US Open Tennis 2021: Odds and Predictions for Year's Final Major

TPN/Getty Images

Novak Djokovic will have one eye on history when he takes to the court in Flushing Meadows, New York for this year's U.S. Open.

The 34-year-old will be looking to become the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four men's grand slams in a calendar year.

Djokovic has defeated Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final, Stefanos Tsitsipas in the French Open and Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon to leave himself on the verge of this major achievement.

Furthermore, a win would catapult the Serb past rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most major titles in men's tennis history (21).

Djokovic enters the tournament as the favorite to win, and it is not hard to understand why. His run this year has been one of sheer dominance. A victory in New York would cap off an unbelievable year.

Men's Odds (From Draft Kings)

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

Novak Djokovic (-135)

Daniil Medvedev (+400)

Alexander Zverev (+600)

Stefanos Tsitsipas (+900)

Jannik Sinner (+2000)

Andrey Rublev (+2200)

Matteo Berrettini (+2500)

Zverev has had the most recent success against the world No. 1.

At the Tokyo Olympics, the German came back from a 6-1 first-set loss, and being down 3-2 in the second set, to win 10 of 11 games and eventually the match.

The 24-year-old has shown flashes of talent that reflect a player capable of assuming the top spot in the sport one day, and he can further entrench himself in that conversation by preventing Djokovic from capturing his fourth major of the year.

Still, with history within his grasp and his level of play never as high as it is now, the Serb should (and will) win this year's U.S. Open.

Prediction: Djokovic

Women's Odds (From Draft Kings)

Ashleigh Barty (+350)

Naomi Osaka (+500)

Simona Halep (+1000)

Aryna Sabalenka (+1000)

Bianca Andreescu (+1100)

Serena Williams (+1100)

Iga Swiatek (+1100)

The lack of a definitive favorite in the women's singles this year is indicative of just how tight the competition is.

Naomi Osaka is the breakout star of women's tennis, but she hasn't made it past the semifinals in any tournament since her Australian Open victory in February. Of those six events, she hasn't made it out of the second round in three of them.

Tournament favorite Ashleigh Barty is fresh off a bronze medal in the Olympics and a Wimbledon title before that. She has momentum on her side entering New York and understandably has the oddsmakers behind her.

Serena Williams is a threat to win any tournament she enters, even though her era of dominance appears to have passed by. Unfortunately, her withdrawal from the competition (h/t Ben Rothenberg on Twitter), creates a hole for another player to fill. Keep an eye on American Jessica Pegula, whose play in Australia against Jennifer Brady in the quarterfinals and upset over Osaka in Italy, drew attention.

A tenacious and resilient player, she is more than capable of upsetting more celebrated competitors.

Under the bright lights and on one of tennis' grandest stages, though, expect Osaka to erase the disappointment of her recent form and retain the U.S. title for the fifth major of her career.

Prediction: Osaka