2013 U.S. Open Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: Rafael Nadal the Favorite to Win ATP US Open

2013 U.S. Open Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – Rafael Nadal the Favorite to Win ATP US Open: The best tennis players in the world will head to New York City this Monday for 2013 U.S. Open. The tournament is the fourth and final major of the season, and it is also the only Grand Slam event to feature tiebreaks in every set, including the fifth set. Like the Australian Open, the U.S. Open is played on a hard-court surface that provides plenty of speed and allows for a variety of shot types to be used.

Last year’s U.S. Open was decided by two of the world’s best players. Andy Murray took on defending tournament champion Novak Djokovic in what would turn out to be a back-and-forth five-set thriller. After Murray outlasted Djokovic 7-6 and 7-5 in the first two sets, “The Joker” stormed back and took the next to sets in dominant fashion. However, Murray was able to right the ship in the fifth and final set, and Djokovic’s comeback attempt ran out of steam. Murray took the final set 6-2 to win the first major title of his career.

2013 U.S. Open Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: Favorites and Sleepers to Win ATP U.S. Open

The Favorites

There is no doubt that Andy Murray is playing the best tennis of his career. He has reached the title match in his last four major tournament appearances, notching two wins, and has reached the semifinals nine times in his last 10 Grand Slam events. More importantly, he is the defending U.S. Open winner, and his combination of defensive tactics and diverse offense game has traditionally worked well on hard surfaces. In fact, five of his seven appearances in Grand Slam finals have come in hard-court events.

Anyone that thought Rafael Nadal had lost something after his early exit at Wimbledon better think again. He has won both his hard-court tournaments in preparation for the U.S. Open, and he is actually 16-0 on hard surface in 2013. Nadal has also reached the title match in three of his last four major tournaments played on hard courts, and while he missed the U.S. Open last year and the Australian Open this year, he did win the U.S. Open in 2010. Throw in his 12-1 record against players ranked in the top 10 this year, and another Grand Slam title is well within his reach.

Although he is having a down year by his recent standards, Novak Djokovic’s reputation for finding another gear in major tournaments is undeniable. After all, he has reached at least the semifinals in 13 straight majors, winning five of them. Meanwhile, Djokovic’s power on offense and seemingly endless supply of energy is perfectly suited for hard surfaces. In fact, he has reached the finals in six straight Grand Slam events played on hard surfaces. Djokovic has four wins during the stretch, including a victory in the 2011 U.S. Open and a win in this year’s Australian Open.

The Dark Horse

It is quite possible that we are witnessing the demise of one of the game’s all-time greats as 17-time major winner Roger Federer has been bounced early in the last two Grand Slam events of 2013 and has defeated just one top-10 player all year. More concerning is the fact that Federer has played in the finals of just two of his last 14 major tournaments and hasn’t reached the title match at the U.S. Open in four years. Calling Federer washed up at this point is unfair, and while it appears he no longer has what it takes to take down the top players in the game on a consistent basis, his title at Wimbledon in 2012 is a reminder that he can’t be written off completely just yet.

The Sleeper

A major wrist injury seriously derailed the career of Juan Martin Del Potro, but his trip to the semifinals earlier this could be an indication that he is ready to return to form. Keep in mind that Del Potro actually won the 2009 U.S. Open and appeared to be a rising star before the aforementioned injury. He also won a race hard-court tournament a few weeks ago in preparation for this year’s U.S. Open. Coming off an impressive run at the All England Club and heading to a tournament he has won before, Del Potro just might be able to pull off another U.S. Open upset four years after his first.