This year is different, and so will be the 2nd Grand Slam tournament of the season. US Open will be played without fans in stands and line referees on the courts. There will be a lot of talk about who did not travel to New York, but I will not join this discussion club. Every year players skip the US Open due to injury or another reason. There are still a lot of good and excellent players left in the draw. I do not doubt that it will be a great tournament with many spectacular performances. Read on my US Open 2020 pre-tournament predictions and how they differ from my preseason predictions.
US Open 2020 Men’s Singles draw
US Open 2019 winner: Nadal
Our preseason US Open 2020 Winner pick: Medvedev
Readers poll: (as of 08/27/2020) Djokovic 53%. Thiem 19%, Medvedev 14% – for actual results go here
There are two groups of names I see as favorites in Men singles.
Djokovic, Thiem, Medvedev, and Tsitsipas are in the first group of players who are continuously performing exceptionally well. Isner and Opelka are in the second group of players that can rise to the occasion.
Isner & Opelka
Both are home-country guys, and both are tall and good servers. They should benefit from the fast courts at Flushing Meadow and can make a deep run at the US Open.
But can they win it? I doubt it, the pressure in the later stages (semifinals and finals) will do its work, and facing more experienced opponents will be above their playing level.
Raonic
Milos Raonic is somewhere in the middle. He is a server of Isner and Opelka qualities, but he has something more. He already was in Slam finals and if someone can surprise it is definitely Milos.
Djokovic, Thiem, Medvedev & Tsitsipas
Thiem played probably the most “friendly” matches during the break, and his performance was stellar. However, this week he lost very quickly with Krajinovic. Dominic Thiem is one of the favorites, but it looks that a new surface on New York courts does not suit him. It is too fast for a player who is clay-born.
Tsitsipas is performing very well in Western&Southern Open. He was able to withstand both great servers Isner and Opelka (we will see how he will handle Raonic on Friday).
Medvedev played perfect tennis till the end of the first set of his quarterfinal match. Then his performance went south.
Two different Medvedev show up for today match against RBA. I like the set 1 version more 🙂
— Tennis Pro Guru (@tennisproguru) August 26, 2020
I had Daniil Medvedev as my pre-season pick for the winner. He was a finalist in 2019 here and was not very far from clinching the trophy.
However, I am not sure what version of Medvedev will we see during two weeks long Grand Slam.
Last but not least is the Novak Djokovic: The last man standing of “great trio”.
His performance evolved during the Western & Southern Tournament. Shaky start against Berankis was followed by two improved performances against Sandgren and Struff.
I know he did not play a top player yet but I believe that his play rise to the occasion.
And that is the reason that I refrain from my preseason pick and go with Novak. He is the certainty in an uncertain world.
For full Men’s Singles bracket predictions click here or scroll down
Quarterfinals:
Djokovic – Krajinovic
Tsitsipas – Schwartzman
Rublev – Medvedev
Raonic – Evans
Semifinals:
Djokovic – Tsitsipas
Medvedev – Raonic
Finals:
Djokovic – Raonic
My winner pick: Novak Djokovic
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US Open 2020 Ladies Singles draw
US Open 2020 winner: Andreescu
Our preseason US Open 2020 Winner pick: Kenin
Readers poll: (as of 08/27/2020) Serena Williams 43%. Osaka 25%, Someone else 9% – for actual results go here
Looking back on my preseason predictions, I expected US Open 2020 would be full of surprises. I thought that I would impress by picking the name who has the talent and a promising future. Lady, who becomes a star in New York. However, one thing went wrong. She became a star eight months earlier. Sofie Kenin won Australian Open, and now she belongs among the hottest favorites of the US Open.
Kenin, Pliskova & Kvitova
Kenin can follow the path of Naomi Osaka or Bianca Andreescu and win US Open. The other notable names who can deliver right now are Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova. Unfortunately, all of them did not pass the entry test on W&S Open played this week at the very same courts. All three of them lost in the first round with outsiders (o.k. the outsider does not mean the same on WTA as on ATP).
Mertens
Elise Mertens restarted the season in a big way. Finals in Prague were followed by a deep run in Western & Southern Open. Moreover, she plays dominant tennis without unforced errors. The only doubt is if she can keep the level for three weeks (one in Cincy, two at US Open).
Serena Williams & Osaka
Other favorites are Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka. Serena Williams is picked by many of our readers and pundits, but I do not believe in her ability to withstand in two weeks long tournament.
She is not as fast as she used to be, and playing three sets match takes its toll on her physical and mental condition. In fact, I would bet against her to win the event anytime.
Naomi Osaka is a different story. It looks she is very well prepared.
She has no problem to turn around matches when down a set. But that is no surprise from two-times Grand Slam winner.
Naomi Osaka has experience and skills. And that makes her my choice for the US Open winner.
For full Ladies Singles bracket predictions click here or scroll down
Quarterfinals:
Ka. Pliskova – Martic
Osaka – Yastremska
Keys – S. Williams
Konta – Mertens
Semifinals:
Ka. Pliskova – Osaka
Keys – Mertens
Finals:
Osaka – Keys
My winner pick: Naomi Osaka
More about upcoming US Open: Racket Brand Shares – US Open 2020 Poll
Men’s Singles Full Bracket Predictions
Ladies Singles Full Bracket Predictions
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Btw, it is just coincidence that I predict Djokovic – Raonic final at the US Open and they play WSOpen final too. I submitted my picks two days ago before semifinals matches were played.