US Open Betting – Rejuvenated Federer Offers Good Value

After a dominant performance at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 (renamed the “Western and Southern Open” this year due to new sponsorship), Roger Federer has tennis fans excited at the prospect that he still has some gas left in the tank. The aging Swiss national has taken a different tack of late, playing in fewer tournaments and taking more time to rest. The approach paid off last weekend, as Federer didn’t drop a set and downed both world no. 2 Andy Murray (6-4, 7-6) and world no. 1 Novak Djokovic (7-6, 6-3) en route to the title in Ohio.

When the US Open gets started next Monday (Aug. 31), Federer will be chasing his 18th career Grand Slam title and sixth at Flushing Meadows.  But Roger hasn’t won a slam since back in 2012 and hasn’t taken the US Open crown since 2008.

Will the greatest player of all-time make yet another addition to his trophy case next week, or will his younger rivals bounce back and prove that time waits for no man, not even Roger?

Let’s take a look at the odds for the 135th US Open men’s draw.

2015 US Open Odds:

Novak Djokovic (11/10): No player on the ATP tour has played at the level of Novak Djokovic over the course of the season, as a whole. Nole won the Australian Open and Wimbledon while losing in the finals of the French to Stan Wawrinka.  A few different bounces here and there in France and Djokovic would be playing for the Grand Slam in 2015.

Andy Murray (10/3): Why bookmakers have Andy Murray’s odds so high is beyond me. The Scot has not had a good 2015, and his old demons are back, as he’s lost his cool when he needs it the most.  Murray’s talent is undeniable but, until he solves his mental issues, winning another major looks unlikely.

Roger Federer (9/2): Did I mention Federer won the Cincinnati Masters without losing a set? Federer has reinvented himself and found a playing style that suits his now 34-year-old body. Djokovic has gotten the better of Federer in recent Grand Slam finals, but even Nole conceded that Federer was simply the better player in Cincinnati.

“I did well until the tie-break in the first set. After that, he was just the better player,” said the world no. 1.

Stan Wawrinka (12/1): Wawrinka has become the ultimate Grand Slam wildcard over the last couple years. He really can win or lose any match. Federer’s countryman has both an Australian Open and French Open title on his resume, but has never fared well at the US Open; his best finish in New York was a semifinal appearance in 2013.

Rafael Nadal (16/1): Remember when Rafa Nadal dominated the ATP tour? Those days are long gone as injuries have derailed the Spaniard’s career. His health remains a concern heading into the US Open, with many wondering if he’ll be able to hold up over two weeks of competition against the best players in the world.

The Field:

• Kei Nishikori: 16/1
• Marin Cilic: 25/1
• Tomas Berdych: 33/1
• Grigor Dimitrov: 33/1
• Milos Raonic: 40/1
• Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: 50/1
• Nick Kyrgios: 66/1
• John Isner: 100/1
• Gael Monfils: 100/1
• David Ferrer: 125/1

(Photo credit: Doha Stadium Plus Qatar from Doha, Qatar (Roger Federer  Uploaded by flickrworker) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo may appear cropped.)