US Open Tennis Outright Picks and Preview 2020 (August 31-September 13)

Well this feels a little strange...

After several months I am actually writing a Tennis post as what is usually the final Grand Slam of the season is set to go in New York City inside a bubble.

For a long time I honestly did feel this tournament would have to be cancelled as the likes of the French Open and Wimbledon were postponed/cancelled with the pandemic raging around the world particularly disruptive to a sport like this one.

It is one thing asking individuals from a single country to be able to get their sports back underway, but another all together when you think of the global reach of Tennis and having to see players travel in from around the world into each event.

The USTA decided the best way to manage things was to move the Cincinnati Masters inside the bubble created in New York City which means the players involved at the US Open will have been in managed sites for up to three weeks. So far it has largely been a success even if fans being absent is something that is very unfamiliar to many players, while the tournament is being played and completed a couple of weeks before the postponed French Open is set to begin.

That has led to some players deciding they will skip this event and wait for the European clay court events to be played next month, while other players have decided they don't feel safe enough or happy enough to be restricted in a bubble and have also withdrawn.

The US Open is thus without the two defending Champions, while the top of the Women's draw looks wide open with six of the current top ten absent over the next two weeks. Serena Williams is playing as she looks to tie Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam Singles titles, but the veteran has not played well in events leading into this one which will encourage a number of players to believe they have what it takes to take home the title.

Rafael Nadal's absence certainly gives Novak Djokovic a strong chance to win an 18th Grand Slam title as he looks to maintain his unbeaten 2020 (at the time of writing he is in the 'Cincinnati' Semi Final).

Some have spoken about the need to have an asterisk by the tournament, but I tend to lean away from that knowing injuries and other factors are always in play whenever a Slam comes around.

What is harder to work out is how much the long lay offs for many players will have affected their play, while the absence of fans might work to the advantage of some more than others. It is just a part of dealing with a new situation as the Tennis Tour looks to put on some big events before the end of the year despite the Coronavirus crisis showing little sign of abating just yet.

For many players the sport had to return to start making a living again, but standards have to be maintained to keep people safe during a difficult moment of time and so far the US Open has to be commended for being able to do that.


It has been a while like I said, but I will be back making Tennis Picks from this Grand Slam and hopefully that will continue through the remainder of the season. It has a similar feel to January when I tend to have a watching brief leading into the Australian Open as I look to judge how players are feeling, but we do have some recent results on the board in non-exhibition events with the Cincinnati Masters concluded and the WTA running a couple of other tournaments this past month too.

Assuming the calendar will be able to run smoothly between now and December, which is a huge assumption to say the least, there will be some clay events leading into the French Open during the month of September.

We should then have some indoor events later in the year before the Tour Finals for both the ATP and WTA and hopefully it will mean being able to put some positive results on the board to follow from last season.

The US Open has traditionally been the Grand Slam I have had most difficulty in picking because players tend to be pretty jaded by this time of the season, and the New York weather can be difficult to negotiate, but this time there should be a fresher mindset.

Emotionally it can be difficult being in a bubble as the NBA players have spoken about already, but the Tennis players have not been inside nearly as long as the NBA ones have. It is also a tournament format which means the bubble will see half the field leave by the end of the first week and that should allow players to focus and not feel the monotony of the bubble as much as the NBA players have too.


In this post I will have my Outright Preview and any Picks I can find before the US Open begins on Monday. I am hopeful by Sunday evening to have the Day 1 selections available to view, while I am also going to have a wider view of the day's schedule on my Instagram Story on a day by day basis too.

You can follow my Instagram here and you can follow my Twitter here.

Onto the breakdown of the 2020 US Open.

US Open Men's Draw 2020

Rafael Nadal won the US Open twelve months ago in a stunning Final after being pushed the distance by Daniil Medvedev who really announced himself as a potential Grand Slam Champion to the wider population with a strong tournament.

The Spaniard might have been quite confident he could win a 20th Slam title and join Roger Federer with the most in the history of Men's Tennis, but he has decided to stay in Europe stating he didn't feel he could produce his best in the current climate in New York City. I would be surprised if Rafael Nadal is not the favourite to win in Paris yet again when the French Open is played, but his absence along with Roger Federer's seems to open the door for the World Number 1 Novak Djokovic.

Things have not really gone as planned for Novak Djokovic over the last several months with some concerning views entering the public domain- each to their own when it comes to beliefs, but I always think it is dangerous when someone in an influential position perhaps leans towards the more controversial views, especially if they want to speak freely about them.

It became a little worse for Djokovic from a PR perspective when his exhibition tournament saw the players disregard safety protocols and subsequently many of them came down with positive tests for Covid-19.

He has taken something of a battering from his peers as well as fans, but Novak Djokovic could use that to fuel his desire to finish his career with the most Singles Grand Slam titles won by a male player. At this point I wouldn't rule Djokovic out from hitting Margaret Court's record number overall, and the Serb does go into this tournament as a firm favourite after a good showing in the warm up event also being played in New York.

Ignore anything outside of his ability on the court and I do think Novak Djokovic is largely 'draw proof' meaning he will always feel he can get to the business end of any Slam being played no matter who is placed in front of him in the early Rounds.

Without Qualifiers this time around, the draw was always going to be potentially difficult, but I can't see Djokovic having any real problems getting into the second week of the event. Kyle Edmund is a potential threat in the Second Round, but he has not really reached his top level often enough to believe that to be a realistic case, while John Isner is always awkward thanks to the serve.

However it honestly feels like only an injury can prevent Novak Djokovic from winning the First Quarter of the draw and at that point it would be very difficult to beat a player who has not lost a match in 2020 and already added the Australian Open to his growing collection of Grand Slams.

David Goffin, Filip Krajinovic and Denis Shapovalov may all have something to say, but I don't believe Novak Djokovic could have asked for much more from the draw and I do think he will make up one of the Semi Finalists.

The Second Quarter of the draw does feel a little more open with the two top Seeds in the section being Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev- both are clearly quality players, but both are also quite vulnerable at times with some limitations to their tennis showing up when it comes to the best of five Grand Slam setting.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has reached the Cincinnati Semi Final at the time of writing so is clearly feeling confident, but I have long said he needs to improve the return game if he is going to win a Grand Slam. At some point I do feel that will let him down, but I do feel this draw gives him the chance to build momentum into the tournament.

