American tennis player Ben Shelton, the No. 8 seed at the US Open, is set to compete against Tallon Griekspoor in a highly anticipated Round 1 match on center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Shelton enters the tournament as a strong favorite, with odds reflecting his status as the fifth-favorite at most sportsbooks. He is listed at -820 to advance on FanDuel Sportsbook. Despite these odds, Griekspoor is considered a more formidable opponent than his No. 56 ranking might suggest. The Dutch player recently demonstrated strong form at the Canadian Masters, defeating World No. 3 Alexander Zverev and French Open semifinalist Matteo Arnaldi.
Shelton himself is coming off a significant victory at the Canadian Masters, where he defended his title without dropping a set. This marked his fourth title of the 2026 campaign. Although he experienced an early exit in the Cincinnati Masters, Shelton carries considerable momentum into the US Open. The absence of Jannik Sinner and the return of Carlos Alcaraz after a four-month break present opportunities for Shelton to make a deep run in the tournament.
However, the match is not expected to be straightforward. Shelton will face pressure from the home crowd, and Griekspoor has a history of performing well against left-handed opponents and causing upsets. The betting prediction suggests that while Shelton is likely to win, the match may involve several unexpected turns. The advised bet is for over 3.5 sets at -120 odds on FanDuel.