It's still about 1.5 months but let's take a look at the US Open.
Djokovic at the USO is an interesting case. He's probably the best HC player of the 2010s and still he has only 1 USO title as opposed to 5 AO titles. Still, he has made the USO final five times and he has more USO SFs than any other slam SFs, eight, in a row since 2007. He must be the favorite but him having only one title shows how well-contested USO is.
Murray would be my no. 2 favorite, he's again playing on a great level. And I'd say USO is a good chance to beat Djokovic, he's usually had an advantage in that match-up on faster surfaces.
Nadal is a big question mark. His record from past five years is two titles, once runner-up, and two withdrawals. Now he's not in the form when he won the titles, so a title would be a big surprise for me. Bo5 makes it harder to upset him but unless he improves from what we've seen this year, he should have no business against Djokovic, Murray, or well-playing Wawrinka.
I like Wawrinka's chances at the US Open. The grass season wasn't a success for him but not really below realistic expectations. He didn't lose his form totally like last year after the AO title, so I'm expecting a solid USO campaign. The RG title showed he's not a one-slam wonder but a player you don't want to face in a major final. The surface is OK for him, USO is not that fast nowadays and he's won a slam on HC at the AO.
I just don't see Federer winning the USO. Djokovic is too good for him, Murray has a good chance on HC, I'd say peak Wawrinka too, and even somebody like Seppi can upset him on a HC slam.
Even less I have faith in Cilic defending successfully his title. He's shown nothing promising this year like he did last summer. And I think Nishikori's season hasn't been as good as last year, he's shown nothing like the Madrid final last year.
So, my picks would be Djokovic or Murray, or peak Stanimal.
Djokovic at the USO is an interesting case. He's probably the best HC player of the 2010s and still he has only 1 USO title as opposed to 5 AO titles. Still, he has made the USO final five times and he has more USO SFs than any other slam SFs, eight, in a row since 2007. He must be the favorite but him having only one title shows how well-contested USO is.
Murray would be my no. 2 favorite, he's again playing on a great level. And I'd say USO is a good chance to beat Djokovic, he's usually had an advantage in that match-up on faster surfaces.
Nadal is a big question mark. His record from past five years is two titles, once runner-up, and two withdrawals. Now he's not in the form when he won the titles, so a title would be a big surprise for me. Bo5 makes it harder to upset him but unless he improves from what we've seen this year, he should have no business against Djokovic, Murray, or well-playing Wawrinka.
I like Wawrinka's chances at the US Open. The grass season wasn't a success for him but not really below realistic expectations. He didn't lose his form totally like last year after the AO title, so I'm expecting a solid USO campaign. The RG title showed he's not a one-slam wonder but a player you don't want to face in a major final. The surface is OK for him, USO is not that fast nowadays and he's won a slam on HC at the AO.
I just don't see Federer winning the USO. Djokovic is too good for him, Murray has a good chance on HC, I'd say peak Wawrinka too, and even somebody like Seppi can upset him on a HC slam.
Even less I have faith in Cilic defending successfully his title. He's shown nothing promising this year like he did last summer. And I think Nishikori's season hasn't been as good as last year, he's shown nothing like the Madrid final last year.
So, my picks would be Djokovic or Murray, or peak Stanimal.
uzzled