He is clearly enjoying the current conditions in New York, but his two previous US Open appearances have ended in the Second Round and the First Round. That has to be a concern for those potentially backing him here, but I do think the chance to get through the nervy first couple of Rounds against opponent's Tsitsipas should be seeing off comfortably enough makes him the player to beat in the section.

Borna Coric is a potentially very difficult Third Round opponent, but I like the way things have worked out for Stefanos Tsitsipas.

I do think the Greek star will be the player to beat in the section because I don't trust Alexander Zverev to trust his own second serve for long enough to earn his path through the draw. Even if he does, the German has a poor head to head record against Stefanos Tsitsipas and his path looks fraught with more danger.

Straight away Zverev has to face a former US Open Finalist in Kevin Anderson who has a serve that can help him through matches, although the long lay off might have been more difficult for a player who has been dealing with injuries over the last eighteen months.

Twice Quarter Finalist in New York, Diego Sebastian Schwartzman, is another potentially awkward opponent for Alexander Zverev before he gets to the Quarter Final here and I do think Stefanos Tsitsipas can pick someone off in that Round.

I am assuming things will be more straight-forward for Tsitsipas than any opponent he meets in the Quarter Final and he has shown he might be happier in New York without the crowds inside the venue in Flushing Meadows. At odds against I do think Stefanos Tsitsipas could be worth backing to reach his second Grand Slam Semi Final over the next few days.

The standout name in the Third Quarter of the US Open Men's draw is Daniil Medvedev and he will be a popular choice as someone who can go one better than last year and win his first Grand Slam here. The Russian has long looked like a player with all the tools to be successful at this level and I do think he is more than capable of having another strong run in New York.

One aspect that will likely need to be improved is making sure he completes his wins in a little more routine manner so Medvedev is not expending wasted energy early in tournaments. It might be part of the reason that Daniil Medvedev has not been beyond the Fourth Round in any other Grand Slam barring the 2019 US Open.

That record is a slight concern with players like Grigor Dimitrov and Guido Pella in Medvedev's path before he can get into a Quarter Final- both can be dangerous on their day although it does have to be said that neither has really been consistent enough to think they would be able to beat Daniil Medvedev at his best.

The bigger threats in this Quarter of the draw may come from Matteo Berrettini and Andrey Rublev who have reached the Semi Final and Quarter Final respectively at the US Open in the past. Both are improving players and are in the top 20 of the World Rankings and they do look to be on a collision course in the Fourth Round of this year's tournament.

I can see both Berrettini and Rublev being very happy with the way the draw has shaped up before the Fourth Round, although there is a feeling that if they are slightly off their best that they could be vulnerable to an upset too. Andrey Rublev meets Jeremy Chardy in the First Round and the Frenchman can be someone who can be very difficult to knock off on a hard court, while Ugo Humbert is a potentially awkward Second Round opponent for Matteo Berrettini.

With that in mind I do think Daniil Medvedev is the player most likely to come out of this section in what looks to be a 'routine' tournament to this point. All three of the favourites to come out of the sections look good to complete their paths through to the Semi Final, but once again it does have to be said that Medvedev at odds against to win the section is an appealing price.

As I have said, it feels like the favourites may all have too much for their rivals and come out of the first three Quarters of the Men's US Open draw, but the Fourth Quarter looks wide open.

Roberto Bautista Agut and Milos Raonic have both made at least the Semi Final in the warm up event being played in Flushing Meadows last week, Marin Cilic is a former US Open Champion, Dominic Thiem is the World Number 3 and reached the Final on the hard courts at the Australian Open earlier this year, while Felix Auger-Aliassime and Karen Khachanov both have the big games suited to this surface.

And that is all without adding multiple time Grand Slam Champion Andy Murray to the list too.

It is Dominic Thiem who will go into the tournament as the favourite to reach the Semi Final, but I can make a big case for a number of those names mentioned.

Richard Gasquet, Tennys Sandgren and Sam Querrey are other dangerous names in this Quarter of the draw and it is without a doubt the most loaded of the four at the 2020 US Open.

I am writing this preview at a time when the Cincinnati Semi Final matches are being played and the potential Third Round match between Bautista Agut and Raonic could be a huge one. The latter has made the Final in the warm up event to the US Open and the former was good enough to take at least a set from Novak Djokovic which means both men go into the tournament in wonderful form and full of confidence.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise if either was to force their way into the Semi Final, but there is some concern the two players could force the winning one to leave something on the court. A long best of five set match would make it difficult with plenty of difficult challenges all around and picking someone to come out of this Quarter is anything but easy.

Milos Raonic may appeal the most, but he has already had a long week and injuries have yet to be fully behind him.


Once you get to the Semi Final, if things have gone as expected above you would make Novak Djokovic a huge favourite with the experience he has.

I do think Daniil Medvedev and Milos Raonic are interesting players to potentially get behind here too, while it does have to be said that the US Open has thrown up a few more different names as Champions than the other three Grand Slams in this era.

However four of the last five Champions have been either Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal and I do think the absence of his biggest rivals will only help the World Number 1 move up to holding 18 Grand Slam titles.

Novak Djokovic looks to be on the weaker side of the draw which should mean he is fresh by the end of the tournament and it feels like he is playing well enough behind serve and return to end the US Open with another title to his name.

The feeling is that the Serb will be able to build up to speed where other rivals might have to have a few more tough matches that will sap some of the energy when we get down to the business end of the tournament. That might be just another factor in helping Novak Djokovic win another Grand Slam and add to the Australian Open crown picked up in what feels like a different world back in January.


The World Number 1 is the main selection from the tournament and I do think Novak Djokovic is only really going to be stopped if he suffers an injury to be truthful.

I will also back Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev to both make the Semi Final as they win the Second and Third Quarters respectively.

Both of those younger players are capable of getting the better of what looks like promising sections, although the inconsistencies at times can make them vulnerable to any opponent who hits some form.

Regardless of that feeling, I do think Tsitsipas and Medvedev are good enough to make their way to the business end of a Grand Slam again, although both may come up short when faced with Novak Djokovic.

US Open Women's Draw 2020

The run to the Final and the success of Bianca Andreescu was wonderful to watch twelve months ago, but it has been a difficult year for the Canadian since then with injuries meaning very little tennis has been played.

The defending Champion will miss the US Open over the next couple of weeks and that means six of the current top ten of the WTA are not going to be involved in the tournament. Over the last couple of years the Women's Grand Slam events have been wide open anyway, but it feels just as difficult picking a winner this time as it has been previously.

