Two best third round men’s matches at 2023 United States Open Saturday

The 2023 United States Open continues on Saturday. Here are the two best men’s matches.

(6) Jannik Sinner–Italy vs. Stanislas Wawrinka–Switzerland

This juicy matchup features Jannik Sinner, the sixth seed Italian, against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, the three-time grand slam champion. Sinner’s best grand slam result came this year when he reached the semifinals of Wimbledon. He then won the National Bank Open in Toronto this summer. It was Sinner’s second ATP title in 2023 as he also won in Montpellier in February. Wawrinka’s grand slam wins came at the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015 and the United States Open in 2016.

Head-to-head, Sinner has won three of five meetings. Wawrinka won the first two matches and Sinner has won the last three. Wawinka beat Sinner 6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 in the first round of the 2019 United States Open and 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals of Antwerp in 2019. Sinner won 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of Wimbledon in 2022, won 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of Rotterdam in 2023, and 6-1, 6-4 in the fourth round of Indian Wells in 2023.  Sinner will play Wawrinka at Louis Armstrong Stadium this afternoon.

(12) Alexander Zverev–Germany vs. (19) Grigor Dimitrov–Bulgaria

Here we have Alexander Zverev of Germany, the 2020 United States Open finalist, and reigning Olympic champion, against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, the three-time grand slam semifinalist. Dimitrov made the semifinals of the 2014 Wimbledon, 2017 Australian Open and 2019 United States Open. Zverev has won an ATP title this year. It came in the Hamburg European Open in July, where he beat Laslo Djere in the final, 7-5, 6-3. Djere of Serbia made tennis headlines on Friday when he took Novak Djiokovic to five sets before losing 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.

Head-to-head, Zverev has won five of six meetings. Dimitrov won the first match, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of Basel in 2014. Since then, Zverev has won five straight matches. Zverev’s wins have come by scores of 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the second round of Indian Wells in 2016, 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of Rome in 2016, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 in the third round of the Paris Indoor in 2021, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round of the French Open in 2023, and 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of Cincinnati in 2023. Like Wawrinka and Sinner, Zverev and Dimitrov will play at Louis Armstrong Stadium, but in the evening.