US Open Predictions 2022: SportsTips’ Top Tennis Picks For Men’s Quarterfinals

It’s the final eight here at the US Open, and on the men’s side of the draw we still have one American left, Tiafoe. There are no more unseeded players left in the draw, however a brand new US Open champion will be crowned, as none of the remaining players have won the Grand Slam.

With so much to play for, who will rise to the challenge, and who will crack under the pressure? All four matchups are set to be a cracker and you don’t want to miss this, as a spot in the final four is up for grabs.

Enjoy our free tennis picks and predictions for each round at the US Open for the 2022 season.

Matteo Berrettini (13) vs Casper Ruud (5)

The 13th seed, Matteo Berrettini, will face off against Casper Ruud from Norway, for a spot in the semifinals. Berrettini has been on the court for a while so far this tournament, with only one of his matches being three sets, and in his last match, he was pushed the distance against Davidovich Fokina. It’s a similar story for Ruud, who has only played one three set match. 

Aleksandar Ricliev

Matteo Berrettini’s performances during the year have left an impression on me. He started the year by reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open and losing to Nadal in a hard-fought four set match. After that, he went on to win the Stuttgart and London ATPs relatively easily. However, his form at the US Open has been shaky. He had trouble against every opponent and played almost 4 hours in the last round against Davidovich Fokina in five sets. He also spent nearly 4 hours on the court versus Grenier in the second and Murray in the third round. That does take a toll on your body, no matter how well you take care of yourself. Can he recover fast enough for this match?

Casper Ruud had a great start to the year by winning the Geneva ATP. After that, he put in an impressive performance at the French Open, and if it weren’t for Nadal, who looked unplayable in the final, he would have most likely won it. He also won the Gstaad ATP in Switzerland and reached the semifinals in Cincinnati, losing to Hurkacz. He has been less stable in the US Open, and his game has suffered. Ruud and Berrettini have met each other on the tennis court five times. Ruud has won 3 of them, Berrettini has won 2. However, most of them have been one-sided. Whoever catches the other on a bad day usually wins by a slide. I say the same happens here. I am picking the game to end relatively fast, not passing over the games bracket. 

Denis Kirilov

Matteo Berrettini might have a decent chance at fighting for the US Open title. The Italian is in Nick Kyrgios’ half avoiding the likes of Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, and Andrey Rublev. Berrettini has had a tough 2022 after missing out nearly three months of tennis due to a right hand injury. Moreover, he was forced to withdraw from the 2022 Wimbledon Championships as he tested positive for Covid-19. Berrettini is certainly determined to give this one a go, but he has been far from convincing at this year’s US Open. He comes off a tough five-setter against Davidovich Fokina after battling out Andy Murray in four sets. 

On the other hand, the 2022 Roland Garros runner-up, Casper Ruud, will try to replicate that achievement in New York as well. He is a clay-court player who is known for his intelligence on the slower surface as well as for his technique and versatility. Ruud is still in contention for the World No.1 ATP Ranking which might give him further motivation against Berrettini. The Norwegian leads 3-2 in head-to-head matches and even though he struggled against Tommy Paul in the third round of the US Open, I think he might have a decent shot at making the semifinals. 

Jack Hartman

After enjoying a frustrating season with injuries and an unfortunate positive COVID test on the eve of Wimbledon, Matteo Berettini is looking to reach the semifinals of the US Open for the second time after beating some tough opponents along the way. After struggling in both Montreal and Cincinnati in the lead up to this year’s US Open, Berrettini has played some fantastic tennis to advance past the likes of Hugo Grenier, Andy Murray and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. After having not played a great deal of tennis in the lead up to this year’s US Open, it will be interesting to see how much Berrettini has left in his legs following a grueling five set win over Davidovich Fokina in the previous round. 

Berrettini will need an abundance of energy as he faces one of the best players on tour in the shape of Casper Ruud. Ruud could end the year as the best player in the world and has enjoyed a career best performance at this year’s US Open. Ruud has established himself as one of the best clay courters in the world, but by his own admission had struggled when it came to other surfaces. He is starting to put that record straight and will be confident of reaching the semifinals. The Norwegian has come through some tricky matches to reach this stage and clearly has a game that is thriving. The two have squared off five times in their career with Ruud leading the series 3-2. The two have only played on hard courts once with Berrettini winning in straight sets at the 2020 US Open. I think Berettini can use that experience to good effect and I am backing the Italian to get the edge in what could be a thrilling encounter. 

Nick Kyrgios (23) vs Karen Khachanov (27)

Australian Nick Kyrgios managed to defeat the world number one, and his next opponent will be the 27th seed, Karen Khachanov. It was a fantastic performance in the Round of 16 for the Australian, who managed to beat Medvedev fairly comfortably, in four sets. Khachanov had a mammoth match in the Round of 16, being pushed to five sets by the 12th seed, Carreño.