It says something that the Number 1 Seed Karolina Pliskova has never won a Grand Slam before, although her best performances have come at the US Open in the past. That may offer her some encouragement as she gets set to begin this tournament, although there is no doubt that the draw could have been kinder for the player from the Czech Republic.

Caroline Garcia and Jennifer Brady are two players that could make up the Second Round and Third Round opponents for Pliskova and neither will be an easy out.

In usual circumstances you may think Angelique Kerber could be a dark horse in the section, but the German has not played much competitive tennis for months and there are some other dangerous floaters in this Quarter of the draw.

Alison Riske, Marketa Vondrousova and Petra Martic are all capable of having a strong run here, although the middle of those three names is perhaps the least suited to the kind of conditions we are expecting to see in Flushing Meadows over the next two weeks.

With a gun to the head I might look at someone like Martic to come through the section, but this is one of the difficulties in picking through the Women's draw with so many uncertainties about the top names. Jennifer Brady is another that could find some positive momentum behind her, but it is certainly a section of the draw where the case can be made for a number of the players.


Naomi Osaka has reached the Final of the event being played on the grounds ahead of the US Open and she will go into this Grand Slam as the joint-favourite to win the tournament. The World Number 10 has been inconsistent, but she has won multiple Slams already and both of those have come on the hard courts here in New York City and in Melbourne.

Her form looks good and Osaka might be motivated further in her position as a role model having made the big decision to force her Semi Final to be postponed last week as she protested the social injustices taking place in the United States.

Some may think that is going to negatively affect a player who has not always been comfortable in the limelight, but Naomi Osaka has grown in the last two years and I do think she is a very dangerous player in this draw.

The draw has not been as kind as it could have been with some dangerous opponents likely to come up very early for Osaka- Camila Giorgi is a potential Second Round opponent and Cori Gauff a potential Third Round opponent which means Naomi Osaka is going to have to find her best form very early on in this tournament.

Other players in this Quarter who will feel the conditions will suit them are Petra Kvitova and Elena Rybakina and I really like the latter of those names. Before the postponement of the Tour Elena Rybakina looked like an improving, dangeorus player and even the early loss last week is not something that should have affected the confidence too much.

However, the Rybakina game is still a little raw at the moment and going for your shots as much as she does means there is always a risk of making too many errors when things are not going as smoothly as they can. That leaves her vulnerable to an upset on a poor day at the office and there are some tough matches in front of Rybakina.

I just hope we get through to the potential Fourth Round match between Elena Rybakina and Petra Kvitova which would be brilliant to watch.


The US Open regularly features some top home hopes and the Third Quarter of the Women's draw has put two former Champions and a former Finalist from the United States together in a small section.

Madison Keys, Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens are all set to go in this Grand Slam, although it is very hard to make a serious case for Stephens who has not really recaptured the magic that took her to the US Open title in 2017.

Both Madison Keys and Serena Williams will have more confidence they can have another deep run in New York City and the latter goes into the tournament as the joint-favourite. However it is hard to be able to back Williams in her current form and the fact that she has just fallen apart at the latter end of a number of Grand Slams with the Margaret Court record number of Singles Slams being in sight.

The absence of so many of the top names from the WTA Tour will help Serena, but she was beaten relatively early in both warm up events played so far and has looked far from her best. Serena Williams does get the chance to warm up in this tournament, but there are some very tough opponents awaiting her down the stretch with Sloane Stephens a potential Third Round opponent and Maria Sakkari or Amanda Anisimova potentially standing in the American's way in the Fourth Round.

Maria Sakkari in particular could be a threat having beaten Serena Williams on these grounds last week and it certainly lessens the appeal of the latter winning the tournament even at a relatively big price.

Instead it could be Madison Keys who takes advantage of the bottom half of this Quarter- she has reached the Fourth Round in five consecutive US Opens and Madison Keys has made the Semi Final and the Final in that time too.

She was beaten early last week, but Keys looks to have been given as kind a draw as you could ask for with the biggest threats likely to come from either Donna Vekic or Garbine Muguruza. Madison Keys can't face either before the Fourth Round and there are already doubts about Muguruza who was close to withdrawing from the tournament before deciding to attend the New York City bubble.

Madison Keys has a strong record against Garbine Muguruza and also has a winning record against Donna Vekic and I think she is the value in this Third Quarter of the draw.

The one concern is that Madison Keys has never beaten Serena Williams, but she could benefit if the 23 time Grand Slam Champion is Knocked Out early in the tournament.


As soon as you pop up the prices for a winner of the Fourth Quarter of the Women's tournament you can see how competitive this section of the draw is going to be.

We have Sofia Kenin, the Australian Open Champion playing back at home.

Johanna Konta, a player who has reached the Quarter Final at every Grand Slam and the Semi Final at the other three outside of the US Open. She also reached the Semi Final at the tournament played on these grounds last week.

Elise Mertens, a Semi Finalist last week and a former Semi Finalist at the Australian Open and Quarter Finalist here at the US Open.

Aryna Sabalenka has long been considered someone capable of making an impact at this level although her form has dropped off from where she was nineteen months ago.

Victoria Azarenka has not rediscovered her form prior to the injury and pregnancy lay offs from the Tour, but she is a two time US Open Finalist and also reached the Final in the warm up event played here in the lead up to the 2020 US Open.

There are other names in this Quarter who could make things very difficult for the eventual Semi Finalist, but all of those mentioned are at single digit prices starting at 5-1.

My lean is towards Elise Mertens who was in fine form last week and has shown more consistency than Victoria Azarenka, while Johanna Konta is someone who has reached Semi Finals at the other Grand Slam events. All three looked good here already and I think the British player may be the best choice, but this Quarter is a huge minefield with dangers lurking around every corner.


It has long been a very difficult task to pick a winner in the Women's Grand Slam events being played. Backing that up is the fact we have eleven different names winning Grand Slams from the last thirteen that have been played with only Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka winning twice in that time.

The Romanian is not in New York City this week, but Naomi Osaka is and is looking in good form to win a second title at the US Open.

However she is in a difficult portion of the draw too and the expectation of being a favourite is perhaps something that Osaka is not always the best at dealing with. There is extra attention on her having moved to the forefront of protesting social injustices from the Tennis world and I do think it could lead to an upset somewhere along the line.

In terms of a potential new winner you do have to look at the likes of Madison Keys, Johanna Konta and Elise Mertens.

