Predicted Winners in BOLD in a Big First Day of Action

Serena enters the #USOpen at the top of her game, ready to make history. It’s hers to lose: http://t.co/fsXlmN01Sz pic.twitter.com/yDuycVt0rI

— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) August 27, 2015

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Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) vs. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) [7] – I am going to open things up by picking an upset.  Ivanovic played quite well in Cincy so this is a risky pick, but I like Cibulkova to make some early noise.

Monica Puig (PUR) vs. Venus Williams (USA) [23] – I like Puig a lot and Venus is

Serena Williams (USA) [1] vs. Vitalia Diatchenko (RUS) – Serena is likely to get to her 29th consecutive Grand Slam match win.  Bigger challenges await.

Coco Vandeweghe (USA) vs. Sloane Stephens (USA) [29] – Coco’s serve gives her a chance, but i think Sloane if overall the more steady player.  This could be close though.

Maria Sharapova (RUS) [3] vs. Daria Gavrilova (AUS) – Maria has not owned New York recently.  I think she wins this match though.  Gavrilova will probably face a lucky loser as Maria Sharapova pulled out of the US Open with an injury after doing a week of promotional work.

Anna Tatishvili (USA) vs. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [8] – Whatever the Czech Republic has done in its junior program, other countries need to copy it.

Madison Keys (USA) [19] vs. Klara Koukalova (CZE) – Having said that, I like Keys to beat a Czech.

Lauren Davis (USA) vs. Heather Watson (GBR) – Watson should advance.

Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) [25] vs. Alison Riske (USA) – Riske is a tricky opponent, but I think the Jimmy Connors’ pep talk has to be worth something.

Oceane Dodin (FRA) vs. Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [21] – JJ never seems to go away despite not being in the top 10 any longer.

Vania King (USA) vs. Roberta Vinci (ITA) – This could go either way.

Katerina Siniakova (CZE) vs. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [15] – We are two wins away from a Radwanska vs. Radwanska second round match.

Irina Falconi (USA) vs. Samantha Crawford (USA) – ‘Merica

Saisai Zheng (CHN)  vs. Madison Brengle (USA) – Can Brengle bring good vibes from World Team Tennis to New York?

Magda Linette (POL) vs. Urszula Radwanska (POL) – A Polish battle with the winner likely getting Aga Radwanska.  I think Urszula will want this one badly.

Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) vs. Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) – Mattek-Sands is a little crazy, and I think that fact will help her to make a dent in this draw.  Of course, she could get clobbered.

Belinda Bencic (SUI) [12] vs. Sesil Karatantcheva (BUL) – The Swiss Miss FTW.

Sofia Kenin (USA) vs. Mariana Duque-Marino (COL) – A home court edge could help?

Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) [10] vs. Denisa Allertova (CZE) – Czech mate?

Jessica Pegula (USA) vs. Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL)

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) [30] – Kuzy won this title in 2004 and was runner-up here in 2007.  I think this is enough to carry her through at leastt one match.

Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) vs. Kaia Kanepi (EST) – Kanepi is always a tough out.

Ana Konjuh (CRO) vs. Tatjana Maria (GER)

Anett Kontaveit (EST) vs. Casey Dellacqua (AUS)

Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) vs. Misaki Doi (JPN) – Can the cagey veteran win?  We shall see.

Teliana Pereira (BRA) vs. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) [13] – Makarova is a fighter.

Kiki Bertens (NED) vs. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) – Lucic-Baroni will likely set up a second round match that would have been huge in 1999 versus Serena Williams.

Elina Svitolina (UKR) [17] vs. Elizaveta Kulichkova (RUS) – Svitolina is a talent.

Polona Hercog (SLO) vs. Zarina Diyas (KAZ)

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) [31] vs. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) – The last Romanov advances.

Tereza Smitkova (CZE) vs. Andreea Mitu (ROU)

Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) vs. Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) – Ajde!