The fourth and last tennis grand slam event of 2018 gets underway on Monday, August 27,2018 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows in New York City, New York.
The 138th installment of the U.S. Open will be the last tennis Grand Slam to have 32 seeds as starting next year, the format will be reverted back to the previous number of 16.
Last year’s edition was won by Rafael Nadal and Sloane Stephens. This year, both will be back to defend their titles but they will be pushed to their limits by a strong field led by Novak Djokovic on the men’s side and Serena Williams on the women’s side.
Djokovic and Williams were not in this tournament last year for valid reasons. This year, both have been installed by the oddsmakers as the favorites to win their respective sides.
After battling injuries, Djokovic finally returned to his old form by dispatching Rafael Nadal in the semifinals at the recent Wimbledon tournament before proceeding to claim his 13th career grand slam triumph. Before he sat out last year’s U.S. Open, Djokovic had made the U.S. Open Finals six straight times, winning the title in 2011 and 2015. By the strength of that victory and having the overall head to head advantage over Nadal, Federer and Murray on the hard court surface, Djokovic is the betting favorite to win it all at +250.
Taking advantage of Djokovic’s absence last year, Rafael Nadal won his first U.S. Open title since 2013. Nadal is coming off a strong showing by winning the Rogers Cup in Toronto earlier this month but it seems that his semifinal loss to Djokovic at Wimbledon stuck more with the bookies as they pegged the defending U.S. Open champion at +350 behind Djokovic. It can be recalled though that Nadal’s two previous U.S. Open titles in 2010 and 2013 were won over Djokovic. Djokovic meanwhile beat Nadal in the U.S. Open Finals of 2011.
Swiss master Roger Federer may be in the tail end of his illustrious career but you can never count out the Federer Express in any hard surface tournament, much more a major tournament like the U.S. Open. Remember that Federer enters this tournament as the #2 ranked player in the world. But then let us also not forget that Federer hasn’t won the U.S. Open since 2005 and with the younger lions in this tournament, he may find it difficult to win it all. At +400, he’s a sentimental pick but my guess is that he’d reach the semifinals at best.
Here are the Top 15 Odds to win the U.S. Open Men’s Tennis tournament:
(odds from Bovada as of 8/25/18)
23-time grand slam winner Serena Williams is the favorite over at the women’s draw. Williams is fresh off a runner-up finish at Wimbledon. That 2nd place finish was probably more valuable than many of her grand slam titles as she accomplished it less than a year after giving birth to her first child.
But more than Williams’ installment as the betting favorite, the bigger Serena news is the one where her “catsuit” has been outlawed by the French Open officials in future tournaments at Roland Garros. It can be recalled that Williams’ black catsuit was singled out by French Open officials during last May’s tournament. Williams is all good with the decision but as her sponsor Nike said” You can take the superhero out of her costume but you can’t take away her superpowers.” At +500, the betting gods believe that Serena has gotten her powers back after becoming super mom.
Tied for the second best odds at +700 are the top seeded Simona Halep and the 4th seeded Angelique Kerber. Halep won the clay court French Open tournament this year but has never made it to the finals of the U.S. Open. It’s also worth noting that Halep pulled out from the Connecticut Open, considered as the final tune-up for the U.S. Open, because of a sore right Achilles tendon.
Angelique Kerber beat Serena Williams in straight sets at the recent 2018 Wimbledon Finals. She was a winner at Flushing Meadows in 2016 when she was the second seed but she was eliminated in round one of the tournament last year. Keber lost in the second round at the recent Rogers Cup in Montreal.
Defending Champion Sloane Williams is at +1000. Williams has had an up and down season in 2018. She made it to the Finals at the French Open but was booted out in the first round of Wimbledon. Likewise, prior to winning at Flushing Meadows last year, WIlliams had never made it past the 4th round of the U.S. Open.
Here are the Top 15 Odds to win the U.S. Open Women’s Tennis tournament
(odds from Bovada as of 8/25/18)
Novak Djokovic is always a imposing figure at the U.S. Open. Although he has not won the tournament in more than a decade, a Roger Federer ranked #2 in the world is always a dangerous competitor. However, it’s hard to bet against Rafael Nadal especially when he’s on a roll.
The Spaniard is coming off a strong Rogers Cup performance and even if we put Djokovic in the equation, he’s beaten Djokovic in the U.S. Finals twice. Nadal has a very interesting first round matchup against countryman David Ferrer but other than that, he should have a good chance to make the finals. Djokovic meanwhile could face Roger Federer in the quarterfinals so that eliminates one pick. I’m saying there’s a good chance Nadal vs Djokovic is happening in the Finals and we’re picking Rafael Nadal to win the 2018 U.S. Open Men’s Tennis Tournament.
On the women’s side, Serena Williams is what Djokovic is in the men’s draw. She’s coming off a strong performance at Wimbledon and you bet she wants to win the final grand slam of the year just to show she’s back. But Serena is on a collision course to meet sister Venus in the 3rd round. Although Serena leads their overall head to head at 17-12, Venus knows her sister more than anyone else here so who knows?
If that isn’t enough, there is also the possibility that the winner of the possible All-Williams 3rd round match will face Simona Halep in the 4th round. Halep solidified her status with a win in Montreal and she is coming off her first grand slam in the French Open. I prefer those who are on a roll and coming off a Rogers Cup win and overall, her draw is easier this year than the previous year. We’re picking Simona Halep to win the 2018 U.S. Open Women’s Tennis tournament.
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