The one that appeals the most is Madison Keys even though she is in the same section of the draw as Serena Williams- instead of backing her to win the tournament, I am going to have a small interest on Keys winning the Third Quarter of the draw at a big enough price and that is my sole outright selection from the Women's tournament.

Once again this should be a fun tournament to watch as it develops, but there are a number of names who will feel there is an opportunity to win a Slam in front of them.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic to Win @ 1.80 Paddy Power (5 Units)
Stefanos Tsitsipas to Win Second Quarter @ 2.25 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Daniil Medvedev to Win Third Quarter @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Madison Keys to Win Third Quarter @ 7.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

US Open Outright Picks 2015 (August 31-September 13)

The final Grand Slam of the season begins on Monday and it has been a who's who of the tennis world that has claimed the title in recent years.

That isn't to say that there hasn't been any surprises- Marin Cilic came out of left field to win the title last season, while I don't think too many would have picked Juan Martin Del Potro to win the men's title in 2009 and Sam Stosur taking the title in the women's event in 2011.

However, those have been rare events with Rafael Nadal winning twice and Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray winning one each between the Del Potro and Cilic title wins. Before Del Potro it was Roger Federer's domain as he had won five in a row here in New York and he comes in for the next two weeks as big threat to win Number 18 in terms of career Grand Slams.

Since Stosur won the women's event, Serena Williams has won three in a row in New York as she goes for a fourth in a row and a season sweep of the Grand Slam titles. Before Stosur, six titles were shared by Kim Clijsters, Serena, Maria Sharapova and Justin Henin.

It does look difficult to look beyond the favourites with the way the draws have panned out this week, but this is the time to look through and see what are the best outright picks from the week.

Men's Event

He might have been the best player on the ATP Tour over the last three/four years, but Novak Djokovic's record in collecting Grand Slam titles might be considered a slight disappointment. Eight Grand Slam career titles is remarkable and I am not taking that away from Djokovic at all, but it is hard to escape his 'finishing' ability over the last three seasons.

Since the beginning of the 2012 season, Djokovic has reached a tremendous 11 Grand Slam Finals, but he has actually won less than half of those. However, there might be a change in that trend with 3 Grand Slam Final wins from his last 4 Grand Slam Finals and Djokovic rightly comes into the week as the favourite to win the title.

There are a couple of concerns for me- the elbow issue Djokovic has been dealing with has left him vulnerable, while Masters Final defeats to Andy Murray and Roger Federer in Montreal and Cincinnati respectively might have given his two main rivals the confidence boost to win the title over the next two weeks.

Only 1 of Novak Djokovic's 8 Grand Slams have come at the US Open which is another factor that is hard to ignore, and he has lost 4 of the 5 Finals he has competed in Flushing Meadows.

Even with that in mind, Novak Djokovic has to be happy in being in the other half of the draw to the likes of Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Grand Slam nemesis Stan Wawrinka.

Looking at his Quarter of the draw, the likes of Rafael Nadal, Milos Raonic and David Goffin are the Seeds you would think are most likely to give Djokovic to think about. However, none of those scream out as a player you would back to beat Novak Djokovic before the Semi Final and his run of eight consecutive Semi Finals at the US Open is likely to be extended.

Maybe someone like Vasek Pospisil can spring a surprise in a potential Second Round match against Djokovic, but he will be a big underdog to do that and the World Number 1 looks to have the kind of run he would like to begin with as he looks to build momentum into the second week of the tournament.

It is hard to just simply draw a line through Nadal considering his career success, but he is not in the form to really expect a challenge in Flushing Meadows and begins with an intriguing match against what many expect will be part of the future of the ATP in Borna Coric. Losses to Kei Nishikori and Feliciano Lopez in the two Masters hard court events this summer just hasn't inspired confidence in Nadal and the best he can hope for is a Quarter Final berth in my opinion and potentially another one-sided defeat to Novak Djokovic.

The Second Quarter of the draw looks much more open though as there are some injury doubts surrounding Kei Nishikori and David Ferrer, while Marin Cilic will be looking to catch lightning in a bottle twice in a row. Nishikori was the other Finalist last season, but it is a big ask for either one to return this time around as the World Number 4 missed Cincinnati with an injury concern.

However it is hard to find viable alternatives to the top Seeds in the section as there are too many doubts surrounding their ability to win five matches to get into the Semi Final.

Grigor Dimitrov would have made hay last year when in much better form, but he has looked like a player out of confidence which has resulted in some disappointing losses over the 2015 season. That confidence might be restored if he beats Cilic in the Third Round, but the Bulgarian doesn't look very trustworthy on his current form.

The two French representatives, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils, have also been having a hard time putting a string of wins together, although the latter did come close to beating Roger Federer here last year.

This might be a chance for a real outsider to come through the draw to reach a Grand Slam Semi Final, but I wouldn't feel confident picking someone outside of these six players to do that. In saying that, I wouldn't feel great about picking any of these players to win six in a row with the factors that are creating doubts in my mind about them.

The first think that jumps out of the Third Quarter is clearly the potential Quarter Final match up between Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray- two players that have two career Grand Slams in a very difficult era and both who will have the belief they can go all the way.

Someone like Kevin Anderson will be looking for his week in Winston Salem to propel him into a surprise win to move through at the expense of Andy Murray, but his game is all about the big serve which the latter should be able to nullify. There are little other real obstacles to prevent the big Quarter Final that we all would like to see, although conditions at the US Open have seen plenty of surprises in the past, especially when the wind picks up.

Some will point out Nick Kyrgios and Gilles Simon as one awkward opponent that Murray and Wawrinka will have to play respectively, but Murray has a strong record against the young Australian, and Simon's form this summer hasn't matched what took him to the Wimbledon Quarter Final.

While Andy Murray will likely go into the Quarter Final as the favourite, it has to be noted that Stan Wawrinka has won their last two matches at the US Open in 2010 and 2013 and the latter has arguably improved since then having won his two Grand Slam titles in the last two seasons. Stan Wawrinka can get on a roll once he reaches the latter stages of a Grand Slam, but it also has to be remembered that he has been beaten in the Quarter Final in three of his last five Slams, reaching the Semi Final of one and winning the other since Wimbledon 2014 and it does seem like Wawrinka has found some consistency in the Majors.

It is tough to oppose Andy Murray, but I think Wawrinka has every chance of seeing him off if they meet in the Quarter Final with his record against Murray in Flushing Meadows.


