Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the US Open match.
Grigor Dimitrov
The Bulgarian is just now finding his form after sustaining an injury in the Wimbledon round of 16. In the August tournaments, he did not progress beyond the round of 16. In New York, a serious test for him came in the fourth-round match against Andrey Rublev. After winning the second set on a tiebreak, Grigor seemingly capitulated the next two sets easily, raising doubts about his physical endurance for a deciding set. However, the opposite occurred: 76% first serve, 86% of points won on it. Nevertheless, such a prolonged match is bound to take a toll on Dimitrov. A second five-setter might be too much for him.
Frances Tiafoe
Tiafoe is in excellent form. He reached the final in Cincinnati, where he lost to Jannik Sinner (6-7, 2-6). At Flushing Meadows, the American already engaged in a five-setter with compatriot Ben Shelton in the second round, squandering many break points (converting 5 out of 21). Against Alexei Popyrin, he outplayed his opponent on all metrics, even in the third set which he lost (2:6). This was likely a matter of bad luck during crucial points. Tiafoe can certainly give Dimitrov a tough fight as he has the physical endurance, whereas the Bulgarian remains questionable.
Grigor Dimitrov - Frances Tiafoe Prediction
The head-to-head record favours the Bulgarian (3-1). They last met at Wimbledon 2023, where Dimitrov quickly won (6:2, 6-3, 6-2). However, this is a different surface and the injury might manifest in a longer game, while Tiafoe will not allow for a swift victory by the Bulgarian. Grigor might win, but even if he does, it will be with great difficulty. Therefore, it's better to bet on Tiafoe with a positive handicap.