Aleksandar Ricliev

Nick Kyrgios is coming into this match after the impressive win against the number one ranked player in the world, Daniil Medvedev. After losing the finals in Wimbledon to Djokovic and winning the Washington ATP tournament quite easily, Kyrgios seems to have finally found his best tennis game. He’s 27 years old and just entering the prime of his career. We might be getting used to seeing him dominating the tennis scene in the years to come. Most of the time in the past, he’s been his own biggest opponent. He’s known to quickly lose his temper and focus, which has cost him a lot of matches. Will that happen in this tournament as well? I guess we will see.

Karen Khachanov would certainly hope that happens in this match. Khachanov has had a rocky few months. He’s lost in the first or second round in every tournament he has competed in. He won the five sets thriller against Carenno-Busta in the last round. But his performances left a lot to be desired. Kyrgios and Khachanov have played two times in the past. The first match was won by Khachanov, 2-1 in sets in Cincinnati ATP in 2019. The second time they met, Kygrios was the winner, by 3 sets to 2 in the Australian Open in 2020. However, a lot has changed since then. Kyrgios comes into the match on a much better form, and Khachanov has regressed in his performances. I think Kyrgios will win this match relatively easily, covering the set spread. 

Denis Kirilov

There are many people who love Nick Kyrgios’ on-court attitude, but there are also countless tennis fans who criticize him for being who he is. The Australian, however, proved his critics wrong after reaching the Final in Wimbledon this year. Kyrgios defeated Daniil Medvedev who seemed to have been slightly out of rhythm in their match, but that’s still an incredible achievement. 

Karen Khachanov will be looking to make his maiden semifinal at a Grand Slam as he has been stopped at the quarterfinal stage three times so far. The Russian has been historically showing concerns in New York as he has suffered elimination in the first round on several occasions. However, he managed to outplay his opponents at this year’s edition, but this might take its toll on his chances against Kyrgios. Khachanov played a five-setter against Carreno-Busta in the previous round, while he has also lost a set in each one of his matches here. I will definitely take a clean victory for Kyrgios, despite his emotional breakdowns. 

Jack Hartman

What has happened to Nick Kygrios? The Australian is starting to really string it altogether and is showing what a classy player he can be. That’s what has always been the frustration with the Aussie. He has always had the ability of a top 5 player but his immaturity and mental weaknesses have always let him down. Kygrios still likes to chatter away to himself and have the odd dramatic moment, but these are becoming few and far between, he can put behind him any setbacks and is starting to really bloom into a top player. His win over Daniil Medvedev last time out was spectacular and Kygrios showed his wide range of skills. With Rafa Nadal’s exit, the draw has really started to open up and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Kygrios were the man to win this title. 

Karen Khachanov has had to battle to reach the quarterfinal stage for the first time at the US Open, but his dramatic five set win over Pablo Carreno Busta has now seen the Russian reach the quarters in three of the four majors. He has had a bit of luck on the way as Jack Draper looked to have the upper hand in their clash before being forced to retire with injury. Kygrios and Khachanov haven’t played for two years and the head to head stands at one apiece. With the way Kygrios is playing, you have to fancy him to get the job done. 

Jannik Sinner (11) vs Carlos Alcaraz (3)

Two of the best and youngest players in the ATP will do battle in what is set to be a massive clash. The 11th seed, Jannik Sinner, came through a topsy-turvy five setter in the Round of 16, winning the first, third and fifth set to advance. Same was the case for the third seed, Carlos Alcaraz, who won the first, third and fifth set in his Round of 16 match to advance.

Aleksandar Ricliev

Jannik Sinner is one of the brightest prospects in the world of tennis. He has shown some great performances this year and looks like he will be one of the household names for years to come. However, he hasn’t played up to his level this US Open. In the first round, he won against Altmaier in 5 terrible sets, with lots of mistakes by both players. The luck has been at his side so far, matching up and winning against Eubanks and Nakashima 3-0 and 3-1 consecutively. In the Round of 16, he also played against a weaker opponent in Ivashka. The match was a copy of the first round, with both players making unforced errors and Sinner ending up as a winner. Facing Alcaraz will be the first match versus a better opponent. 

Alcaraz started the year amazingly, beating Nadal, Djokovic and Zverev on his way to winning the Madrid ATP. He has a real chance to repeat that success and fight for the trophy of the US Open. In this tournament, he has been outstanding. He beat the Argentinians Baez and Coria easily, and the American Brooksby didn’t put up a fight either. He lost his first set against the veteran Marin Cilic in the Round of 16. In the end, in an emotional 5 set battle, Alvarez was victorious, 3-2. Sinner has beaten Alcaraz the last two times they played each other. This will be a fun matchup between two young stars trying to cement their standing in the tennis scene. I am predicting a hard-fought match, going well over 39.5 games in the match.

Denis Kirilov

Jannik Sinner has had a fantastic season so far, but he lacks some luck to surpass the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam. The young Italian has been stopped three times at this stage in his career and he will now look to snap that negative streak. Sinner will have a slight advantage over his opponent as his Round of 16 match against Ilya Ivashka finished before midnight, meaning that his recovery won’t be affected that much. On the other hand, Carlos Alcaraz has been forced to play after 2am which will most likely affect his performance against Sinner. 

