Vacherot vs Kovacevic Prediction 31 August 2026
๐ Valentin Vacherot and Aleksandar Kovacevic meet in the first round of the US Open in sharply contrasting form. The Monรฉgasque has lost four matches in a row, while the American just put together a three-match winning streak in Winston-Salem. The line barely separates the two, so every mistake will carry extra weight.
Head-to-Head
๐ The two players have met three times, with Kovacevic leading the head-to-head 2-1. Their most recent encounter came in May 2024 on clay in Aix-en-Provence, where Vacherot won 7-5, 7-6.
Head-to-head statistics Vacherot - Kovacevic
Valentin Vacherot Player Overview
Vacherot has won 10 of his 19 hard-court matches in 2026. He has held serve in 87% of his service games and won 69% of service points. His serve remains his primary weapon, but on return he has won only 32% of points and broken in 16% of return games - a significant constraint against an opponent with a big serve.
Since losing to Hamad Medjedovic at Roland Garros, Vacherot has won just 2 of 7 matches. On the North American hard-court swing he fell to Mariano Navone and Adolfo Daniel Vallejo. In Cincinnati the Monรฉgasque won just 6 games in total, taking only a third of second-serve return points.
Match Results: Valentin Vacherot
Aleksandar Kovacevic Player Overview
Heading into the quarter-final in Winston-Salem, Kovaฤeviฤ had gone 13-14 on hard courts in 2026. His season numbers are heavily serve-driven: he opened 16% of points with an ace and held serve in 89% of his service games. On return, he won just 30% of points, which pushed many sets to tight finishes.
In Winston-Salem, Aleksandar beat Felix Auger-Aliassime, Luca Van Assche and Stefanos Tsitsipas without dropping a set. Across those three matches he lost just one service game. In the quarter-final, Kovaฤeviฤ fell to Arthur Fils 6-3, 5-7, 3-6. Four matches in four days is a potential concern, though he has two full days off before US Open play begins.
Match Results: Aleksandar Kovacevic
Key factors
- Kovacevic has won three of his four matches in Winston-Salem; Vacherot has lost his last four.
- Across his three consecutive wins, the American dropped just one service game.
- Vacherot has lost four of five sets in his two summer hard-court matches.
- Kovacevic leads 2-1 in head-to-head meetings, though the Monรฉgasque won the most recent encounter.
- The workload Kovacevic has accumulated in Winston-Salem puts a premium on his first serve and keeping service games short.
Expected scenario
Both players will look to lean on their serve, so break points may be scarce. Kovacevic will aim to rack up free points on first serve, while Vacherot needs to avoid the drop-off on his second serve that cost him in Cincinnati.
The key difference could come in the closing stages of sets. Kovacevic has won four tie-breaks in a row over the past two weeks, whereas Vacherot has yet to fully rebuild his confidence after a run of defeats. If the American maintains the quality of his first serve, the Monรฉgasque will need to be precise when it matters most.
Total Games Prediction
A quick finish seems unlikely here. Both players are capable of holding serve comfortably, but neither has a significant edge on return. Expect at least a few tight sets, with the winner needing to stay focused deep into the match.
โญ Editor's Prediction
Vacherot shouldn't be underestimated: he has already shown he can handle five-set tennis and had a more consistent first half of the season. But in recent months that resilience has stopped translating into wins. With the US Open just beginning, current form matters more.
Kovacevic brings a clearer game plan and confidence in the big points. Two days' rest should help him recover from Winston-Salem, and his serve has been reliable enough to give him a genuine edge. Our pick: Aleksandar Kovacevic to win.
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Betting Tips: Valentin Vacherot - Aleksandar Kovacevic
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