U.S. Open First Round Betting Odds, Picks: Felix Auger-Aliassime opens as heavy favourite over Rinky Hijikata

With Bianca Andreescu having lost in qualifying and Gabriel Diallo unable to play because of a knee injury, the Canadian contingent at the U.S. Open is unusually slim. However, don’t sleep on Leylah Fernandez and Felix Auger-Aliassime. Fernandez already advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Shuai Zhang on Sunday, and now Auger-Aliassime will try to join her there on Monday.

First-round action is spread across three days, so there is much more action to come. Among those still preparing for their opening matches are Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Alexandra Eala.

Let’s take a look at some of the best bets to make on Monday and Tuesday. 

Don’t forget to check out Sports Interaction’s complete list of U.S. Open match odds and U.S. Open futures.

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Rinky Hijikata best bet: Over 34.5 games (-125) 

This is not the easiest of first-round draws for Auger-Aliassime. Rinky Hijikata is coming off back-to-back third-round appearances in Cincinnati and Winston-Salem, beating two top-40 opponents in the process. The Australian has played well at the U.S. Open in the past, too. He took a set off Rafael Nadal in 2022, made a run to the fourth round in 2023 and defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in 2024.

Auger-Aliassime should win this match, but he may not do it with ease. The world No. 4 has played only one event since Wimbledon (he was forced to pull out of the Montreal Masters due to a back injury) and lost to Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4 in the Cincinnati fourth round. Don’t be surprised if Auger-Aliassime gets a real test on Monday evening. 

Lorenzo Musetti vs. Arthur Fery best bet: Musetti -1.5 sets (-185) 

This is one of the marquee matchups of the opening round at Flushing Meadows. Arthur Fery was just one spot away from being seeded, but now he faces a brutal first-round draw. When healthy, Lorenzo Musetti is quite simply one of the best players in the world. The 24-year-old Italian has climbed as high as No. 5 in the world (currently 14th) and has reached at least the quarterfinals of all four Grand Slams (semis at the French Open and Wimbledon). He has been plagued by injuries this season, but he appears to be healthy heading into New York.

Musetti is coming off a quarterfinal effort in Cincinnati and he has not lost to anyone ranked worse than No. 30 in the world since Indian Wells in March. Moreover, Fery is making a quick turnaround after losing to Ignacio Buse in the Winston-Salem final on Saturday. Musetti should be able to take advantage. 

Alexandra Eala vs. Mary Stoiana best bet: Eala -1.5 sets (-150) 

Alexandra Eala absolutely loves the big stage. The 21-year-old from the Philippines gets a ton of crowd support everywhere she goes, but it becomes especially raucous at Grand Slams – perhaps New York more than anywhere else. Eala has reached the finals of a 1000-point event (Miami in 2025), won a 500-point title (Washington, D.C. earlier this month) and upset Iga Swiatek en route to the Wimbledon fourth round just a couple of months ago.

Mary Stoiana has never played in the main draw of a Grand Slam, and a night-session showdown in the second-largest stadium at the U.S. Open will make for an unprecedented atmosphere. For Eala, it’s nothing new. The left-hander should roll into round two.