The Final Grand Slam of the year takes place at Flushing Meadows in some couple of hours away. Newfanzone.com takes a look at the chances of the big boys, possible upsets and how it will all go down at the US Open.
MEN’S PREVIEW
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Novak Djokovic goes into this one as the favorite but he has lost to both Federer and Murray in the build-up to the US Open. The Serb has a very favourable draw until when he gets to the Quarter-finals where he might face Spaniard Rafael Nadal. Djokovic might not be in blazing hot form,but when it comes to the Grand Slams his mental strength takes him all the way.
World No.2 Roger Federer looks very prepared for this event as he just won the ATP competition in Cincinnati. Federer has a very tough draw where he might be facing big servers in the mode of Ivo Karlovic,John Isner,Philip Kohlschreiber,Bernard Tomic,Tomas Berdych and Richard Gasquet. Expect the Swiss to come through even though he might drop a set or two.
In the last 32 years,only Pete Sampras(2002) and Jimmy Connors (1983) have won the US Open in their 30’s. Federer(34) knows that this is another chance for him to win a Grand Slam title.
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Andy Murray is also in great form going into Flushing Meadows. The Scot gets a tricky start with a game against Nick Krygios before games against the likes of Anderson, Belluci and Wawrinka. Even though he is in good form,the Scot making it to the final might be a tough one knowing he has Novak in the Semis. Murray has beaten the Serb this year but Novak just knows how to push himself in the Grand Slams and if the Serb meets Andy in the Semis, that might be end of Murray’s run at Flushing Meadows.
Rafael Nadal has has a season to forget this year but he might as well end it on a high if he wins the US Open title. The 2010,2013 Champion will Open his account against Borna Coric before meeting Novak in the Quarter-finals.
Defending Champion Marin Cilic will also see if he has able to defend his title at Flushing Meadows. Since Roger Federer no player has been able to do that and with Cilic form going into the US Open even a Semi-Final finish will be a good tournament for him.
Other players to watch include;Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, Mon-Fils & Tomas Berdych.
NOTABLE FIRST ROUND DRAWS
N. Djokovic vs J.Souza
A.Murray vs N.Krygios
R.Federer vs L.Mayer
B.Coric vs R.Nadal
F.Mayer vs M.Klizan
S.Wawrinka vs A.Ramos-Vinolas
V.Troicki vs F.Tafoe
K.Anderson vs A.Rublev
T.Berdych vs B.Fratangelo
T.Kokkinakis vs R.Gasquet
J.Isner vs M.Jaziri
P.Kohlschreiber vs A.Zverev
R.Haase vs D.Brown
S.Querrey vs N.Mahut
B.Becker vs D.Istomin
M.Ebden vs G.Dimitrov
J.Chardy vs R.Shane
Y.Lu vs M.Kukushkin
M.Cilic vs G.Pella
J.Tsonga vs J.Nieminen
I.Marchenko vs G.Mon-Fils
K.Nishikori vs B.Paire
STATISTICS (MALE)
PRIZE MONEY: $38,261,760
SURFACE: Hard
VENUE: BILLIE Jean King NTC
MOST SINGLES TITLE:
Bill Larned,Bill Tilden,Richard Sears (7)
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Marin Cilic
NEWFANZONE VERDICT
Federer and Murray go into Flushing Meadows in good form which may eventually land them the title, but Novak Djokovic has to be the Favorite.
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WOMEN’S PREVIEW
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The woman to beat going into any Grand Slam competition is Serena Williams. The American has won all the three Grand Slam tournament this year and she is also the defending champion of the US Open.
If Serena wins the US Open she will tie Steffi Graph in number of Grand Slam titles(22) and also be the first woman after Steffi Graph to win all the four Grand Slams in a calendar year.
The US Open women Singles final has been sold out before the Men’s for the first time in history of the tournament which means everyone wants to see Serena make history at Flushing Meadows.
After Halep broke into the Scene in 2014, she has been inconsistent with disappointing displays in Australia, Paris and at Wimbledon.
The Romanian has had a relatively good run to Flushing Meadows where she got to the Finals of Two WTA competitions but expect her to struggle again at the US Open where her best finish has been the fourth round in 2013.
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Maria Sharapova has won only two WTA titles this year. The Russian had a good start to the year with an appearance in the final of the Australian Open but she couldn’t defend her title in Paris and was knocked out by her nemesis at SW-19. Sharapova is likely to meet Serena at the Semi-Finals which means that might be where she will bow out at Flushing Meadows.
Caroline Wozniacki has also been inconsistent this year especially the Grand Slams where her best finish has been the fourth round of Wimbledon where she lost to finalist Garbine Muguruza.
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The former world No1 has been a 2-time finalist at Flushing Meadows and and knowing she won’t face Serena or Sharapova before the Finals might just what Wozniacki needs to win her first ever Grand Slam title.
Former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will still participate even with her under medical condition.
French Open Finalist Lucie Safarova might want to show that getting to the Final in Paris is not a fluke by putting her all in to this. Safarova was a Quarter-finalist at the Cincinnati masters and she may do well enough to go all the way in the competition.
Other players to watch include; Ana Ivanovic, Belinda Bencic, C.S Navarro ,Garbine Muguruza, Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens & Venus Williams.
NOTABLE FIRST ROUND DRAWS
S.Williams vs V Diatchenko
C.Vandeweghe vs S.Stephens
M.Keys vs K.Koukalova
K.Siniakova vs A.Radwanska
B.Bencic vs S.Karatantcheva
M.Puig vs V.Williams
A.Tatishvili vs Ka.Pliskova
M.Sharapova vs D.Gavrilova
E.Svitolina vs E.Kulichkova
T.Pereira vs E.Makarova
C.S.Navarro vs D.Allertova
O.Dodin vs J.Jankovic
D.Cibulkova vs A.Ivanovic
A.Petkovic vs C.Garcia
C.Witthoeft vs G.Muguruza
S.Errani vs M.Hibi
J.Loeb vs C.Wozniacki
L.Safarova vs L.Tsurenko
A.Dulgheru vs A.Kerber
T.Bacsinszky vs B.Strycova
M.Erakovic vs S.Halep
S.Rogers vs S.Vickery.
STATISTICS (Female)
PRIZE MONEY: $38,251,760
SURFACE: Hard
VENUE: Billie Jean King NTC
MOST SINGLES TITLE : M.B.Mallory(8)
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Serena Williams
NEWFANZONE VERDICT
Serena Williams is obviously the favorite as she looks forward to win her fourth Grand Slam of this year barring any injuries .
Ademola Adejuwon
newfanzone 