Alcaraz is considered to be the next Spanish wonder-boy as he has adroitly combined all of top 3’s majestic techniques. The teenager is still looking to make the first semifinal of his career as he has always crumbled under pressure during the most clutch moments in his Grand Slam appearances. However, he seems to be dealing well with that issue as he typically puts himself in tough situations all season long. His tennis intelligence and mentality will give him a slight edge over Sinner, but I think that we will once again see a huge spectacle at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, meaning that I will pick the over here. 

Jack Hartman

Two of the games brightest talents meet in the quarterfinals of this year’s US Open when Jannik Sinner takes on Carlos Alcaraz. Both had to dig deep down to reach this stage with Sinner beating Ilya Ivashka and Alcaraz outlasting former champion Marin Cilic in five set marathons. Both are looking to make their first ever Grand Slam semifinal and you feel this will be the first of many classic encounters between the pair. 

The two have previously met when it comes to Grand Slam encounters as Sinner produced a superb performance to beat Alcaraz in four sets. That result came at Wimbledon and you have to think, back on the hard courts, Alcaraz will be confident in turning the tables. Sinner has won the last two encounters on grass and clay but when the two have met on hard courts it was Alcaraz who emerged victorious. Despite being only 19, Alcaraz has huge experience on the big stage and might feel more comfortable under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe. This could be a classic but I’m backing the Spaniard to come through what could be one of the matches of the year. 

Andrey Rublev (9) vs Frances Tiafoe (22)

The ninth seed, Andrey Rublev, has successfully made it through to the quarterfinals, and if he wants to progress to the semifinals, he needs to beat local favorite, Frances Tiafoe. Rublev put on a clinic in his Round of 16 match, defeating Brit, Norrie, in straight sets. It was the upset of the previous round, when Tiafoe took down the second seed, Nadal, in four sets.

Aleksandar Ricliev

Andrey Rublev has had an up-and-down year. He started the year hot, beating Djokovic in the finals and winning the Belgrade ATP. Since then, his form dived, as he lost in the third round of the Madrid ATP, the first round of Rome ATP, and the Halle ATP. Reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open was his most considerable success during that period. He hasn’t been able to produce stable performances in this tournament either. It took him almost four hours in the first round to get past Djere in 5 sets. Then he went on to win Norrie 3-0. Which Rublev are we going to see on the court? Who knows.

Frances Tiafoe has been one of this tournament’s most impressive tennis players. He made easy work of Giron, Kubler, and Schwartzman in the first three rounds, beating them all by 3-0. Then he drew Nadal, and everyone started to write him off. But Tiafoe put up an incredible performance and sent Rafael Nadal home with a 3-1 win. He has been far more consistent than Rublev in the US Open, so I have him to win this match and move on to the next phase. 

Denis Kirilov

Frances Tiafoe pulled off the biggest win of his career as he became the only player to defeat Rafael Nadal at a Grand Slam this year. After 22 wins, the Spaniard’s winning streak has come to an end as he was not able to surpass the consistency and determination of the American. Tiafoe has finally broken the curse and reached the second week on home soil. The young talent relies much on his first serve as this has been a crucial part of his arsenal ever since turning pro in 2015. Moreover, he seems to have picked up a decent amount of momentum following his victories over Schwartzman and Nadal which should definitely give him much-needed confidence heading into the biggest match of his career. 

Andrey Rublev has not once shown uncertainties when playing in the second week of Grand Slams. He has never surpassed the quarterfinal stage as he was forced to leave the court defeated five times in this particular round throughout his career. Rublev cruised back into the top 10 once again after losing positions in the beginning of the year when he was ousted by Marin Cilic in Melbourne. Rublev is certainly a player to watch, but his issues in the second week make me think that Tiafoe might have a better start to the quarterfinal. The American will have the crowd behind him that will essentially electrify the situation in the opening set. 

Jack Hartman

What a performance from Frances Tiafoe in the last round. It’s hard to believe that Tiafoe is still only 24 as he has become a fixture on tour. Tiafoe played a brilliantly composed and high quality match, and he was a deserved winner against Rafa Nadal. His run to this year’s quarterfinals is his best ever run at his home slam and matches the furthest he has ever reached in a major. Tiafoe looked completely at home on the grand arena that is Arthur Ashe, and as the only American man left in the draw, is sure to play the rest of his matches on the game’s biggest court.

Andrey Rublev headed into this year’s US Open flying completely under the radar but has had a great run at this year’s tournament. Now eleven in the world, Rublev has had to beat tricky customers such as Lasjo Djere, Denis Shapovalov and Cam Norrie. Rublev can bludgeon the ball with ruthless efficiency and his superb ball striking skills have been on display throughout. Rublev is a three time US Open quarterfinalist but has never advanced past this stage. The two have a 1-1 head to head record with Rublev winning their last encounter at Indian Wells in straight sets. Tiafoe has all the momentum following his superb win against Nadal but I think he will become unstuck here. 

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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.