Written by Damien Kayat for @Hollywoodbets.
New York City’s universally acknowledged status as a theatre of dreams makes it the perfect backdrop for tennis stars chasing their last chance of Grand Slam immortality. Flushing Meadows will play the grand stage for what could be one of the most unpredictable Slams in recent times. Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal due to a wrist injury will have sent a ripple of encouragement to a men’s draw that lacks an out-and-out favourite. Roger Federer’s victory at the Cincinnati Masters has given him a jolt of momentum that will no doubt be accentuated by the absence of his great rival Nadal. World number one Novak Djokovic has had a puzzling dip in form during a period of time that usually resembles a procession for the likable Serb. His value will come under great scrutiny should Novak not deliver again. And then you have everyone’s favourite surly Scot, Andy Murray, whose own form has undergone a dramatic dip this year. On the other hand, the irrepressible Serena Williams is once again looking a steady favourite on the American hard courts that have come to be her palace.
The Men
Rafael Nadal’s inability to defend his Flushing Meadows title will surely galvanise Roger Federer into thinking that he could become a Grand Slam champion again. The 33-year-old Swiss master was desperately unlucky in that titanic Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic. He managed to reach the final of the Rogers Cup before winning his 80th ATP title in Cincinnati last week, propelling a late season charge from the perennial master of tennis cool. He will be somewhat disturbed by his vulnerability to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who has made something of a habit of dethroning the Swiss juggernaut, but will also know that there is a distinct vulnerability in the top half of the draw at present.
Since winning Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic has been 2-2 in major tournaments, losing to journeyman Tommy Robredo in Cincinnati. It looks like the last few years of epic five set clashes have taken some toll on his mental and physical state. Boris Becker’s presence has always seemed more self-gratifying for the German than anything else, and Novak’s chances hinge on his ability to negotiate a Grand Slam as the nominal favourite. Andy Murray has been disappointing while Stan Wawrinka has struggled to recapture the form that saw him win the year’s first Grand Slam. Perhaps the return to a harder court will reignite the Swiss underling. Tsonga’s fearsome groundstrokes inspire fear in the best of players.
TO WIN: Roger Federer 32/10
Ones to watch: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 18/1
Milos Raonic 28/1
Gael Monfils 200/1
The Women
The women’s game is in a constant state of flux that defies prediction. Azarenka has faded into the ether as the year has progressed, while Simona Halep has snuck into second spot on the world rankings without having won a Slam yet. But in the eternal regency of Serena Williams, women’s tennis has a source of consistency that almost transcends the rational. Serena is in her element on the hard courts of America and last week won her first ever Cincinnati title to solidify this. She will be difficult to beat as we enter her favourite time on the tennis calendar, where the rigorous vagaries of Grand Slam tennis and the dizzying heights of celebrity coincide most fluidly.
I have my doubts over Halep, especially after such a long year of consistent Grand Slam performances. Players whom I believe will be more dangerous are the mercurial likes of Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki. Ivanovic, a former world number one, has never gone past the quarters at Flushing Meadows, but has recently shot up the rankings, having rediscovered those tremendous groundstrokes. Their power makes them dangerous on these fast courts. Venus Williams has recently re-entered the World’s Top 20 and could be a dangerous factor for any prospective opponent. Maria Sharapova will need to curtail her often ridiculous unforced error count if she is to continue what has been a successful year. Petra Kvitova, Eugenie Bouchard, Radwanska. There are so many potential candidates that it seems hard to single out one. Svetlana Kuznetsova’s win in Washington will give the Russian some confidence that she can resurrect her 2004 Open success. But all roads seem to point for Serena Williams to join Roger Federer in creating Open history and taking their career Grand Slam tallies to
eighteen.
TO WIN: Serena Williams 29/20
Ones to watch: Maria Sharapova 6/1
Caroline Wozniacki 25/1
Ana Ivanovic 33/1
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