First-round upsets have been a staple at the US Open – who can forget Paul Annacone’s stunning first-round upset over John McEnroe or Alexander Volkov’s stunning upset victory over Stefan Edberg in 1990?
Monday provides us with four opportunities for first-round upsets, and these are the possible upsets I have for you on Monday, August 28.
Possible First-Round US Open Upsets for Monday, August 28
Sports betting has no guarantees, but these four players could pull off upsets on Monday.
Francisco Cerundolo vs. Zachary Svadja 1:30 pm Eastern
Cerundolo is a huge -325 favorite when he meets up with 20-year-old American qualifier Zachary Svadja. Cerundolo is 11-15 on cement over the 52 weeks and lost his only US Open match to Andy Murray in straight sets.
Svadja is just a kid but did qualify here and in Washington earlier this summer. The young American is red hot and will have the Court 7 crowd behind him. +250 at DraftKings New Jersey is a good price to pay for what could be the upset of the day.
Sebastian Korda vs Marton Fucsovics 2:15 pm Eastern
Korda (-170) is the favorite and defeated Fucsovics in straight sets this past week in Winston-Salem. Korda injured his knee in his next match and withdrew from the tournament. Korda is a fast kid with a solid serve, but it won’t be easy against the Hungarian.
Fucsovics has struggled to a 3-3 record post-Wimbledon but is 14-9 on the hard courts this season. Fucsovics has a pair of first-round US Open upsets to his credit, and +142 at PointsBet is a good price for this possible upset.
Benjamin Bonzi vs. Quentin Halys 3:30 pm Eastern
Halys is a -160 favorite at DraftKings and is 3-0 lifetime over Bonzi. Halys has a big serve but has dropped his last two matches since his strong third-round Wimbledon run.
Bonzi doesn’t have the biggest serve in town, but he’s a solid returner, is 2-1 over his main draw matches in Flushing, and pulled off a first-round upset over Ugu Humbert in 2022. Halys has never won a main draw match here in two attempts making Bonzi an interesting +135 underdog at Caesars NJ.
Mackenzie McDonald vs Felix Auger Aliassime 3:30 pm Eastern
There isn’t a way in the world that Felix Auger-Alliasime (FAA) is a -135 favorite at DraftKings, but the former US Open finalist has struggled this season. FAA might have a 37-16 hardcourt record over the last 52 weeks, but he is just 2-4 since being upset in the 3rd round in Miami.
McDonald is an American kid who’s racked up a few hardcourt wins of his own with a 1st round-upset victory in 2021 over David Goffin. McDonald reached the quarters in Toronto and the Round of 16 in Cincinnati, and +118 at PointsBet New Jersey could be a good play on Monday.
