One factor making handicapping the 2021 U.S. Open more difficult than usual is the extended rest that some of the top players are taking ahead of the tournament. Such events as the National Bank Open in Montreal and Toronto, set for this week, and the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, set for next week, are generally the top hardcourt warm-ups for Flushing Meadows, but the five active tennis players leading in Grand Slam singles titles — Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, are all sitting out of the warm-ups. Federer’s knee surgery will keep him out an extended period of time. Of those five, Djokovic was the only one to play at the Tokyo Olympics — and he crashed out, losing the bronze-medal men’s singles match and subsequently flinging his racket into the stands and scratching himself from the bronze-medal mixed doubles match as well.
Even so, the US Open betting odds are up, so let’s take a look at the top three choices in the men’s and women’s singles draws, as well as our thoughts on their chances.
Tennis News: U.S. Open Early Odds & Preview
Men’s Draw
| Novak Djokovic | -138 |
| Daniil Medvedev | +450 |
| Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev | +800 |
Women’s Draw
| Naomi Osaka | +400 |
| Ashleigh Barty | +650 |
| Serena Williams, Aryna Sabalenka | +1000 |
One major factor to consider in your tennis wagering is the number of players who will not take part in the U.S. Open. Dominic Thiem is the defending men’s singles champion, but a wrist injury will keep him out this time around. Federer, as was mentioned above, also will not take part — and his future in the sport is definitely in question at this point. Stan Wawrinka, who won the U.S. Open in 2016, will miss the tournament as he continues to recover from surgery on his left foot. He has made the quarterfinals or further in six of his last nine U.S. Opens, and in 2019, he went to the quarterfinals before falling to Daniil Medvedev.
Novak Djokovic is an interesting favorite. After all, he delivered comeback after comeback to take his sixth title at Wimbledon, reaching 20 Grand Slams. With wins at the Australian Open and the French Open, Djokovic can still win the calendar Grand Slam. His 20 titles match the achievements of Federer and Rafael Nadal. He would also have to get through the likes of Alexander Zverev, who lost to Thiem in the final last year, as well as Stefanos Tsitsipas, who won the first two sets in his showdown with Djokovic at the French Open before collapsing as Djokovic elevated his game.
Given the heavy favorite status that Djokovic enjoys, it is worth taking a closer look at his last competitive match. In Tokyo, he faced Pablo Carreno Busta for the bronze medal a couple of days after falling to Alexander Zverev in the semifinal. Carreno Busta brought power with his groundstrokes and took advantage of Djokovic’s low first serve percentage in the opening set (just 44). Djokovic did save a match point and then drew level, but Carreno Busta ran out to a 3-0 lead in the third and deciding set, nailing seven winners in that last set.
Later, Djokovic talked a good bit about multiple injuries that he had suffered over time, including a right shoulder malady. That led to his withdrawal from the mixed doubles bronze match; speculation that the heavy play schedule that resulted from him playing both singles and doubles brought too much fatigue and wore him down in the oppressive Tokyo heat. It makes sense to include Djokovic in your wager card for the U.S. Open, though, given the mental strength he has shown in all three of the previous Grand Slam events.
US Open Betting Odds
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