Each year, I seek to craft a narrative for the tournament, one that documents match play, but also opens up a scouting window for the US Open. The first couple of days here in Cincinnati could be seen as routine – with the reliable workmanship of the established journeymen setting the stage for clashes with the top ten titans in the field who have enjoyed either first round byes or matches against eager but overpowered qualifiers. But it helps to come into the event with a sense of the field, how specific players have handled the summer schedule, and a willingness to pick a favorite or two to focus your attention on for the main draw.

People have asked and I’m on record that I’m in the bag for the Men’s Canadian contingent. Milos Raonic has steadily played his way into the top ten this year, with strong Grand Slam showings, plus he and his countryman Vasek Pospisil set up the first all-Canadian final in a Men’s tour event in DC a few weeks ago, with Raonic claiming the title. I kept my eye out for a follow-up in Toronto, but no such luck.

No matter, I like the young guns from the North, especially after watching Pospisil dig deep in his match earlier today against crafty veteran Radek Stepanek. Always dangerous, Stepanek earned a late break, which allowed him to snatch the first set from Pospisil, despite an aggressive return game from Pospisil that found him bounding towards the baseline to attack both first and second serves. The strategy stood as a welcome contrast to the forced retreat Gael Monfils found himself in yesterday during his match against the lefty Argentinian Federico Delbonis. Time and again, Monfils ended up looking like a wallflower alongside the lines judges and the ball kids, rather than an active presence on the court of play. Monfils was lucky. Stepanek would have knocked him completely through the back end of the court.

Pospisil struggled though. The attacking style led to lots of shanked shots or blocked returns, but if he got the chance to construct points, he proved to have more of an edge than expected. He moves well, has strength, and most importantly, is willing to wait for his opportunity to strike. That patience will serve him well as he moves forward. Today, that required having to push through three tough sets, but such early experience can be valuable for a fit young player.

On the flip side, Rogers Cup winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga never established a groove in his first round match against Mikhail Youzhny, another old school warrior. Youzhny still has punishing power from both sides, a solid serve (with great placement), and a trench mentality; he will dig in and make you beat him. Tsonga, sadly, beat himself, spraying errors all over the court. These are the kind of mistakes that could be made against a newbie, but I’m not even sure Youzhny wouldn’t have been able to handle what Tsonga was serving up today, a decade ago.

I’m looking forward to Raonic’s 2014 debut. Reaching the top ten should speed up the maturation process and boost his confidence. All that’s left for him to do is seize the moment. (tt stern-enzi)