The US Open second round continues on Thursday. The tournament has been fantastic so far, and the big matches are coming fast.
Here are my best bets for Thursday of the second round of the 2026 US Open.
2026 US Open Second Round Best Bets
Gael Monfils vs. Learner Tien Over 35.5 Total Games (-115)
Gael Monfils has dazzled at the US Open so far. This is the last Grand Slam Monfils will ever compete in, as he is set to retire at the end of the year. He is going out with a bang. Monfils started the tournament by playing some excellent mixed doubles with his wife, Elina Svitolina. Monfils then played fantastic tennis in his opening-round singles match, hitting some shots that only Monfils would dare to try. However, he is now massively stepping up in competition, facing the American rising star, Learner Tien.
Learner Tien had a professional win over Nuno Borges in the first round. However, Monfils will be a much bigger challenge. Tien was not yet born in August 2005 when Gael Monfils played in his first US Open. The disparity in experience is clearly in Monfils’ favor, but Tien is the more talented player at this moment. Tien had his first real major breakthrough earlier this year, making the quarterfinals at the Australian Open. He will hope to go on another deep run in New York in front of the American crowd.
This match could end up being a marathon. Monfils should use his experience to hang around in a match where he is the underdog. Tien should find a way to win in the end, but it could require four or five long sets to knock Monfils out. Monfils is no stranger to marathons, having played a five-setter at Roland-Garros earlier this summer. These two faced off for the first time a few weeks ago in Canada, and it went to the maximum of three sets. It should be another long battle between these two exciting players.
Alexander Zverev -2.5 Sets vs. Quentin Halys (+125)
Alexander Zverev is the No. 1 seed at the US Open with Jannik Sinner out of the field. Zverev finally had his Grand Slam breakthrough earlier this year, winning the French Open. However, Zverev was pushed to the brink in the first round of this US Open. Lorenzo Sonego took Zverev to five sets, despite Zverev being a massive favorite in that match. That should have been a massive wake-up call for Zverev that he can’t just cruise through these early rounds.
Alexander Zverev should take care of business against Quentin Halys. He will want a quick, dominant match in this second round after his first-round struggles. Zverev to win in straight sets is a plus-money bet worth taking against Halys. This is his first time ever making it out of the first round at the US Open, and he is totally out of his depth in this matchup. Zverev should put on a more professional performance this time around and win in straight sets.
