US Open 2022: Nick Kyrgios vs Benjamin Bonzi preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (23) Nick Kyrgios vs Benjamin Bonzi.
Date: August 31, 2022.
Tournament: US Open 2022.
Round: Second round (Round of 64).
Venue: New York, United States.
Category: Grand Slam.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $60,102,000.
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & ESPN2 | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Sony Liv, Sony Ten & Sony Six.
Nick Kyrgios vs Benjamin Bonzi preview
World No. 25 Nick Kyrgios will take on Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in the second round of the 2022 US Open on Wednesday.
Kyrgios was drawn against best friend Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round. Both players held serve comfortably for most of the opening set. The 2022 Wimbledon finalist snagged a break in the eighth game of the set and clinched the set by serving it out with ease in the following game.
He then secured a break of serve at the start of the second set to lead 2-0. He held on to this lead until the end of the set to win it. Kokkinakis held three break points in the third set, but was unable to capitalize on them. The set eventually went to a tie-break. The 27-year-old came out on top in the tie-break to win the match 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4).
An efficient performance in R1 for @NickKyrgios 👍 https://t.co/X0uE1GmtsA
He has also teamed up with Kokkinakis to compete in doubles. The duo won the Australian Open earlier this year and will take on the team of Lorenzo Musetti and Hugo Gaston in the first round in New York.
Bonzi was up against compatriot Ugo Humbert in the first round. The duo traded service breaks midway through the opening set. The set went into a tie-break, which was won by Bonzi.
The second set was quite one-sided, with Bonzi breaking his opponent's serve twice to clinch it. The 26-year-old looked to be in control of the match, but Humbert had other plans. He raised his level and secured a break of serve in the final game of the third set to claim it.
Humbert raced to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set. Bonzi managed to retrieve the break and had an opportunity to get back on serve but got broken once again. The 24-year-old then served out the set to take the match to a decider.
Bonzi was the one to strike first as he went up a break to lead 3-0 in the final set. Humbert tried his best but was unable to get back into the match. The 26-year-old broke his opponent's serve one last time to win the match 7-6 (1), 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 6-2 and register his first victory at the US Open.
Nick Kyrgios vs Benjamin Bonzi head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Nick Kyrgios vs Benjamin Bonzi odds
(All odds sourced from BetMGM)
Nick Kyrgios vs Benjamin Bonzi prediction
Krygios has been the more in-form player heading into this encounter and will be expected to deal with Bonzi quite easily. He performed quite well against Kokkinakis in the first round. He fired 13 aces and won a high number of first serve points. He struck 42 winners compared to 25 unforced errors.
Bonzi was cruising in the first-round contest against Humbert but got pushed to five sets. He might not be able to regain control of the match if he lets go of a similar lead against the Australian. He too served quite decently and finished with 45 winners and 36 unforced errors.
Bonzi has not been past the second round of a Grand Slam so far. To do so against a player of Kyrgios' caliber means he'll have to play the match of his life. But the Australian has transformed into a different player this year, so it's unlikely he'll be bundled out of the tournament this early.
Pick: Nick Kyrgios to win in straight sets.