US Open 2022: Casper Ruud vs. Kyle Edmund Tennis Pick and Prediction

TennisSection previews the 2022 US Open as Casper Ruud takes on Kyle Edmund in the first round on Monday, August 29th, 2022.

Casper Ruud will be keen to make a huge impression at the 2022 US Open. The Norwegian baseliner will attempt to raise the temperature for the returning Kyle Edmund who is in the main draw with a protected ranking. Who will prevail?

Casper Ruud suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Ben Shelton – the American collegiate tennis player – at the Cincinnati Masters. It was a big blow in Ruud’s preparations for the US Open where he will appear for the fifth time in the main draw. Ruud is the highest-ranked Norwegian in tennis history and he has been in terrific form in 2022. He sailed as high as No. 5 in the rankings after reaching his first Grand Slam final at the French Open whilst also hoisting three ATP titles.

Kyle Edmund, meanwhile, is back on the tennis courts after 21 months of horror. The Johannesburg-born Briton spent the last two years nursing a career-threatening knee injury. Edmund needed three surgeries on his left knee in the past year and even contemplated quitting the sport at one time as he admitted in his most recent tournament participation in Washington. But there was light at the end of the tunnel and Edmund’s rocky recovery is now complete. He has been handed the toughest draw among the British players in the draw at the US Open and it will be tough to imagine him making it through to the next round.

Casper Ruud and Kyle Edmund have not played each other at any level. Monday’s match at the US Open will be their first official meeting. Although stranger things have happened before, Edmund is clearly in no condition whatsoever to challenge Ruud in a best-of-five match with a surgically repaired knee. He is only just getting back and hasn’t played a great deal of tennis in the last two years. Edmund’s forehand might give him a few opportunities to outhit the Norwegian sporadically, but this remains the easiest call of the opening round.