This coming Monday, the final Grand Slam tennis tournament of 2019 will get underway at the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre in New York, as the world’s top male and female players get together to compete for the US Open title. Coming around six weeks after Wimbledon, the players will have had a little time to get accustomed back to the hard-court season for what should be an exhilarating two weeks of tennis.
However, who will be celebrating victory in the male and female singles tournaments at the event is still unclear. The men’s field seems to suggest one of three big favourites will win the title, but in the women’s event, it is wide open after what has been one of the most open and intriguing couple of seasons in women’s tennis history.
Before we take a look at the main contenders in both the women’s and men’s events, as well as a quick look at the history of this famous tournament, we need to bring your attention to the fact that if you are seeking a bet and are based in the UK then bet365 Sport offers an extensive range of betting on tennis, across all the top professional and challenge tour events. Furthermore, the site also offers extensive Live Streaming of matches from all over the world, with In Play betting readily available too. If you fancy signing up to enjoy top quality tennis betting throughout the year, then claim the latest bet365 New Player Promotion for a good value bonus when you join too.
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Let’s now take a look at the players to look out for in both the men’s and women’s singles but before that we will preview a little of the history of this famous and massively popular sporting event with our US Open Factfile.
US Open Factfile
- The tournament was first contested back in 1881 and from then until 1974 it was originally played on grass courts. It moved to clay from 1975 to 1977 and then on to hard courts in 1978 where it has remained ever since.
- Jimmy Connors is the only US Open champion to have won the tournament on all three types of surface. A record unlikely to ever be broken.
- The venue for the tournament is the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, also known locally as Flushing Meadow, which is the district in which the centre is located.
- The prize money is expected to be at least $53 million as it was in 2018, although the actual sum may be slightly more this year.
- The most decorated winners of the tournament in the men’s game are Richard Sears, William Larned and Bill Tilden who each have seven wins apiece. Molla Mallory holds the record in the women’s tournament and she managed to land eight wins.
- The current holders of the titles are Novak Djokovic in the men’s tournament and Naomi Osaka in the women’s.
- Both the men’s and women’s winner will take home a cheque for at least $3.8 million.
Men’s Singles Tournament
- Holder – Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
Just like as happened at Wimbledon, the men’s tournament at the U.S. Open seems to suggest that it will be the top three players in the world, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer that are likely to be contesting the semifinal, along with one other name to make it through the draw.
That is what happened at Wimbledon and in truth, it is also likely what will happen here too, although Federer’s recent record on hard courts in the United States isn’t that great. Even so, the Swiss legend should have more than enough quality to come through his side of the draw to at least make it to the semifinals.
Who will join those three players is more open. Home fans would like to see big serving John Isner or Sam Querrey perhaps make the move, but both lack the fluidity around court and ground strokes to trouble the best in the world. Alexander Zverev may be the best option having enjoyed a decent season but in truth any of a number of players could make it into the latter stages of the tournament.
However, I think the semis is the best anybody can hope for as then they are likely to run into one of the top three and I think in the Grand Slam events, nobody can come close to them at the moment. For me, Djokovic, winner of the last tournament here in 2018, is the man to beat once again having won four of the last five Grand Slam’s, I think the Serbian is a solid bet to make it five from six with another win here.
Women’s Singles Tournament
- Holder – Naomi Osaka (Japan)
The reason why the women’s tennis tour is so exciting at the moment is because there is not one player dominating the tour as there has been in the past. Instead, even when a top seed wins a big event, such as Simone Halep winning at Wimbledon in July, it is still something of an upset as Halep was not seen to be a big grass court player.
Last year Japanese star Naomi Osaka was the unexpected winner of the tournament but she has endured a rough year since and I think may struggle. Britain’s Jo Konta is in good form, going deep in both the French Open and Wimbledon and perhaps the hard court of the US Open may be her best chance of a Grand Slam title.
For me though, I think the confidence Halep will have gained from the win at Wimbledon will make her a favourite here, though I do feel that Serena Williams is so close to regaining her best once again and if these two meet in the final in New York once again, I don’t think anybody will be complaining and I am willing to bet it will be much closer than the Wimbledon final a few weeks ago and I’d back Williams this time, to come out on top.
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