It’s almost that time of the year when the world’s top tennis stars grace us with their God-given talents in the 2016 edition of the US Open.
Reigning champion Novak Djokovic is the hands-down favorite to win again, especially with 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer skipping this major event due to health reasons. But even with him out of the picture, proven foes like Andy Murray and Milos Raonic should be able to make a strong bid in stealing the title away from the Serbian.
With that being said, take a look below at our quick preview of the leading contenders in the year’s fourth and final Grand Slam tournament. You can also check out our breakdown of the favorites for the women’s singles competition here.
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Novak Djokovic has dominated almost every tournament he’s joined this season. He currently boasts a 49-5 record with 31 of his wins all happening on outdoor hard courts. And besides that prowess on hard surfaces, everybody knows that the Serbian is ever so familiar with the pressure of playing in Grand Slam tournaments. His wins at Melbourne and Roland Garros this year and along with his 10 other major titles are a testament to that.
However, it’s worth noting that Djokovic has looked vulnerable as of late, losing in the early rounds at the Rio Olympics and at Wimbledon. In the latter event, he was surprisingly bested by Sam Querrey, who is priced at +8,000 to win the US Open, in the third round, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5).
Andy Murray, as always, is going to be the biggest threat to Djokovic’s title defense. The Scotsman has had a good share of glorious moments this season and the most celebrated of which was when he bagged his second career Wimbledon title last month.
What’s more, Murray heads into Flushing Meadows probably still feeling high about claiming his second-consecutive gold medal in the recently-concluded Rio Olympics. He had to go through a handful of premier and seasoned competitors like Steve Johnson, Kei Nishikori and Juan Martin del Potro to achieve that.
Lastly, you can’t forget about the fact that Murray’s managed to reach the final in all of the previous three Grand Slam tournaments. Two of those appearances, however, were laid to waste thanks to Djokovic, whom Murray has beaten 10 times across 34 head-to-head meetings.
Milos Raonic has yet to make it beyond the fourth round of the US Open, but that could come to an end soon upon considering how phenomenal the Canadian has looked throughout this season. He’s won 42 of his 53 matches and has reached at least the quarterfinal round in the last four events he’s played in. That stretch includes a pair of final appearances at Wimbledon and at Queen’s.
Making Raonic such an intriguing favorite is also his love for hard courts. More than half of his total wins this season—22 to be exact—have all come from contests played on that particular surface. He should be able to display his complete repertoire against almost any opponent at Flushing Meadows.
Speaking of which, Raonic’s run could be in serious jeopardy when facing either Djokovic or Murray. The 2016 Wimbledon runner-up has yet to beat the World No. 1 and has lost his the last seven encounters with the Scotsman. Other than those two, it’s relatively safe to say that Raonic can overpower any other competitor.
