US Open 2018: Draw preview and predictions of the Men's singles

#2 TOP HALF

Grigor Dimitrov looks to go deep into Flushing Meadows Pic courtesy

SECOND QUARTER: Projected quarter-final #3 Juan Martin Del Potro vs #8 Grigor Dimitrov

In what is the most power-packed quarter of the draw comprising of three former champions, namely Juan Martin Del Potro (2009), Andy Murray(2012) and Stanislas Wawrinka(2016) along with Borna Coric, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Fernando Verdasco, Grigor Dimitrov and John Isner, this quarter is indeed littered with some supreme tennis action on the cards right from the start.

A tasty opening round again between Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov which is their second straight meeting at a Major after Wimbledon should set the ball rolling for either of the two stalwarts.

Wawrinka had got the better of Dimitrov in that R1 of Wimbledon this season with a scintillating, come from behind win after being a set down to prevail 1-6 7-6(3) 7-6(5) 6-4 over the Bulgarian.

The Swiss, who is jostling for a perfect comeback yet after his knee surgery is undoubtedly showing a marked improvement in his form.

After the opening round loss to Donald Young in Washington, Wawrinka has been on an upward trajectory making it to the R16 in Toronto and the quarter-finals in Cincinnati before going down to his countryman, the Swiss Great Roger Federer. Grigor Dimitrov, on the other hand, is not playing at his best.

He fell in the quarterfinals in Toronto and the R16 in Cincinnati land looks weary of charging against the resurging Wawrinka. Nevertheless, whoever wins, will face a third round challenge against Milos Raonic and a fourth-round meeting with the Giant serving John Isner.

The other side of this quarter has Juan Martin Del Potro who has his quarrels with the wrist that keeps bothering him. But hoping he stays fit, a third-round clash with Andy Murray seems a possibility. But the Brit knows that he has a very daunting task in his second round facing Fernando Verdasco who has all the weapons to topple a struggling Murray.

Whatever happens, Del Potro is certainly set to make the fourth round where he faces either Borna Coric or Stefanos Tsitsipas both who are next-gen players and are playing at their highest level. Greek rising star, Stefanos recently became the youngest ever to defeat four top-10 players in the same event en route to his final in Toronto. Coric, on the other hand, is coming off just an R2 finish in Toronto and Cincinnati and will have to put his best foot forward to have a chance here.

Irrespective of whoever Del Potro meets in the fourth round, he seems to be making the quarter-finals from here.

Prediction: Del Potro moves into the semis.