Rafael Nadal did not have to lift his racquet to make it to the third round but it was for other reasons he is now slashed to 9/4 to win the 2019 US Open.
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The second seeded Nadal was afforded a bye after his second Aussie opponent of the competition, Thanasi Kokkinakis failed to turn up because of a right shoulder issue. And Nadal will now take on Hyeon Chung in his third round match on Saturday.
However, it was as much as his ease of entry into the round of 32 – after he had ruthlessly dispatched John Millman in his first round match – as it is Novak Djokovic’s hurting shoulder that has helped shorten his odds of winning the US Open for the fourth time.
Nadal had last won the title in 2017 and is a three-time winner at Flushing Meadows but Djokovic has looked almost invincible on every surface except clay.
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…till that shoulder problem flared up. Now make no mistake, even with a shoulder injury that the McEnroe brothers had had a laugh about during a commentary stint, Djokovic hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament so far. He sent Roberto Carballes Baena packing in round one and while Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero gave him a fight in the second set, Djokovic didn’t drop a set there either.
However, the shoulder injury is real and there were genuine fears he might not be able to complete that second round match.
Scans have now revealed there’s no damage to his shoulder which should allow him to play to his fullest potential but there’s another factor at play now – the slow courts at the US Open. Roger Federer made a point during his post-match interview when he said the tournament has changed from being one of the windiest in the world to being slower than previous years.
Federer pointed out:
“I do believe it’s slower than it has been in previous years. I’m not sure if it’s the balls or the speed of the court, but it’s definitely not on the faster side. This was like an indoor match so it’s great for ball striking, big servers. It’s medium at best.”
“I also was told we are going to make it faster to last year. I don’t feel it that way, maybe I have to figure out how to play and how to get used to these conditions. To be quite honest, it reminds of the World Tour Finals. I hope the court gets faster in the second week and I hope to be there.”
Slower courts aid Nadal’s style of play and that was visible in the manner in which he steamrolled his opponent in the first round. If the courts remain similar in style and if Djokovic continues to feel the after-effects of not being a 100% fit heading into the second week, that would bring Nadal strongly back into the equation and those odds of 9/4 for a title win for the Spaniard, might not look as tempting over the next few days.
US Open 2019 Men’s Singles Title Winner Betting Odds:
Djokovic: 13/10 (with Unibet)
Nadal: 21/10 (with Unibet)
Federer: 7/1 (with bet365)
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