US Open Best Bets: Top Tennis Picks and Predictions for Monday, August 29, 2022

The US Open begins on Monday, August 29, 2022, and we're here to serve up some of the tennis plays we like the most for the first day of action in New York.

This daily tennis column will feature our best tennis bets of the day, with no minimum or maximum amount of picks. If we think you should bet something, we'll post it here and send you on your way. 

This is one of the greatest tournaments there is, with the best players on the planet competing at an incredible venue. But just because we're focusing on these next two weeks in Flushing, that doesn't mean we're only looking at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Sometimes the best value can be had on the outer courts and it's our job to dig in and help you cash out. 

Without further delay, keep reading for the picks and don't hesitate to try out FanDuel Sportsbook, where you can bet $5 on tennis and get $150 FREE! 

US Open Best Bets: Top Tennis Picks for Monday

Francisco Cerundolo vs. Andy Murray - Day session (scheduled for 11:00AM ET)

First up we have Francisco Cerundolo vs. Andy Murray and t's absolutely miserable picking against Murray, especially at this stage in his career. Not only is he one of the most likable players in the history of the sport, but he's also one of the most competitive. With that said, you're never going to see him give up or tank away a single point. That means that Cerundolo will have to work for everything he can get in this opening-round match. 

The problem for Murray is that he is no longer the elite defender he once was. The Brit still does his best to cover as much of the court as possible, but Cerundolo has one of the game's most powerful forehands and it's going to be hard for Murray to chase that around all afternoon — especially with the forecast in New York calling for high heat and serious humidity. 

Look for the Argentinean to try and punish the ball in this match-up, and don't be shocked if he ultimately comes out on top. We're not backing him to win outright, as this is a match Murray can absolutely win. But we'd be pretty damn surprised if Cerundolo doesn't win at least a set or two, and that should bring him over his individual game total of 19.5.

It helps that he has a break percentage of 29.9%, which is the fifth-highest number in the world this season. With that, he should get into Murray's serve quite a bit, especially if the Brit isn't fully locked in with the ball on his racquet — which is something we've seen over the last few years. Murray has also shown that he can run out of steam in lengthy matches at this stage in his career, but that's not something we see happening to Cerundolo. 

PICK: Cerundolo Over 19.5 Total Games, which you can get at -110 at FanDuel.

MORE: Get insights on every US Open tennis match

Jack Draper vs. Emil Ruusuvuori - Day session (scheduled for 5:25PM ET)

This is a match that features two up-and-coming power players, so it should be pretty fun to watch them slug it out on the fast hard courts in New York. It is, however, a bit difficult to see why the odds in this one only slightly favor Ruusuvuori. 

While Ruusuvuori is no veteran, he has been around a bit longer than Draper, who could be a little nervous playing on a big stage like this one. Draper also hasn't had a lot of experience playing in unfavorable conditions like these. That's something you have to consider when picking winners at this event. 

Draper's fitness was a big part of the reason he was unable to get the job done against Alex de Minaur at Wimbledon back in June. Without having had a chance to see whether or not he has corrected that issue, it's just hard not to throw a little something on Ruusuvuori here.

Ruusuvuori also happened to defeat Draper 6-2, 7-6 (2) on grass back in the middle of June. That's not a great sign for the Brit heading into this one, as grass is Draper's favorite surface. 

PICK: Ruusuvuori to win, which you can get at -137 at FanDuel.

Danka Kovinic vs. Serena Williams - Night session (scheduled for 7:00PM ET)

Our second pick for Day of the 2022 US Open comes from the Danka Kovinic vs. Serena Williams matchup. This play is a little more straightforward than the last one, as this is simply us deciding to fade Williams early in the tournament. There's obviously a bit of risk that comes with going against the greatest player in the history of the game, but Williams just hasn't looked good the last few times we've seen her. And the reality is that we haven't seen the 23-time Grand Slam champion all that often. 

Williams has played only four singles matches all year and she is 1-3 in those matches. Kovinic enters this one on a five-match losing streak, but she has at least been active and keeping herself in shape. The Montenegrin will be at a significant disadvantage in the power department in this match, but she can do some damage against Williams by picking her spots and keeping her opponent moving side to side. 

All in all, this is a match that Williams really should win, but it just isn't hard to imagine Kovinic stealing a set or just being very competitive in a loss. 

PICK: Kovinic +4.5 Games, which you get can get at +104 at FanDuel.