US Open: Men’s Preview

The final Grand Slam of the year is set to start, and there’s no clear favourite in this year’s competition in the men’s draw. Rafael Nadal was the favourite a few weeks ago, but a poor return to the hard court has seen him slip down the charts. Roger Federer and Andy Murray have refound some form, while the likes of David Nalbandian and Mardy Fish have caught the eye of some punters.

The favourite:
Roger Federer 9/4
Entering the US Open as the favourite, Roger Federer heads into this years tournament on a winning streak following his success in Cincinnati. The five-time champion here in New York hasn’t been as good as he once was recently, but at Grand Slams he steps it up a notch. Looking to extend his lead over Pete Sampras in the list of Grand Slam’s won, Roger Federer has a good shot here. However, he must perform at his best, as he has struggled for form recently and even lost to Andy Murray in a final recently. Roger Federer is the bookmakers’, and also my favourite choice to win this year’s US Open.

The contenders:
Andy Murray 7/2
After a lull in form over the summer, Andy Murray finally won his first tournament of the year when he defeated Roger Federer in the final of the Rogers Cup earlier this month. There have been question marks over his ability to win a Grand Slam for a few years now, and so far his doubters are coming out on top. With the form of some of his opposition recently, this is again another great opportunity for Murray to finally bury his hatchet and win a major tournament. His own form has been inconsistent, but avoiding Roger Federer and Mardy Fish in his half of the draw gives him a great opportunity to make a run for the final. Despite his performances this year, I think Andy Murray is capable of reaching this year’s final.

Rafael Nadal 7/2
Right now there is no value in Robin Soderling. Over the summer he has not shown any capability of winning the US Open. He has never made it past the semi finals of the US Open. For a chance though, he isn’t injured of fatigued.

Novak Djokovic 16/1
A dark horse at this years US Open. Novak Djokovic plays best on the hard courts. A winner of one Grand Slam, the Australian Open, Djokovic showed once that he is capable of going two weeks without defeat. If he can play his best tennis in the second week and hope Roger Federer is off form then he has a chance. But ultimately, if Federer is on his game, Djokovic will not get past the 16-time Grand Slam winner in New York.

Robin Soderling 20/1
Another inconsistent player, Robin Soderling has shown in the last two years that he finds his best form at the majors. A quarter finalist here last year and the runner up again at this years French Open, Robin Soderling should not be counted out. However, being drawn on the same half of the draw as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic makes it extremely difficult for Soderling to make a final appearance and ultimately the quality of opposition will be his downfall.

Tomas Berdych 22/1
A big server who has produced a few upsets in Grand Slams this year. Tomas Berdych hasn’t found his form since losing in the final at Wimbledon. Don’t be surprised to see him come good again at the start of another Grand Slam. The big-serving Czech player has matured this year and become a dangerous player. I think his odds are respectable though and I don’t see him being a major challenger in New York.

Andy Roddick 25/1
The home favourite but far from the bookmakers favourite. Andy Roddick’s form has taken a dip recently, and despite his big service game he isn’t winning the matches he should be. Whether the American falls early to an unseeded player, or loses a match we may expect him too, Andy Roddick is not going to be claiming his second Grand Slam this year.

Mardy Fish 50/1
Another home favourite and another long shot in this years US Open. Mardy Fish has had a great summer; winning in Newport and Atlanta. Since getting into better shape, Fish has looked like a potential top 10 player. A good service game has been a key asset, but he’s capable of winning in rallies too and pulled off some great cross-court winners this summer. However, he’s never proven himself over two weeks of action and he will ultimately live up to his tag of being a long shot in this tournament.