US Open 2020: Maxime Cressy vs Jozef Kovalik preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: Maxime Cressy vs Jozef Kovalik

Date: 31 August 2020

Tournament: US Open 2020

Round: First Round (Round of 128)

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $39,024,000

Match timing: 2 PM EDT, 11:30 PM IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports Select HD 1 & 2 / Hotstar

Maxime Cressy vs Jozef Kovalik preview

Maxime Cressy

Maxime Cressy will make his Grand Slam debut against Slovakia's Jozef Kovalik in the first round of the 2020 US Open.

Maxime Cressy, who turned professional in 2019, began his season with a run to the last 32 at the Noumea Challenger before losing in the first round of qualifying at the Australian Open.

He reached the round of 32 in the Newport Beach and Dallas Challengers and the last 16 in Cleveland before winning his first Challenger title of the season in Drummondville. The victory propelled him into the top 200 of the ATP rankings.

Congratulations to French-speaking American Maxime Cressy for taking home the title at the @ChallengerBN in Drummondville, QC!Read more on the final: ⬇️https://t.co/8m9ubkf5Gu

— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) February 24, 2020

At his next stop on the Challenger Tour in Calgary, Maxime Cressy lost to Arthur Rinderknech in the final before suffering an opening-round exit at the Indian Wells Challenger.

Jozef Kovalik started his 2020 campaign at the Australian Open, qualifying as a lucky loser, but suffered a four-set defeat by Pablo Carreno Busta in the first round. The Slovak has won just one match on the ATP Tour this season, against Corentin Moutet in Beunos Aires, where he reached the Round of 16.

Maxime Cressy vs Jozef Kovalik head-to-head

Maxime Cressy will make his Grand Slam debut at the 2020 US Open.

Maxime Cressy and Jozef Kovalik have never met on the tour before, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

Maxime Cressy vs Jozef Kovalik prediction

Jozef Kovalik

Although Maxime Cressy will be making his debut in a Major, he will not start as the rank underdog. Kovalik, 27, has failed to progress beyond the first round of a Slam in eight attempts thus far.

Cressy also enters Monday's clash with a lot of competitive matches under his belt, albeit at the Challenger level, which should hold him in good stead against the 121st-ranked Slovakian.

Prediction: Maxime Cressy to win in five sets.