US Open day seven predictions & tennis betting tips: Ben Shelton has the power game to take down compatriot Tommy Paul

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Live on Sky Sports Arena & Action, from 4pm Sunday

Best bets

Ben Shelton to beat Tommy Paul
2pts 12-5 bet365, BoyleSports

Rinky Hijikata to win at least a set v Frances Tiafoe
1pt 5-6 bet365

Dominic Stricker to win at least a set v Taylor Fritz
1pt 4-5 bet365

US Open day seven preview 

It's day seven of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the tennis year, and punters should continue to expect many surprises in the second week of the New York City major.

Novak Djokovic was given a huge scare, having to fight back from two sets down against his fellow Serb Laslo Djere and the title favourite and second seed bids to get back on track against another Balkan performer in Borna Gojo.

In the women's singles, Caroline Wozniacki's incredible return to the biggest stage of all continues when she takes on US starlet Cori Gauff - and the youngster will need all her wits about her to fend off the experienced Dane.

Tommy Paul v Ben Shelton predictions

There's an absolute cracker in store when Americans Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton clash in the last 16 at Flushing Meadows - and this one is likely to be given plenty of prominence in the scheduling.

In their only previous clash, Paul beat Shelton in four sets in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January. However, considering Shelton looks such a precocious young talent, it would not be a huge surprise to see the form overturned in their second rumble, this time in their homeland.

Make no mistake, Paul is playing some fine tennis and is performing arguably as well as he has ever done. He is unlikely to be easy to defeat.

But the physically stronger Shelton looks such a promising, complete performer that Paul's time in the ascendancy in their personal series may not last long - and the underdog is available at generous odds to upset the favourite on this occasion.

Punters can support Shelton in a wide range of markets, but in this instance it may be worth backing the Atlanta native on the straightforward win market and to progress to the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.

And after Djokovic's five-set scare against Djere, with Taylor Fritz looking capable of giving the legendary Serb some serious trouble should they meet in the quarter-finals as looks probable, outright backers can definitely take the chance to have an interest on Shelton at big three-figure prices.

Rinky Hijikata v Frances Tiafoe predictions

Frances Tiafoe is getting better and better and should the American get his hands on a Grand Slam singles title in the future, there is no question that he will have deserved it.

His best Slam singles placing was in last year's US Open, in which he made the semi-finals. That was no fluke, and he has drop only one set on the way to reaching the last 16 of this year's Flushing Meadows marathon.

Tiafoe could make it three straight-sets wins in four singles outings, but while he is no stranger to posting quick triumphs it may be worth taking a chance on wild-card Rinky Hijikata, a promising, proactive Australian, winning at least a set against the Maryland native.

It's their first meeting, but Hijikata has already shown his mettle and potential by dropping just four games on the way to thrashing Sebastian Korda's first-round conqueror Marton Fucsovics.

And while a date with Tiafoe is lot tougher on paper than his meeting with Hungarian Fucsovics, Hijikata may be the type of performer who could cause slightly more trouble for the tenth seed than the oddsmakers are anticipating.

Dominic Stricker v Taylor Fritz predictions

Taylor Fritz is flying. None of his nine set triumphs in this year's US Open singles have featured more than eight games and it's likely that Dominic Stricker, his fourth-round opponent, will become another victim of the ninth-seeded Californian.

Punters can consider Fritz to blaze away with the honours in double-quick time again. But while Stricker was taken to a deciding set in his last two singles outings, it's important to remember that the Swiss qualifier is in fine form.

And it's just possible that Stricker could win at least a set against an opponent who, as well as having the tools to win majors, is slowly but surely getting closer to the business end of the Slams.

Like Hijikata, Stricker is a shade of odds-on to win a set and looks worth a minor interest.

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