I've already pointed out that I think Novak Djokovic is going to be very happy with the way the draw has panned out for him, but arguably Roger Federer is going to be feeling even better as he looks for his first title in New York since 2008.

Winning in Cincinnati has become the norm for Federer in the build up to the US Open and that also importantly gave him the Number 2 Seed, which has looked even more key when looking at the Quarter that Andy Murray got as the Number 3 Seed.

Roger Federer should be able to ease his way through the draw with the most difficult test not coming until a possible meeting with home hope John Isner in the Fourth Round. However, Isner is someone who could be dragged into long matches earlier in the draw which saps some energy and has also had some leg issues to deal with over the last month. Add in Federer's experience of playing big servers in the past and I think the Number 2 Seed manages to get through to another Quarter Final here, what would be the eleventh in the last twelve years since first winning the title here in 2004.

In fact, Federer has reached the Semi Final or better in nine of the last eleven years, but one exception was a Quarter Final defeat in 2012 when he was beaten by Tomas Berdych, a potential Quarter Final opponent again. You can't be anything but impressed by the consistency that Berdych has shown for much of 2015, but he did look out of sorts in Cincinnati and I do wonder if he is fully healthy as we head into the final Grand Slam of the season.

That might give Richard Gasquet a chance to reach another Quarter Final in a Grand Slam this season to follow his success at Wimbledon, but Roger Federer has to fancy his chances of seeing off either of those opponents.


That to me is a kind draw for Roger Federer and I do wonder if he is going to have too many better opportunities to win another title at the US Open. I have always though the only two events where Federer could add to his 17 Grand Slam titles are Wimbledon and the US Open and he was close in SW19 before running into Novak Djokovic.

The World Number 1 doesn't have a great record in Flushing Meadows, relatively speaking of course, but you also have to be wary of it being six years since Roger Federer reached the Final here.

However, he looks the player most in form and in the best draw out of the top three players that are favourites to win the title including Andy Murray and Djokovic. I think Roger Federer looks a good each-way pick to at least reach the Final and perhaps go on and win his first Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2012.

I have wanted to oppose Djokovic because he has looked like an elbow issue is troubling him more than previously thought and losing to both Murray and Federer in the Masters events could have knocked confidence. However, Djokovic couldn't have hand-picked a draw much better than what he has and it might be an upset that needs to happen to prevent him reaching the Final here.

Over five sets you'd think he is ready by that point to beat Federer, but I still want the latter on my side instead.


Why not Andy Murray? My reason is simply the Third Quarter of the draw looks a toss up between him and Stan Wawrinka and that might be the kind of match that drains the winner and allows Federer to pick them off in the Semi Final.

Instead I think there might be something in having an interest in Stan Wawrinka to win the Third Quarter in what looks like a straight toss up between himself and Andy Murray. With two previous wins over Murray at the US Open, I wouldn't be surprised if Wawrinka muscles his way past him here and a small interest is warranted.

Women's Event

Any event that Serena Williams enters is one that she will be expected to win and going into the final Grand Slam of the season with the chance for a sweep of the Slams in 2015 is a huge opportunity for her to underline her name in tennis history.

Serena has won the last three US Open tournaments and would have had four in a row if not stunned by Sam Stosur in 2011. The only doubt is about an injury that has been limiting her serve from the usual huge weapon it is, yet Serena Williams reached the Semi Final in Toronto and won the title in Cincinnati so it will take something special to beat her.

If she gets to the Quarter Final, you'd have to think Serena Williams goes on and wins the tournament as she has the last six times she has got that far in a Grand Slam. In fact eight of the last nine times Serena Williams has reached the Quarter Final in a Grand Slam has seen her go and win the event so she does look her most vulnerable early in the tournament.

Belinda Bencic was the player that beat Serena Williams in Toronto, but she can't play her again until that crucial Quarter Final stage so maybe it is up to two young American players to announce themselves in the grandest way.

Sloane Stephens has beaten Serena Williams before at a Grand Slam and won the first set when they met at the French Open earlier this season before dropping the second set in a tight 75 scoreline. She won her first title on the WTA Tour this past month in Washington and Stephens has the kind of game that might punish Williams if the latter is not at the top of her own performances.

The other is Madison Keys who had a great run at the Australian Open to open 2015, but perhaps hasn't maintained that level for much of the season. She has the big shots that can also knock Serena Williams off her stride and these two players are potentially Third and Fourth Round opponents for the Number 1 Seed and arguably the best prospects to knock her off over the next two weeks.

There was no doubt in my mind that Maria Sharapova had to be opposed in whatever section that she landed in the draw having missed any competitive tennis since Wimbledon. Rumours about some sort of injury as well as a personal break up with Grigor Dimitrov will have affected her chances at the US Open and instead it could be down to someone like Ana Ivanovic to take advantage by reaching the Semi Final here.

Ivanovic might have reached the Quarter Final in Toronto and Cincinnati, but both those losses have been franked by the form of Belinda Bencic and Serena Williams. Her record at the US Open is not really one that inspires as the Serb has NEVER been beyond the Quarter Final, but Ivanovic can put together a real run if she can beat Dominika Cibulkova in the First Round.

That is a tough draw to open, but the likes of Eugenie Bouchard, Carla Suarez Navarro and Jelena Jankovic shouldn't worry Ivanovic with her having an edge over all of them for various reasons (out of form, out of form and better on slower surfaces, Ivanovic strong head to head).

Even a match up with Sharapova wouldn't be a particular worry for Ivanovic who has beaten her on the North American hard courts in Cincinnati in 2014, but I am also not convinced Sharapova reaches a Quarter Final here this year.

Elina Svitolina and Ekaterina Makarova may both believe they can get into the Quarter Final at the expense of the Number 3 Seed in the tournament, but I would fancy Ivanovic to be too strong for either.

Prior to the run in New Haven which took her to the title for the third time in four years, I would have been ready to draw a line through Petra Kvitova who has been struggling for form through her mono illness. However, I do wonder how much has been taken out of Kvitova this week in terms of physical energy and she has never reached the Quarter Final at the US Open before.

Kvitova reached the Fourth Round in 2012 after winning in New Haven and then reached the Third Round last year having won that same title so history looks against her from breaking through this year.

The draw does favour her chances to surpass her previous best here, but Kvitova's illness and long week in New Haven may play against her in Flushing Meadows. That might mean that last year's Finalist, Caroline Wozniacki, might have a chance to get to another Semi Final.

