With just a few weeks until the return of the US Open, tennis fans will be excited for the next major tournament of the year after an action-packed Wimbledon. For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a full capacity crowd will return to Flushing Meadows, with New York desperate to welcome back spectators over the two weeks that could potentially shape a player’s career.
As the Canadian Open draws to a close, it’s still too early to predict who will win the next Grand Slam at the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre but the initial favourites will look to make it a close affair when it comes to making a bet on tennis with Paddy Power. Read on, as we look at the stories to keep an eye on ahead of this year’s US Open.
Daniil Medvedev making up for lost time
The Russian invasion of Ukraine meant that no tennis players from the Eastern European nation were eligible to compete at Wimbledon back in July, meaning current US Open holder Daniil Medvedev had to watch Centre Court from the sidelines.
The current world number one beat Novak Djokovic in last year’s final and will want to defend his crown during a good run of form in which he’s picked up the Los Cabos Open and reached the final of the Halle Open in Germany. A loss to Nick Kyrgios in Canada may dampen the 26-year-old’s spirits but given his ability on the hard surface there’s every chance he can pick up that second Grand Slam.
Can Djokovic right the wrongs of last year’s defeat?
Having come up short in last year’s competition, Djokovic was denied the chance at a Calendar Slam and after missing out on the Australian Open due to his vaccine status and a lacklustre performance at Roland Garros, questions were being asked of the Serbian heading into Wimbledon. He quickly silenced his critics after beating Kyrgios in style for a 21st title, overtaking Roger Federer for the all-time record in the process.
With there still being plenty of doubts over the fitness of Rafael Nadal, who retired in the semi-finals at Wimbledon due to a plethora of injury concerns, the Spaniard is unlikely to make the trip to the States, providing Djokovic with the perfect opportunity to establish himself as the dominant force in tennis.
A Murray comeback?
For years now Scottish supporters have been trying to convince themselves that Andy Murray is not past his best. Their patience has been rewarded sporadically over that time and they were once again given reason to believe with his vintage display against Stan Wawrinka.
In something of a battle between the veterans, Murray rolled back the years to claim victory in the preliminary rounds of the Cincinnati Masters, and while that by no means makes the Scot a favourite in the US Open betting, he’ll certainly stand a better chance than last year’s frustrating exit to Stefanos Tsitsipas, with Murray having some choice words for the Greek following their match.
Murray is in the twilight of his career and at 35 he won’t get many other opportunities to win a Grand Slam. But was his win over Wawrinka just a flash in the pan or the beginning of something brilliant for the former world number one?