Some of the world’s greatest tennis players are battling it out at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York for the 2021 US Open.
The first serves came on Tuesday during Round 1, and competition concludes on Sunday, Sept. 12.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic entered competition as the top contender on the men’s side and remains favored to complete a calendar grand slam according to Tennessee sportsbooks.
US Open herd thins out
As the lingering storms of Hurricane Ida stretch north, substantial rainfall is predicted for the area for the rest of the week. But with roofs over both the Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums, the show will go on.
With major players like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and Rafael Nadal out of the tournament due to injury, the floor opens up to an entirely new list of potential victors.
Former 2016 US Open champion Stan Wawrinka and 2020 title winner Dominic Thiem are also sitting this one out.
With that in mind, Djokovic’s quest for a calendar grand slam inches nearer and nearer. Plenty of notable adversaries lie in wait to snag his glory, however.
On the women’s side, Ashleigh Barty is the slight favorite to go the distance.
Djokovic and other top US Open Men’s contenders
While the value of Djokovic might not be stellar, those expecting a win from the champion can still come out on top if he continues on his current trajectory.
BetMGM Tennessee gives Djokovic -135 odds of winning the tournament.
Not only is Djokovic the top-ranked player in the world, but he is also competing on a surface that he traditionally excels on.
A 21st grand slam win would set a new record for Djokovic and the entire sport. Moreover, he would become the first player in the 21st century to hold all four grand slam titles at once.
The last player to complete a calendar grand slam was Steffi Graf in 1988, when she recorded a Super Slam by winning all four grand slam titles as well as the WTA Tour Championships and an Olympic gold medal.
Daniil Medvedev sits in Djokovic’s way on the quest for glory. Bettors can find strong value in Medvedev if he can pull off a victory, with +400 odds at DraftKings.
DraftKings also offers the longest odds for 23-year-old Russian Andrey Rublev, situating him with +3000 odds.
BetMGM positions 2020 runner-up Alexander Zverev with +550 odds of winning the grand slam title, and odds for Stefanos Tsitsipas have grown longer, now sitting at +1300 at DraftKings.
US Open Women’s betting
On the women’s side, Ashleigh Barty takes the lead in terms of expectations, with +300 odds at DraftKings. Much like Djokovic, Barty has dominated the court during early rounds of competiton.
Naomi Osaka follows close behind with +450 odds. A substantial gap follows between Osaka and the tournament’s fellow competitors.
Aryna Sabalenka and Barbora Krejcikova sit at +1000 odds and +1300 odds respectively.
Each of the women’s top-20-seeded players advanced through the first two rounds of play, leaving competition stacked as rounds progress.
Betting options for the 2021 US Open
The variety of betting options available for the US Open are even more numerous than the tournament’s matchups themselves.
Bettors can wager on the tournament as a whole or on each match individually.
Match lines and match props are available for every individual match as well.
Bettors can get more detailed by wagering on the moneyline and spread of each individual set.
Wagering on the winning quarter and whether or not a player will reach the final round is also available.
Tournament props allow bettors to wager on the stage in which a player will be eliminated.
Player props offer betting on the over/under of the total games won by a player.
In addition to all of this, bettors can find promos and bonuses at select Tennessee sportsbooks throughout the tournament.
DraftKings offers daily specials on the US Open, while BetMGM features tennis parlays.
Each operator’s bonuses provide enhanced odds on various groupings during each round of play.