Novak Djokovic might only be the No. 6 seed in the men’s draw of the US Open, but oddsmakers believe he’s the man to beat in the year’s final Grand Slam event.
Djokovic has been the hottest player on tour over the past two months, winning Wimbledon for the fourth time in his career before beating Roger Federer in the final of the Western & Southern Open last week in Cincinnati.
Djokovic and Federer Seeded in Same Quarter
Despite that success, injury issues earlier in the season have keep Djokovic from moving up to the top of the world rankings. Still, the Serbian is widely considered the favorite in Flushing Meadows, with Ladbrokes listing him at 5/2 odds of winning the men’s championship.
That low seeding will make his task at least a little tougher. One of the more anticipated potential matchups of the men’s draw could come in the quarterfinals, when Djokovic is poised to meet up with No. 2 seed Roger Federer (5/1). A meeting between the two rivals would make for a worthy final, but the draw ensures that one of them won’t even make it to the semis.
When asked about how the draw played out, Federer said he’d cross that bridge when and if he came to it.
“The draw is what it is and I have enough stuff to worry about in the first round,” Federer told reporters. “I’m not the favorite. They are: Rafa and Novak, in my opinion.”
Rafael Nadal (11/4) is certainly considered a favorite as well. The top-ranked player in the world has a seemingly easy draw compared to his two main rivals, with his first real test likely to come against Kevin Anderson (33/1), Dominic Thiem (50/1), or Denis Shapovalov (66/1) in the quarterfinals.
Others to watch include the young German star Alexander Zverev, and two highly-regarded but unseeded former Grand Slam winners in Andy Murray (33/1) and Stan Wawrinka (33/1).
Serena and Halep Set for Fourth-Round Clash
The women’s side of the draw features a similar dynamic, with No. 17 seed Serena Williams coming into the tournament as a virtual co-favorite with top-seeded Simona Halep. Depending on the sportsbook, either one might be considered the top choice, with Ladbrokes giving Halep (6/1) the slightest of edges over Williams (13/2).
Serena comes into the tournament ranked 26th in the world as she works her way back from giving birth to her first child late last summer. The US Open organizers took the step of bumping up her seeding in deference to her standing in the tennis world and her results on tour this season, but it didn’t seem to help her draw.
Serena may well have to play her sister Venus (66/1) in the third round, which is never an easy matchup for either Williams sibling. A win there could set up a monumental clash with Halep in the fourth round, with the winner becoming the odds-on favorite to take the championship.
Also in the mix will be Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber (15/2), who comes into the tournament as the No. 4 seed, as well as third-seeded Sloane Stephens (9/1) and fifth-ranked Petra Kvitova (14/1).
