One of the major championships in the sport is being contested by several elite athletes. On the men’s side, Daniil Medvedev is the reigning champion. By beating Novak Djokovic in 2021 final, he prevented the Serbian from completing the Calendar Year Grand Slam. On the other side, the Serb might not be allowed to participate this year because of the requirement for vaccinations. However, there is still time for it to change.
2022 US Open oddsmakers have Carlo Alcaraz (+450) and Rafael Nadal (+550) as the only other realistic challengers to win the men’s singles crown. Looking at the tennis odds for the 2022 US Open, Daniil Medvedev (+240), Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal are all nearer to Novak Djokovic in the oddsmakers. Novak Djokovic won his first three Grand Slams in 2021, then lost the US Open to Daniil Medvedev in the final. With Nadal and the inebriated Novak Djokovic winning every Grand Slam tournament this year, Daniil Medvedev’s victory in the U.S. Open tennis tournament in 2021 marked the last time anyone outside the Big Three besides Djokovic won at a Grand Slam.
Before we analyse why Medvedev is the favourite to win, it is worth noting that the unvaccinated Novak Djokovic opened as the favourite (+150) to win the US Open tennis championships before the US Open confirmation of his COVID-19 vaccination status kept him from competing at the event. Novak Djokovic‘s current rejection to receive the Covid-19 vaccination means he would be denied admission and unable to participate since American regulations now require that any non-US nationals intending to enter the country be completely vaccinated. The CDC has nonetheless declared that it would be easing domestic social distance regulations, with potential travel-related changes to come.
Carlos Alcaraz’s terrific year-long performance has made him a joint-favourite to win the US Open with Novak Djokovic. Although Carlos Alcaraz has yet to win a Slam, he is listed as much more likely than Rafael Nadal to win The US Open. Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz is the next one up, with odds of +400, having made it to the quarterfinals of the US Open last year, only to fall to Felix Auger-Aliassime. Carlos Alcaraz became the first man to win against Rafael Nadal’s clay-court rivals and Novak Djokovic at the same event in consecutive days.
Since the countdown has begun for the US Open, everyone will be eager to know who will be the final contender to challenge the defending champion. In the women’s section, Emma Raducanu won the Grand Slam last year, and in the process, she created history by becoming the first qualifier to reach and win the finals. She defeated Leylah Fernandez in the finals (6-4, 6-3). Can Raducanu defend her title, or will there be formidable challenges for her?
