Ricky Dimon
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Tennis is not going to miss the sports party in the second half of 2020.
Although it will be one of the last sports to return amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there is more tennis on this year’s schedule. New York governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed on Tuesday that the U.S. Open will happen, and on Wednesday a large part of the ATP and WTA schedules fell into place. The Citi Open in Washington, D.C. will begin on Aug. 17, followed by the Western & Southern Open (normally in Cincinnati) on Aug. 24 and then the U.S. Open one week later. Following that hard-court stretch, players will take their talents to clay—highlighted by the French Open in late September and early October.
Be sure to check out our daily tennis expert picks when the season resumes. For now, we look ahead to the two upcoming majors.
U.S. Open men’s odds
Novak Djokovic +150
Rafael Nadal +350
Daniil Medvedev +900
Dominic Thiem +1000
Stefanos Tsitsipas +1400
Andy Murray +1400
Alexander Zverev +1600
Like in other sports, this could be a good time to avoid the betting favorites. Who knows how athletes will return from a long playoff a perform? As such, a relative crapshoot is possible. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are currently dominating the men’s game, but Dominic Thiem has reached two of the last three major finals (lost to Nadal at Roland Garros in 2019 and to Djokovic in five sets at this year’s Australian Open). Stefanos Tsitsipas is the reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion and thrives on the big stage, so he could be a strong choice at +1400.
U.S. Open women’s odds
Serena Williams +600
Bianca Andreescu +700
Ashleigh Barty +900
Simona Halep +1000
Naomi Osaka +1200
Elina Svitolina +1200
Garbine Muguruza +1200
Belinda Bencic +1400
Sofia Kenin +1400
Coco Gauff +1400
Some rest could be good for 38-year-old Serena Williams, but she has not won a major since the 2017 Aussie Open. Fellow American Sofia Kenin, 21, captured the first and so far only slam title of this year (Australian Open) and she is fearless enough to go back-to-back by triumphing in New York. Sure it would be a surprise—but not as big as her surprise Down Under. At +1400, Kenin is an enticing option.
French Open also has the green light
The French Open is usually the second Grand Slam on the annual calendar, but this year it is going last (third after the Australian Open and U.S. Open, with Wimbledon being calendar). That it is happening at all must be music to the ears of 12-time winner Nadal. The second-ranked Spaniard is the three-time defending champion at Roland Garros and obviously has to like his chances there regardless of what transpires in New York. On that note, it will be interesting to see how many players skip the U.S. Open and other hard-court events in order to focus on clay. Nadal probably won’t be in that boat, as a big opportunity to capture another Grand Slam title in New York—and tie Roger Federer with 20 in his career—would be a lot to pass up. Federer, meanwhile, is out for the season due to arthroscopic knee surgery.
Nadal is a commanding -120 favorite on the men’s side in Paris.
