US Open 2013: Contenders and Predictions
The year’s final Grand Slam has come round very quickly!
Before play gets going at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center I take a look over the runners and riders and look over what I think is going to go down in the Big Apple over the next two weeks.
Women’s singles contenders
Serena Williams
The four-time champion has again been the dominant force on the WTA this year but has fallen earlier than expected at two of the three majors this year. She will be keen to right that wrong as she looks for a fifth US Open crown fourteen years after defeating Martina Hingis as a 17 year-old.
She will be motivated for revenge against Sloane Stephens if they clash in the fourth round and if she faces Azarenka for the second year in a row in the final she will be out to avenge the recent loss to the Belarusian in Cincinnati.
Victoria Azarenka
The World No.2 has two hard court final victories over principal rival Williams in 2013 and led 5-3 in the third when they met in the final twelve months ago.
The two-time Australian Open Champion has had a truncated season but has still achieved enough to be a real threat to Williams.
Agnieszka Radwanska
The Polish World No.4 pushed Williams hard in the semi-finals of Toronto after narrowly failing to take the title in Stanford. Radwanska is the only player to have reached the last eight at each of this year’s majors and the third seed will be motivated to reach a first US Open quarter final and get over the pain of her agonising semi-final loss at The All England Club.
Simona Halep
The young Romanian has been one of the hottest players on tour over the past few months winning her first four WTA singles titles on three different surfaces and claiming some major scalps. Comprehensive victories over Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova to win New Haven mean she enters the Open in great form and high in confidence.
Jelena Jankovic
Former World No.1 Jankovic has been resurgent in 2013 and is currently ranked 9th in the race to Istanbul. The 28 year-old was a finalist at Flushing Meadows five years ago – her only major singles final to date – and looked impressive in Cincinnati where she pushed Azarenka hard in the last four.
Men’s singles contenders
Novak Djokovic
The Serb has not had the success he may have expected on the summer hard courts but with four US Open finals and two semi-finals the 2011 champion knows how to win matches in New York.
With Nadal threatening strongly to take his top ranking Djokovic will be determined to lift a seventh Grand Slam title and prove his recent losses to the Spaniard and John Isner were just minor blips.
Rafael Nadal
The Spaniard enters the US Open unbeaten on hard courts in 2013 and in superb form. ATP Masters 1000 crowns in Indian Wells, Montreal and Cincinnati have seen the 27 year-old play some of his best tennis and his epic semi-final victory over Djokovic could be particularly important. The 2010 Champion will be hard to stop.
Andy Murray
The British No.1 will be defending a major title for the first time after his electrifying five set dethroning of Djokovic twelve months ago. Murray arrives after fulfilling his dream of becoming Wimbledon champion and has the reached the final of his last four majors. The Olympic Champion could become the first man since Federer in 2008 to defend the US Open crown.
Roger Federer
Seeded seventh Federer does not enter this year’s Open sky high on confidence but with five titles at Flushing Meadows he will always be a factor and will be determined to prove that he is still a force to be reckoned with. A quarter final against great rival Nadal is a tough prospect but he was close to beating the Spaniard in Cincinnati where he played some of his best tennis of 2013.
Juan Martin Del Potro
The Giant Argentinean lifted the title four years ago and at Wimbledon displayed the same form in pushing Djokovic to the edge in a thrilling five set semi-final. Del Potro plays some of is best tennis on US hard courts as displayed this year with victories over Murray and Djokovic in Indian Wells and a title in Washington this summer. He chocked against Isner in Cincinnati but on top form will be a major threat for a second US Open crown.
Women’s singles predictions
Quarter finals:
S.Williams (1) bt K.Kanepi (25)
J.Jankovic (9) bt A.Radwanska (3)
S.Halep (21) bt C.Wozniacki (6)
V.Azarenka (2) bt P.Kvitova (2)
Semi-finals:
S.Williams (1) bt J.Jankovic (9)
V.Azarenka (2) bt S.Halep (21)
Final:
S.Williams (1) bt V.Azarenka (2)
Men’s singles predictions
Quarter finals:
J.M.Del Potro (6) bt N.Djokovic (1)
A.Murray (3) bt T.Berdych (5)
J.Janowicz (14) bt M.Raonic (10)
R.Nadal (2) bt R.Federer (7)
Semi-finals:
A.Murray (3) bt J.M.Del Potro (6)
R.Nadal (2) bt J.Janowicz (14)
Final:
A.Murray (3) bt R.Nadal (2)
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