NEW YORK, USA - The final Grand Slam of the year - the US Open - starts in New York on Monday and both South Africans Kevin Anderson and Lloyd Harris are in men's singles first-round action.
Anderson, seeded fifth, faces Ryan Harrison of the USA. Harrison currently has an ATP singles ranking of 53. These two have met on three previous occasions, with Anderson leading the head-to-head 2-1.
Anderson won his first two matches against Harrison – in Atlanta in 2013 and in Stockholm in 2016 – in straight sets. However the American won their most recent meeting - in Tokyo in 2017 when he beat Anderson in a tight three-setter (6-3 1-6 7-6).
Meanwhile, Harris is in unchartered territory, playing in his first ever Grand Slam match - against Gilles Simon of France. Harris advanced to the first round after three dominant wins in qualifying. Simon, aged 33, has a current singles ranking of 39 and achieved a career-high of No 6 in the world in 2009. He has won 13 singles titles on the ATP World Tour.
Cape Town's Raven Klaasen and New Zealand partner Michael Venus have been seeded eighth in the men's doubles at the US Open. Klaasen and Venus face the unseeded pair of Lukáš Lacko and John Millman, in the round of 64, on Wednesday. Both Lacko and Millman also feature in the first round of the men's singles.
Had a great time last night celebrating some exciting things to come from @dunloptennis. Happy to be a part of it! #TeamDunlop🎾 pic.twitter.com/w7X6S1wK7u
— Kevin Anderson (@KAndersonATP) August 26, 2018