In four of the last six years Wozniacki has reached the Semi Final at the US Open which has easily been her most successful Slam and Wozniacki can make use of a very kind draw. The Dane would be favoured to win her first four matches and she made a return to form with a run to the Semi Final in New Haven before finding Kvitova too strong.

However, Wozniacki might not have to worry about Kvitova in this section if the latter continues to fail to fire in New York City, while Garbine Muguruza looks too out of form to back up her success at Wimbledon. The layers are right in assuming Caroline Wozniacki is the second favourite to get out of the Third Quarter, but I think she can go one step further than expected by taking advantage of perhaps another early exit for Petra Kvitova.

The layers believe the two players most likely to oppose Serena Williams and win the title at the US Open are Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep and I can't argue with that. However, both players have been placed in the Fourth Quarter of the draw and are potentially going to meet one another in the Quarter Final to decide who moves on.

Out of the two players, I think the faith has to be put in Simona Halep who reached the Final in both Toronto and Cincinnati in the build up to the US Open. She has been suffering with an injury that has cramped up in brutal heat, but Halep has the kind of draw that can see her work her way into the tournament and clearly has the form on the hard courts to go all the way.

Her biggest threat may come in the form of the conditions and Timea Bacsinszky but I think Halep can beat both this week and she certainly looks like she has the 'easier' draw than Victoria Azarenka.

Halep at least can work her way into the tournament, but Azarenka is the Number 20 Seed and has struggled for consistency in her results throughout 2015. Both Lucie Safarova and Angelique Kerber have shown some solid form on the North American hard courts over the last six weeks and Azarenka may have to beat both before potentially facing Halep and that is a tough road to work through.

Both Safarova and Kerber may feel they can go deep in the tournament too, but I think Halep will have the edge on both and the Number 2 Seed can have her best result at the US Open by surpassing the Fourth Round. It has been a disappointing season for Halep in terms of Grand Slam results, but I do think she can have her best result in the final Slam of 2015.

As I said to open this breakdown, Serena Williams is the favourite to win every tournament she enters and holding her nerve is arguably her biggest opponent over the next two weeks. There have always been nervy moments on her way to winning Grand Slam events in recent years, but once she reaches the Quarter Final she has been close to unstoppable.

The potential Third Round match against Sloane Stephens could be the biggest test for Williams over the next two weeks, but if she can battle through that one, I think she will be difficult to stop.

If there is someone capable of beating Serena Williams in the early stages when she looks the most vulnerable, someone like Simona Halep may be the player to come through and win her maiden Grand Slam. Halep has a difficult Quarter to negotiate, but back to back Final appearances in Toronto and Cincinnati should give her confidence to produce her best result in the Grand Slams in 2015.

A small interest on Simona Halep to find a way out of a section that includes the second favourite Victoria Azarenka and get to the Final is merited.

I also think a small interest on both Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki beat out two higher Ranked opponents in their individual Quarters has to be worth taking.

The former is in the open Second Quarter that includes Maria Sharapova who hasn't played since Wimbledon, while Wozniacki might be able to take advantage of Petra Kvitova's struggles at the US Open. While Kvitova hasn't reached the Quarter Final, Wozniacki has four Semi Finals in the last six years at the US Open and the Dane played well in New Haven last week while also has a draw she should be negotiating to the Quarter Final at the least.

If Kvitova has fallen by then, Wozniacki should be favoured to reach another Semi Final here.

MY OUTRIGHT PICKS: Roger Federer @ 5.00 Paddy Power (2 Units E/W)
Stan Wawrinka to Win Third Quarter @ 3.75 William Hill (1 Unit)
Serena Williams @ 1.91 Bet Victor (6 Units)
Simona Halep @ 13.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit E/W)
Ana Ivanovic to Win Second Quarter @ 6.00 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Caroline Wozniacki to Win Third Quarter @ 4.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Weekly Final: 8-5, + 4.60 Units (26 Units Staked, + 17.69% Yield)

Season 2015: + 1.93 Units (1378 Units Staked, + 0% Yield)

Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)
Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)
Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, + 5.76% Yield)

US Open Outright Picks 2013 (August 26-September 9)

To say it has been a really poor last two months would be a real understatement when it comes to the tennis picks made, but the frustrating aspect is how close some of the picks have come... That has been a constant source of disappointment and was again highlighted by Juan Martin Del Potro in his Semi Final collapse against John Isner in Cincinnati- he got to match points without giving up a break point, choked it and then proceeded to get broken two of the next three times he served.

That kind of weird situation aside, the outright picks have been a stream of disappointment after players continue to get close before failing- the failings of Novak Djokovic have hurt, while the one time I backed Rafael Nadal to win a tournament this season, he lost in the First Round at Wimbledon.

Things can swing in roundabouts and it has been a poor time- bad luck is one thing, but I have also been guilty of making some bad picks when I wasn't convinced of their suitability and that is down to me. Hopefully the US Open will provide a boost to the coffers although I am expecting a lesser success at the end of the Tour this season as the last two have provided.

Men's Tournament

First Quarter

The Number 1 seed at Flushing Meadows is still Novak Djokovic although he could very easily have been knocked off the top spot in the World Rankings by the time the Australian Open comes around in January, especially if Rafael Nadal continues displaying the form he has since his return.

Djokovic is under pressure to cement his place at the top of the Rankings in tennis viewers minds at this tournament as he currently holds just one of the Grand Slams and his two main rivals, Nadal and Andy Murray, both have the chance to hold two. The points may still call Djokovic the Number 1 player in the World for the time being, but he has to win this tournament to really show that is still the case in reality and not just the twelve month period of consistency.

Up until the Quarter Final, I expect Djokovic will be good enough to come through the draw with few problems, although Grigor Dimitrov will provide something of a test in the Third Round.

The Quarter Final has him seeded to meet Juan Martin Del Potro and the former US Open winner is certainly one of the most dangerous players in the draw. However, Del Potro can be a little vulnerable at times, especially early in the draw and the potential Second Round match against the winner of the Brian Baker-Lleyton Hewitt clash is certainly one potential banana skin before he gets to the Quarter Final.

Other players in the this section like Tommy Haas and Mikhail Youzhny are having strong seasons in their veteran status, but neither would be putting the fear of God in Juan Martin Del Potro and this is likely to be a clash between the top two seeded players in the quarter.

