US Open: Must-watch matches on Day 2 include Carlos Alcaraz

We are now halfway through the first round of the 2023 US Open. Day 2 will feature as many excellent matches as Day 1 (we can hope!), and that includes closing the day with returning champion Carlos Alcaraz on center court in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Alcaraz will play Dominik Koepfer.

But many of the lead-up matches to the Carlos Alcaraz match are worth you calling off from work for. The day begins with a fantastic Tallon Griekspoor versus Arthur Fils matchup on Court 10. Griekspoor is a good player and is seeded 24th, but Arthur Fils could end up being a long-term challenger to Carlos Alcaraz one day. Fils is still finding his footing at the ATP level but is only 19 years old. He’s got a deep run at a major in him and that likely will happen soon.

Aussies Max Purcell and Christopher O’Connell face off early in the day as well. Purcell is currently at his highest ranking of 43 while O’Connell has been struggling a bit. Purcell should take this match.

Carlos Alcaraz versus Dominik Koepfer among matches to watch on Day 2 of the US Open

Alexander Zverev, who has a pretty decent chance of getting deep in the tournament as well as he has been playing lately, also has an early match. He will take on Aleksandar Vukic. Zverev making the quarters at the US Open is a real possibility.

John Isner plays in the afternoon in what could be the final match of his career. He is retiring after the US Open. He will play the tricky left-hander, 22-year-old Facundo Diaz Acosta.

One potential early-round upset could be when sixth-seeded Jannik Sinner plays Yannick Hanfmann. The two have never played but Hanfmann has a ton of experience. Sinner is very inconsistent as well.

On the women’s side, fifth-seeded Ons Jabeur has an early match against Camila Osorio. Osorio did make the round of 16 at the Rothesay International at the end of June. But Jabeur should take the match and hopefully will make a long run in the tournament.

Venus Williams plays one of the last matches of the day. She will play Greet Minnen on center court in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams is probably close to the end of her career so it would be fun if she could make a quarterfinal run.

Second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka finished out the day for the WTA and plays Maryna Zanevska in Louis Armstrong Stadium. Sabalenka is one of the Big 3 of women’s tennis. She’s made it through to at least the semifinals of the last four Grand Slams. She won the Australian Open earlier this year.