2012 ATP U.S. Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: Favorites and Sleepers

2012 ATP U.S. Open Vegas Odds and Expert Predictions: Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers: With the Olympics in the books, the top tennis players in the world will now set their sights on the final major tournament of the 2012 season when the U.S. Open kicks off Monday in Flushing Meadows, New York. The event is played on hard court surfaces, which tend to produce fast action and high speeds. The tournament is also the only Grand Slam event that features tiebreakers in every set. Most tournaments, including the other three majors, do not have tiebreakers in the final set. In other words, a fifth set at a U.S. Open match could go on for quite a while.

Last year, Novak Djokovic capped his incredible 2011 season by winning his first career U.S. Open. He handled Rafael Nadal in four sets, including a dominating 6-1 win in the match-clinching set. At the time, it was the fourth Grand Slam title of Djokovic’s career. On a side note, last year’s runner-up won’t be in this year’s field as Nadal rehabs from a knee problem that has plagued him throughout his career. Here is a look at how the rest of the field stacks up.

The Favorites – 2012 ATP U.S. Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions

He returned to the top of world rankings and added to his record-setting major total with a win at Wimbledon, and Roger Federer will be gunning for an 18th Grand Slam title when he heads to Flushing Meadows. He has won the U.S. Open five times and did so in consecutive fashion from 2004 to 2008. In the three years since, he has three trips to the semifinals and a finals appearance in 2009. Next to Wimbledon, the U.S. Open has been his best major tournament throughout his career. With Federer playing as well as he has in the last two years, it is tough to rule out a sixth-career win in the event.

While he has been somewhat human since missing out on a career Grand Slam in the French Open, Novak Djokovic could get back to form at the U.S. Open. He is arguably the top hard court player in the world, and his aggressive style of play on the speedy surface at Flushing Meadows makes it hard for opponents to keep up. Djokovic is the defending winner of this event, and he also has two other trips to the finals. On a surface where he dominates, Djokovic could get back to winning majors after missing out on two straight.

The Dark Horse – 2012 ATP U.S. Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions

Winning a gold medal and beating Roger Federer to do it should certainly boost the confidence of Andy Murray as he prepares for the U.S. Open. He reached the semifinals of the tournament last season, and he lost in the finals in 2008. Murray has emerged as one of the top counterpunchers in tennis today, and his defensive style tends to force opponents into a lot of mistakes. The question that remains is whether or his style will work against the top players in the world. Thus far, Murray is 0-4 in the finals of major tournaments, and while a gold medal is nice, it just doesn’t compare to the pressure felt in a major final. This is probably his best chance to break through, but Murray’s best still might not be good enough.

The Sleeper – 2012 ATP U.S. Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions

The gap between the top four players in the world and everyone else is massive, but David Ferrer has been one of the best of the rest in 2012. His has five ATP tournament wins, and he has performed well in the majors. He reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and he reached the semifinals at the French Open. He had made a name for himself with his hustle plays and impressive stamina. Unfortunately, he is a combined 5-21 against Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in his career, including 0-13 against Federer. It is a long shot that any player is going to upset the top three at the U.S. Open, but Ferrer will certainly go down swinging and has a puncher’s chance.

2012 ATP U.S. Open Odds – Tennis Betting
Odds to win the ATP U.S. Open
1001 Novak Djokovic +145
1002 Roger Federer +215
1003 Andy Murray +305
1004 Juan Martin del Potro +1050
1005 Jo Wilfried Tsonga +3050
1006 Milos Raonic +4550
1007 David Ferrer +6550