Novak Djokovic beat Del Potro here at the same stage last season and I would expect him to be too strong again- even at Wimbledon, Djokovic blew the chance of winning his Semi Final against the big Argentine in four sets, and he will be focused not to waste energy this time with big matches to be played after this Quarter Final.

First Quarter: Novak Djokovic with a four set win over Juan Martin Del Potro

Second Quarter

We won't be a seeing a repeat of the last US Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon Final this year as Andy Murray was dropped from his Number 2 seed by Rafael Nadal ahead of the tournament and the defending Champion has been placed in the second quarter of the draw this year.

Murray may have been given what looks a semi-awkward start against the serve-volleying of Michael Llodra, but his run through to the Quarter Finals present almost no real dangers as long as the British player is on his game.

I think the days of Murray having a real lapse in the Grand Slams have gone now that he has two under his belt, although this is the first time he enters a Slam as a defending Champion. I don't foresee that producing early problems and there is not one player in the top half of this quarter that I think could take more than a set off of Murray in a best of five at Grand Slam level.

It does seem Murray has been a touch fortunate on that front because the bottom half of the draw has a couple of real awkward characters in it. The favourite to get through to the Quarter Final will be Tomas Berdych, who reached the Semi Final here last year and also beat Murray in Cincinnati earlier this month.

Berdych should come through the early Rounds with few problems, but he can be wildly erratic on his day and there have been a number of Grand Slam tournaments where he has been a surprise early casualty in the seeded ranks.  However, I would expect him to come through to face either Kevin Anderson or Stanislas Wawrinka, although neither of those players has shown the form at the Masters tournaments to think they would be able to stop what should be a confident Berdych by the Fourth Round.

Andy Murray v Tomas Berdych is a very interesting match up- Berdych leads the head to head, but Murray adapted to the terrible conditions better than Berdych did when they met in the Semi Final here last year to level their Grand Slam matches at 1-1. There is no doubt that Berdych has the power and the mentality to knock off Murray and may well be aided by the fact that it will be for a place in the Semi Final rather than the Final... It is hard to go against Murray considering his form at Wimbledon and the conditions in New York certainly are more to the Brit's liking, but Berdych could spring the surprise.

Second Quarter: Tomas Berdych in five tough sets over Andy Murray, but I hate under-estimating how good Murray is these days.

Third Quarter

Now that the big four have become the big three, there was always a real chance that one of the quarters at the US Open would be void of a really big name- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's absence from the tournament hasn't helped and it is the third quarter where we could see a surprise Semi Finalist.

Usually, David Ferrer would certainly be favoured to come through a wide open section like this one, but the Spaniard has been in terrible form this summer and I am not convinced that he is 100% healthy. He was suffering with some kind of issue at Wimbledon and whether that is still lingering means the doubts about the Number 4 seed are too real to consider him to come through.

Ferrer is a former Semi Finalist in New York so he does have the pedigree, but he didn't play well in Montreal or Cincinnati against opponents he would be expected to beat comfortably so he has to be ignored over the next two weeks.

The draw hasn't been unkind to Ferrer and gives him a chance to play his way into the tournament if I am being fair, but the potential Third Round match against Ernests Gulbis has warning signs flashing brightly all around it for the Spaniard. Gulbis has been a disappointment at Grand Slam level for the most part and I have been expecting him to make a push at this level at the last two events at the French Open and Wimbledon, but it hasn't come as it perhaps should have with the talent he possesses.

Gulbis should get through to the Third Round comfortably, but the match up on a usual day against the terrier like performance of Ferrer would not be a great one. However, on current form, you have to say that the Latvian has a huge chance of emulating his best performance here by reaching the Fourth Round.

I am not convinced that Gulbis has enough to hold himself together mentally for enough best of five set matches to get through to the Semi Final and we may yet have to wait a few more months before he is ready to have his best year on the Tour. Dangerous players like Jerzy Janowicz, Richard Gasquet, Milos Raonic and possibly Feliciano Lopez are perhaps better players to look at as a surprise Semi Finalist.

Janowicz can at least point to the fact that he reached that position at Wimbledon, although an injury to his forearm has to be a concern, while the other three players I mentioned have all got fragile mental strengths.

Third Quarter: Either Richard Gasquet, who has a very nice draw, or Jerzy Janowicz if he proves to be healthy and ready to go.

Fourth Quarter

The final quarter of the draw sees two old rivals once more on a collision path, although it will actually be the first time they have met in New York despite long and illustrious careers.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are two of the most famous names in men's tennis, but have traded places when it comes to favouritism on the hard courts and I would be extremely surprised if many have tipped Federer to get the better of the Spaniard here when you consider recent form of these two players.

There shouldn't be an under-estimation of Nadal's first opponent this week as he meets Ryan Harrison, one of the big hopes of American tennis, although I can't see the youngster have enough flashy winners to keep Nadal at bay in a best of five set match.

Other awkward matches against an in-from Vasek Pospisil and John Isner are also ahead of Nadal before the Quarter Final, but as long as he remains focused, he would expect to win those matches.

Unlike Nadal, Roger Federer has a chance to play himself into the tournament and I would expect the Swiss man to still have too much in the tank for Sam Querrey in a potential Third Round match. A bigger concern may be a potential Fourth Round clash with the talented, but extremely inconsistent, Kei Nishikori- the Japanese player has beaten Federer already this season and has the game to certainly trouble the 17 time Grand Slam Champion, although there is no guarantee he gets through someone like Bernard Tomic or Tommy Robredo.

If we do end up seeing Nadal v Federer for the first time in New York, I would be surprised if the former isn't the winner... He has always had the style to give Federer problems, but the lack of confidence in some of Federer's play over the course of the season means I could not back him to win that match and you can't ignore the fact that Nadal has a strong winning record against Federer on this surface.

Fourth Quarter: It has to be Rafael Nadal who will be battle hardened by the time he reaches the Semi Final

Winner

If Rafael Nadal's knees are holding up on the hard courts, which he clearly must feel after back to back Masters wins in Montreal and Cincinnati, then it is hard to see anyone taking out the Spaniard before the Final from the bottom half of the draw.

The best of five nature of a Grand Slam does raise some doubts about Nadal's fitness, especially the way he went down at Wimbledon, but his form in the two Masters events certainly makes him the man to beat as far as I am concerned.

We may see a repeat of the 2010 and 2011 Finals here at the US Open as I do think Novak Djokovic is going to be the last man standing from the top half of the draw, although he has fallen in some big matches earlier this season in a concerning manner.

