and have been a huge part of my success this season. Be sure to check them out. I’ll likely add a few more, so refresh that page throughout the day if you’re looking for action. That’s also where I post my Challenger level plays, as well as picks for lower level ATP and WTA events.

Tennis links

US Open Men's Betting Preview

US Open Women's Betting Preview

VSiN Tennis Betting Splits

Tennis chances

Gill Alexander's Beating The Book podcast