US Open Tennis 2021: TV Schedule and Monday's Afternoon Draw Predictions

Novak Djokovic has been rolling. Is there any men's singles player who can prevent him from winning the 2021 U.S. Open?

It may seem unlikely at this point, but there are still some strong players in the field who have a chance to deny Djokovic of a calendar Grand Slam. One of them is No. 4-seeded Alexander Zverev, who has also gotten off to a strong start at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City.

Zverev will look to keep rolling when round-of-16 play continues Monday, as he'll be the first to take the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium when he faces No. 13-seeded Jannik Sinner.

By the end of the day, the quarterfinal matchups will be set, with only eight players remaining in both the men's singles and women's singles tournaments.

U.S. Open coverage will air on ESPN2 from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. ET on Monday. Here are some predictions for several notable matches from the early slate.

No. 7 Iga Swiatek vs. No. 11 Belinda Bencic

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

This will only be the second time that Swiatek and Bencic face off, but the previous meeting also took place this year. In February, Swiatek beat Bencic 6-2, 6-2 in the final of the Adelaide International. Now, Bencic will be looking for revenge in New York.

Bencic has been playing much better of late. She won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this summer, and she's now won each of her first three U.S. Open matches in straight sets. The 24-year-old from Switzerland could be making a run to her first career Grand Slam title.

However, Bencic will need to get past Swiatek, who has been tested a bit more since the U.S. Open began. Her past two matches have both gone to three sets, which included her third-round win over No. 28-seeded Anett Kontaveit. The 20-year-old from Poland is in pursuit of her second career Grand Slam title after winning the 2020 French Open.

It's likely this match will be much more competitive than the first time the two played, considering how Bencic has elevated her game recently. And not only will it be a close match, but Bencic will end up on top this time, as she'll overcome her first dropped set of the tournament and bounce back late.

Prediction: Bencic wins in three sets

No. 4 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 13 Jannik Sinner

Frank Franklin/Associated Press

While Zverev has never won a Grand Slam title, he won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Then, the 24-year-old German won the championship at the Western & Southern Open last month. So he's been dominant of late.

After winning his first three matches at the U.S. Open, Zverev is on a 14-match winning streak. And he could keep it going Monday, as he won his most recent meeting with Sinner in 2020.

However, Sinner also owns a win in his series against Zverev, which is tied at 1-1. The 20-year-old Italian has been tested since arriving at the U.S. Open, with each of his first three matches going at least four sets. In the third round, he outlasted No. 17-seeded Gael Monfils for a 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4 win.

Zverev is going to be the most challenging opponent who Sinner has faced, though. And it's highly possible that Sinner won't keep things going as long as his previous matches. Expect Zverev to continue his deep run by cruising to victory, as he looks to get back to the U.S. Open final for the second straight year.

Prediction: Zverev wins in straight sets

Emma Raducanu vs. Shelby Rogers

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Not many would have predicted that either Raducanu or Rogers would be heading to the quarterfinals of this tournament. And yet, that's what's going to happen as one of these women will reach that round with a win.

Raducanu doesn't have much professional tennis experience. The 18-year-old from Great Britain is playing in only her second career major tournament, after she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in her Grand Slam debut earlier this year. She's won each of her first three U.S. Open matches in straight sets against fellow unseeded opponents.

Rogers has reached the quarterfinals at two previous major tournaments, including the 2020 U.S. Open. However, in order to get to the round of 16 this year, she needed to get past Ashleigh Barty—and she did, upsetting the No. 1 seed with a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5) win in the third round.

This should be a competitive back-and-forth match. And although Rogers has experience on her side, Raducanu has burst on to the scene in 2021. It will be close, but Raducanu will pull out one of her most impressive wins yet, continuing to showcase her strong skills and high potential.

Prediction: Raducanu wins in three sets