US Open: The Need for an Outlier and Entertainer in Tennis Daniil Medvedev and how the Russian middleman hasn't received the credit he deserves
In addition to motivating Novak Djokovic to give it his all in his last leg, tennis needs figures like Daniil Medvedev, the Russian giant-slayer, to stay appealing and charming.
Ankush Pandey
Daniil Medvedev must recover quickly for world tennis to remain healthy. The enduring anti-hero, the nearly two-meter-tall high hurdle that performers from all generations must overcome in their quest for greatness, is in danger of going through a career-ending downturn.
Currently ranked No. 13 in the world, he has only won one round in the last three Grand Slams and has fallen out of the Top 10 this year. At this US Open, tennis needs the giant-slayer Medvedev just as much as it needs the titans Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz to maintain its status as a legendary sport.
It's time to move on to the U.S. Open now that the French Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon have passed. The fourth and final Grand Slam of the season begins on Sunday in New York City, with Aryna Sabalenka, Taylor Fritz, and Novak Djokovic competing. In addition to checking out my top picks for the men's and women's divisions, let's examine the top wagers available on the Day 1 schedule.
Benjamin Bonzi +6.5 games over Daniil Medvedev (-130)
Bonzi has a surprising 2-0 advantage in the head-to-head matchup. Leading Medvedev two sets to one at Roland Garros in 2017 and, more recently, winning in four sets at Wimbledon earlier this summer, he advanced via retirement.
After defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas, Lorenzo Musetti, and Matteo Arnaldi, the Frenchman has advanced to the Cincinnati fourth round, demonstrating his momentum. Medvedev's game, meanwhile, is in ruins. Prior to this tournament, he was 8-8 in his last 16 matches and hadn't won an ATP title in over two years (Rome 2023). It wouldn't surprise me if Bonzi won this match handily.
Ethan Quinn -1.5 games over Jerome Kym (-105)
Quinn appears to have every advantage in this fight, beginning with his nearly 100-spot ranking advantage over Kym. Determining the reason is also not difficult. Quinn, who is 21 years younger than Kym, has won 11 ATP-level matches in 2025 whereas Kym has only won four in his career.
Additionally, Quinn won three straight titles at the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this season; Kym is participating in a Grand Slam main tournament for the first time. Lastly, the American has an advantage over the Swiss on the home court. Quinn is likely to handle this one far more easily than the odds suggest.
Parlay: Veronika Kudermetova ML over Janice Tjen and Belinda Bencic ML over Shaui Zhang (+107)
Though they have been competing at far lesser levels of the sport—the minor leagues, so to speak—Tjen and Zhang have both been winning a lot of games. The competition has advanced significantly with Kudermetova and Bencic. Additionally, they have vast advantages in terms of stage experience.
Kudermetova, a 2022 quarterfinalist at Roland Garros, won the Wimbledon doubles championship last month. Additionally, she made it to the Cincinnati semifinals a few weeks ago, demonstrating her exceptional form. Bencic, who won the gold medal in the women's singles Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals last month.
