Surging Federer clear favorite for next week's U.S. Open
With the U.S. Open a week away, Roger Federer appears to be back on track, which is bad news for the rest of the men's field.
Federer defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets Sunday to win the ATP Masters tournament in Cincinnati and position himself as the clear favorite heading into the season's final Grand Slam event.
Federer also ended a four-match losing streak to Andy Murray in the semifinals. About the only question he didn't answer was how'd he fare against Rafael Nadal, who has some issues of his own.
Federer is even money to win his 15th career Grand Slam when the two-week tournament begins Aug. 31. Murray is the second choice at +250.
Nadal is +350, even though Cincinnati was just his second event since his return from knee tendinitis that forced him to skip Wimbledon. He reached the semifinals before losing to Djokovic. Nadal has never reached the U.S. Open final.
At +800 are Andy Roddick and Juan Martin Del Potro. Djokovic is +1000.
On the women's side, defending champion Serena Williams is the favorite at +175, even though she did not reach the final of the Rogers Cup this week in Toronto. She lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Elena Dementieva, who knocked off Maria Sharapova in straight sets in the final for her first win since taking a pair of tuneup events prior to the Australian Open.
The second choice at the U.S. Open is Venus Williams at +450. Serena's sister lost to Kateryna Bondarenko in the second round of the Rogers Cup. She also lost in the third round the previous week in Cincinnati and is not playing well.
Dementieva is among a handful of players at +800 that also includes Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, Dinara Safina and Victoria Azarenka, who won three events including Miami earlier this year but made early exits at Los Angeles and Cincinnati earlier this month.
With the U.S. Open a week away, Roger Federer appears to be back on track, which is bad news for the rest of the men's field.
Federer defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets Sunday to win the ATP Masters tournament in Cincinnati and position himself as the clear favorite heading into the season's final Grand Slam event.
Federer also ended a four-match losing streak to Andy Murray in the semifinals. About the only question he didn't answer was how'd he fare against Rafael Nadal, who has some issues of his own.
Federer is even money to win his 15th career Grand Slam when the two-week tournament begins Aug. 31. Murray is the second choice at +250.
Nadal is +350, even though Cincinnati was just his second event since his return from knee tendinitis that forced him to skip Wimbledon. He reached the semifinals before losing to Djokovic. Nadal has never reached the U.S. Open final.
At +800 are Andy Roddick and Juan Martin Del Potro. Djokovic is +1000.
On the women's side, defending champion Serena Williams is the favorite at +175, even though she did not reach the final of the Rogers Cup this week in Toronto. She lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Elena Dementieva, who knocked off Maria Sharapova in straight sets in the final for her first win since taking a pair of tuneup events prior to the Australian Open.
The second choice at the U.S. Open is Venus Williams at +450. Serena's sister lost to Kateryna Bondarenko in the second round of the Rogers Cup. She also lost in the third round the previous week in Cincinnati and is not playing well.
Dementieva is among a handful of players at +800 that also includes Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, Dinara Safina and Victoria Azarenka, who won three events including Miami earlier this year but made early exits at Los Angeles and Cincinnati earlier this month.
