The 2026 tennis season reaches its peak with the 2026 US Open in New York, with the final Grand Slam of the year getting underway at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The summer hard-court tune-ups are behind us, and now the margin for error disappears as the best players in the world battle across best-of-five and grueling best-of-three tests in the Flushing Meadows heat.
The fortnight always brings unmatched betting value on both tours, offering an early look at physical durability, tactical adjustments, and draw paths that could shape the championship picture. There is no shortage of high-level matchups to break down, and I’ll be delivering daily betting analysis and best bets throughout the tournament.
With that in mind, keep reading for my top tennis picks and best bets for Day 9 of the US Open on Monday, September 7.
NOTE: Gill Alexander, host of A Numbers Game, posts a bunch of tennis plays to the VSiN picks page. He does a great job handicapping tennis. That page is also where I post all of my Challenger-level picks + plays for all of the tournaments I’m not writing up daily.
Alexander Blockx vs. Francisco Cerundolo
It’s going to be tough for a young player like Blockx to handle his nerves late in a Grand Slam, but he really should be able to beat Cerundolo. The Argentine is coming off back-to-back five-set matches, bringing his total time on court up to nine hours and 58 minutes. Blockx has played only seven hours and 17 minutes. The 21-year-old should be much fresher than Cerundolo, and I also like what he brings to the table as a player.
Blockx is a much bigger server than Cerundolo, he has excellent power when looking to end points, and he’s a high-level defender for a player his size. There’s very little that Cerundolo will be able to poke at here.
Cerundolo is also in a prime let-down spot after having come back from two sets down against Taylor Fritz, and it could be difficult for the Argentine to summon the energy he needs to win this one.
Bet: Blockx ML (-167 – 1.5 units)
Karen Khachanov vs. Learner Tien
Tien presents a lot of problems for opponents with his ability to keep rallies alive, hit with outrageous accuracy, and play smart tennis from the back of the court. That means you really need to play well in order to beat him, but I do believe Khachanov can do it. This has been a rough season for the Russian, as he’s just 19-19 and hasn’t been able to find any consistency. However, he has turned it on since arriving in Flushing, beating Roman Andres Burruchaga in straight sets, Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets, and Benjamin Bonzi in straight sets. Well, when Khachanov is at the peak of his powers, he’s absolutely capable of beating Tien. And given he has looked sharp so far, he’s a must-play at +149.
Khachanov’s peak Elo Rating is 2029.5, which is a little higher than Tien’s 1977.4. Also, Khachanov is a player that is comfortable playing physical matches, so he shouldn’t be too thrown off by Tien’s desire to break opponents down. Tien also happens to be coming off a physical five-set match, so it isn’t out of the question that he’ll be less than 100%.
Bet: Khachanov ML (+149)
Anastasia Potapova vs. Mirra Andreeva
There’s a really good chance Andreeva cruises in this match. A lot of the numbers favor the 19-year-old, and she does come into this one playing well. However, I can’t help but think Potapova is too good to be available at these prices, and I would honestly feel that way against anyone. Potapova is 13th on the WTA Tour in break percentage (38.3%) this year, and that type of returning makes you dangerous in all matches. Potapova is also a highly aggressive player, possessing big ball-striking ability from both wings. So, when her game is clicking, she can be very uncomfortable to play against.
Andreeva was also struggling a bit coming into this tournament, as her runs in Toronto and Cincinnati ended way earlier than expected. Well, if that version of the Roland Garros champion shows up, a straight-set victory could be a little unrealistic.
Potapova will be the toughest test yet for the teenager, and she has played Andreeva close in the past. At +170 to win a set and +475 to win outright, I’ll take some chances.
Bet: Potapova To Win A Set (+170) & Potapova ML (+475 – 0.25 units)
Added Plays
I usually have A LOT MORE on the Pro Picks page. Those plays count towards my record and have been a big part of my success this season. Make sure you check them out. I’ll probably add a few more over there, so refresh that page throughout the day if you’re looking for action.
