Novak Djokovic faces early challenges but kinder second week
No Grand Slam draw is easy, as Djokovic will attest to ahead of the 2024 US Open.
While his odds have improved from 4.00 pre-draw to 2.75 after the draw’s release, the Serbian still has a challenging path. He will begin against a qualifier, and then play the winner of Jan-Lennard Struff and Laslo Djere in the second round.
Djokovic and Djere played at last year’s US Open, with Djere winning the first two sets against his fellow countryman before Djokovic came back to win in five sets. Struff, on the other hand, hasn’t won a set off Djokovic in their past four meetings, but has a penchant for upsets with his aggressive play.
Survive this start, and Djokovic will have the crowd against him in the third round, with America’s Ben Shelton or Frances Tiafoe his likely opponent.
His path in the second week is markedly smoother, however. The Serbian will face either Andrey Rublev (who is 0-10 in Grand Slam semi-finals) or Grigor Dimitrov (who he has beaten 10 times in a row) in the quarter-finals.
Alexander Zverev is seeded to meet him in the semi-finals, another player against whom he has a handy head-to-head (8-4).
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on collision course
In the other half of the draw, for the third Grand Slam in a row, Sinner and Alcaraz are on course to meet in the semi-finals.
Both will have to have their wits about them if they are to make it to the last four however, as challenges exist for them much earlier in the tournament.
Sinner could have young Alex Michelsen in the second round, plus likely clashes against the big-serving Nicolas Jarry, Tommy Paul, and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev before he can think about a possible semi-final.
Alcaraz’s path is also fraught with danger. The Spaniard will likely have Wimbledon semi-finalist Denis Shapovalov in the second round, before a rematch with British No 1 Jack Draper, who beat him in June.
The in-form Sebastian Korda, as well as Australia’s Alex de Minaur are other potential opponents before Alcaraz faces Sinner.
As a result, both have seen their odds of winning lengthen. Betting sites have shifted Alcaraz from 2.75 to 3.00, and Sinner from 3.00 to 4.00, with each dropping one place in the betting lines.
Fascinating first-round match ups await at US Open
For those who fancy betting on some tennis a little earlier, there are plenty of intriguing first-round match ups scheduled for the opening two days of the US Open. Here are our picks:
- Reilly Opelka vs Lorenzo Musetti
- Ben Shelton vs Dominic Thiem
- Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Thanasi Kokkinakis
- Jacob Mensik vs Felix Auger-Aliassime
- Zhizhen Zhang vs Jack Draper
Each of these are well balanced and have fascinating storylines behind them. This list of betting sites in Australia will have appealing odds for those interested in getting a bet in ahead of the action starting on Monday.
