2024-08-17 04:35:02
Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek — both of whom won the U.S. Open in 2022 — have been tabbed as betting favorites for this year’s tournament beginning Aug. 26, per betting site bookmaker.eu
Alcaraz, 21, is seeking his third Grand Slam title of 2024 after winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon before losing to Novak Djokovic in the gold-medal match at the Paris Olympics.
Alcaraz (+142) is followed in the odds by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner (+250), the Australian Open champion, and Djokovic (+282), the 24-time Grand Slam champion and newly-minted Olympic winner.
Daniil Medvedev (+1001), who won his lone major at the 2021 U.S. Open, is the fourth favorite, followed by 2020 runner-up Alexander Zverev (+1602).
Alcaraz is 450 points behind Sinner in the ATP live race to the season finale in Turin, the separate year-to-date standings that serve as a measuring stick for the year-end number one battle.
“Obviously being No. 1 is a goal every time that I’m (behind) and the race is an important ranking for me,” Alcaraz said. “At the end of the year if you end the race No. 1 in the rankings it’s quite similar, so you’re going to end No. 1.
“So I’m really focused on that. I’m focused on going to every tournament, thinking about playing great tennis, doing a good result just to get better in the race. This year, ending the year as number one is one of my main goals right now.”
Among the women, five-time major champion and world No. 1 Swiatek is the favorite (+300), followed two-time major winner Aryna Sabalenka (+376), defending U.S. Open champ Coco Gauff (+750) and former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina (+750).
Gauff was upset Thursday in the second round of the Cincinnati Open by Yulia Putintseva and will drop to No. 3 in the world behind Swiatek and Sabalenka.
Gauff is followed by her doubles partner Jessica Pegula (+1051), while four-time major winner Naomi Osaka is at +1900.