His previous Indian sign over Rafael Nadal has not been there in their recent matches and back to back matches against Juan Martin Del Potro and potentially Andy Murray is a big ask before facing Nadal, although the men's Final has been moved to the Monday.

Current form dictates that the favourite is correct at the tournament with Rafael Nadal leading the way, especially with the way the draw has panned out and the Spaniard will be my pick.

My other pick from the men's draw will be taking Richard Gasquet to come out of the third quarter- I am the first to say that it is an open draw and anyone could come through, but the Frenchman has been given what looks a favourable draw on paper and looks far too big a price. If he has a tough Quarter Final, it could be worth laying him off then, but I will put Gasquet in my staking plan to win the third quarter.

Women's Tournament

First Quarter

There is no doubt that Serena Williams is still the player to beat in any tournament she enters and it is no surprise that she will be going off as an odds on favourite to win this tournament as defending Champion, especially with Maria Sharapova out of the draw.

However, Williams can be vulnerable early in tournaments and she can always be upset as she has been in Australia and England in Slams this season and there is one player in her section that will know how to upset Serena at the very highest level.

Sloane Stephens is a potential Fourth Round opponent who beat Serena at the Australian Open back in January and she has the confidence to upset the apple-cart as shown with her win over Maria Sharapova this summer. If Williams and Stephens met 10 times on a hard court, I would back Serena to win the match 9 times, but there is every chance that the young American could cause a huge sensation in the Fourth Round.

Another former US Open is also in the first quarter of the draw, but Serena's older sister Venus Williams is not the player of old and I would be surprised to see her in the second week of the tournament. Angelique Kerber has reached the Semi Final here before, but her form hasn't been great this summer and she has found herself coming up a little short a few times in 2013.

First Quarter: Serena Williams can't be opposed in 99 out of 100 occasions with the draw as it is, but Sloane Stephens is a live threat.

Second Quarter

The women's event is very top heavy according to the layers and this second quarter of the draw looks one that could be one by a number of players, although the third and fourth favourites to win the US Open are both amongst the players in it.

Agnieszka Radwanska and Na Li have both reached Finals at Grand Slam events in their careers, although the former is yet to pick up her first Major prize.

Out of the two players, I would give the edge to Radwanska with the draw as Li has a couple of tough matches that could potentially make her path to the Quarter Final that much more awkward. Li was beaten by Laura Robson here last season and that could be a Third Round match this year, although Robson has been struggling with an injury.

After that, Jelena Jankovic could be waiting for Li and the Serb could be a dangerous player after reaching the Semi Final in Cincinnati earlier in the month. However, Jankovic is very hit and miss on her day and it wouldn't be out of the ordinary if she is beaten before that potential Fourth Round match.

Li has a decent record against Radwanska in recent meetings, while I am not sure what state of mind the Polish player will be in after the recent passing of her grandfather which has affected her hugely considering the impact he had on her life.

Second Quarter: Na Li can be so erratic at times, but she looks the pick of the players in this section

Third Quarter

Another section of the women's draw that really looks wide open is the the third quarter and we could see another surprise Semi Finalist from this one.

The likes of Caroline Wozniacki, Roberta Vinci, Maria Kirilenko, Simona Halep and Sara Errani will all have their supporters, but there are also some doubts about form, fitness and ability on the hard courts.

Sara Errani was a Semi Finalist last season when she beat her fellow Italian Roberta Vinci in the Quarter Final and there is every chance there could be a repeat of that Quarter Final this year, although Vinci will feel she can turn that around after beating her doubles partner twice in a row.

This is an extremely difficult section to pick a winner from as there are just too many doubts to really give me a chance to pick someone with conviction.

Third Quarter: Really tough part of the draw, but Sara Errani is probably the most consistent player.

Fourth Quarter

The second favourite to win the US Open is Victoria Azarenka and she will have plenty of supporters after beating Serena Williams for the title in Cincinnati and coming so close to winning this Grand Slam last season.

However, there are dangers lurking around every corner of the final quarter of the Women's draw and she will have to negotiate a minefield to go all the way this year.

Alize Cornet has shown very strong consistency on the hard courts this summer and could pose some problems in the Third Round after giving Azarenka all she could handle at the French Open, while Dominika Cibulkova has won the big tournament in Stanford and is a possible Fourth Round opponent.

Even the other half of the draw is not straight-forward as Sam Stosur, a former US Open Champion and winner in Carlsbad with a win over Azarenka in the Final and Petra Kvitova are both very capable players on their day.

Azarenka would start as the favourite against both, especially considering she had owned the head to head against Stosur before the defeat earlier this month, and the win in Cincinnati should have filled the World Number 2 with plenty of confidence.

The hard courts remain her favourite surface and Victoria Azarenka has all the makings of a player that could go very deep this week.

Fourth Quarter: Victoria Azarenka can negotiate a minefield and reach the Semi Final from a tough section

Winner

I am not trying to be overly smart here and anything other than a Serena Williams win would constitute a surprise and the layers would certainly feel the same way with the American odds on to take the title away for the second year in a row.

However, Victoria Azarenka is certainly not afraid of going toe to toe with Williams and she had a chance to win the title here in New York last year, while the win over Williams in Cincinnati will also make her a bigger believer that she can win the title here.

If Williams is surprised early as happened in Melbourne and London, Azarenka will shorten rapidly and I will back her in the outright market here.

I did also say the third quarter of the draw is a tough one to get a real feel for, but Sara Errani looks a big price to win that section in the event. I was surprised that she is double the price that Caroline Wozniacki is in the section and Errani did reach the Semi Final a year ago, although she hasn't had the best summer.

If Errani can come through her first two matches, she may have the momentum behind her to come through this tricky section and I'll have a small interest in keeping her on board.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal @ 3.00 Ladbrokes (3 Units)

Richard Gasquet to win Third Quarter @ 9.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Victoria Azarenka @ 4.50 Sporting Bet (2 Units)

Sara Errani to win Third Quarter @ 7.00 Coral (1 Unit)

Tennis Outright Picks (August 12-18): 0-2, - 3 Units (3 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)
Tennis Daily Picks (August 12-18): 18-18, + 0.52 Units (71 Units Staked, + 0.7% Yield)

Season 2013: + 10.62 Units (1104.5 Units Staked, + 1.01% Yield)

Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, + 5.76% Yield)
Season 2011: + 82.02 Units