Welcome to our Round Table Preview of the 2015 US Open. Tennis writers from across the LWOS team are weighing in with their picks of who will win the tournament, who the potential dark horses are, and which seeds are most likely to crash out early. Will Serena complete the Calendar Slam? Will Federer finally grab #18? Can Eugenie Bouchard turn around what has been a terrible year so far? Will our near-consensus ATP Early Exit shock you? See what our experts think before the tournament proves us wrong… or right.
2015 US Open Round Table Preview
ATP Champion
Yesh Ginsburg: Andy Murray– Murray’s run in Montreal, capped by a victory over Djokovic, was impressive. Murray hasn’t had the sheer dominance this year that the rest of the Big 4 (including himself) often used to over the field, but when he’s on, he’s been the best in the World this year. I expect him to bring his best to the year’s last Slam.
Scott Stevenett: Roger Federer– Federer hasn’t made a US Open final since 2009 and hasn’t won a US Open title since 2008, but that will all change in 2015. Federer showed last week in Cincinnati his extended summer break has paid off. He won in an absolute dominant fashion, defeating Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic in back to back matches. Federer was not even broken once throughout the entire tournament. If he brings this dominant form to New York he will win the title.
Glenys Furness: Roger Federer– After falling early at the Australian Open, the World #2 has been working on improving his game, bringing in Stefan Edberg to his team has certainly made a difference. Improving his serve over the season it is certainly a weapon, with opponents struggling to get break points in recent events. Changing the size of the racket head has also brought a new dimension to his game. Along with shortening the points, Federers game has been impressive towards this part of the season; even the World #1 is struggling to read his game.
Finn Ranson: Novak Djokovic– Despite some harsh self-assessments on his form lately, I think Novak Djokovic will be champion in Flushing Meadows. Recent defeats to Murray and Federer may make him a little edgy in the early rounds, but the difference between Djokovic and the rest of the field at the moment is that the Serb can win even on a really bad day.
WTA Champion
GF: Serena Williams– It is hard to see anyone beating Serena on home turf, where even when ill she has still found the will to pull off the win.
FR: Serena Williams– Under pressure as she may be, Serena Williams will surely finish the fortnight as champion. Few players have the weapons to test Williams’ sometimes poor maneuverability and balance. The pressure will also make the concentration lapses that have cost Williams in the past in the earlier rounds highly unlikely.
Niall Clarke: Serena Williams– This one was a tough one for me. I feel that the World #1 might be upset by a random floater just like at Wimbledon and Roland Garros last year, but then again who else do you see going all the way? It is hard seeing Williams losing here and a lack of a real title competitor means I have decided to go for the easy choice and predict Serena to complete the Calendar Year Grand Slam.
Chris Nordenson: Serena Williams– As much fun as it is to speculate about someone else winning the US Open, it really is Serena’s to lose. She historically has done well after a loss and she is coming off a loss two weeks ago in Montreal. There is a reason that the women’s singles final sold out before the men’s and that is because she is about to make history.
ATP Dark Horse
SS: Feliciano Lopez– Lopez isn’t likely to win the title, but his draw is favourable for him to reach at least the quarterfinals. Lopez could face two top ten seeds in the third and fourth rounds, Milos Raonic and Nadal. He has recent wins against both of them in Cincinnati. The Spaniard has had a decent hard court season and with Nadal and Raonic prone to the upset Lopez could go far in New York.
YG: Mardy Fish– It’s a slightly feel-good pick here, but Fish reminded us just how talented he is in Cincinnati. The draw is favorable, too, if he can get past Feliciano Lopez in the second round. With Raonic and Nadal drawing early tough matchups, Fish could end his career on a dream run at the US Open.
FR: Gael Monfils– Monfils reached the quarterfinals of the tournament last year. With an out of form Tsonga his nearest seed to contend with and Nishikori, the weakest of the top 4 seeds, residing in his quarter, Monfils looks in a good position to emulate his performance in the US last time out. I feel the lively atmosphere also suits a showman like Monfils.
Jason Fernandes: Gael Monfils– The talented Frenchman has had a consistent year thus far but is yet to have an amazing result. Not only was Monfils one point away from last year’s quarterfinals, he also has a favourable draw this year. From seedings if he is to have a big run he’ll have to play an out-of-sorts Tsonga in Round 3, an unfit Nishikori in Round 4, and Cilic or Ferrer in the quarterfinals. This might be the best chance the 16th seed may get at reaching another Grand Slam semifinal.
WTA Dark Horse
FR: Kristina Mladenovic– Mladenovic, a player I really like, is adept at coming forward to the net, having scooped up 12 WTA doubles titles, and has a powerful forehand to manipulate points superbly. I think she can match the seeds close to her (Kuznetsova, who she faces in the first round, and Sharapova) for weapons, and then has superior movement. I think she will go far.
NC: Belinda Bencic The Swiss capped off a marvellous Toronto run by defeating Simona Halep in the final so we know she has what it takes to make serious headway in North America. Bencic made her breakthrough at this event last year by making the semifinals, and the 18 year old is in fantastic form heading in to the event this year. With some good play and a bit of luck, Bencic could repeat that success or maybe even go one or two steps further.
CN: Jelena Jankovic– One name people need to look out for is Jelena Jankovic. She has had a great summer. She made it to the semifinals in Cincinnati before losing to Simona Halep and made it to the finals of Nanchang. She could meet Carla Suarez Navarro in the third round who has not been having a great summer and could be a winnable match for Jankovic.
ATP Early Exit
SS: Rafael Nadal– Nadal may have earned the eighth seed, but he could not have drawn a more difficult draw for a top ten seeded player. There is a real chance Nadal could go out in the first round. He plays the teen sensation Borna Coric of Croatia who beat Nadal last year in Basil. If Nadal is not at his best in the first round he will be eliminated.
YG: Rafael Nadal– Nadal’s form has been picking up a bit, recently, but Coric will come out of the gate at him with confidence and aggression. The youngster might not have the experience to outwit Nadal, but he has the style to trouble the Spaniard–especially if Nadal’s forehand isn’t clicking.
FR: Rafael Nadal– Nadal looks the most vulnerable to this fate. Borna Coric, his first round opponent, is exactly the kind of maverick who has upset Nadal in recent times. In fact, the young Croatian has beaten Nadal in their only clash: last year in Basel… n a hard court.
JF: Marin Cilic– Last year’s champion doesn’t have the hardest of draws, but his form this whole year has been full of injury and poor results. I expect Cilic to win his first few rounds but can see him underperforming in R3 and going home. If not too early I expect Ferrer to also make Round 4 and beat the Croat, which in itself would be a poor result for the defending champion.
WTA Early Exit
GF: Eugenie Bouchard– Not having had a great season to date, I don’t see anything improving much here at the US Open. I believe Bouchard will be the first ladies seed out and will not make week 2 (perhaps not even round 2).
FR: Maria Sharapova– After a US Open Series ravaged by injury – missing Toronto and Cincinnati- Sharapova, as she described herself after her withdrawal from the latter event, has not had ‘ideal preparation for New York.’ And in Round 1 she faces Daria Gavrilova, who defeated her this year in Miami, and who has the defensive abilities to frustrate the Russian once again.
NC: Carla Suarez Navarro– The Spaniard had an excellent start to the year, capped off by a run to the Rome final. However, since the clay season, the tenth seed has really struggled to pick up results so comes into the US Open in horrible form. Therefore I can see Suarez heading for another early exit.
CN: Sara Errani– Errani has not beaten anyone in the top 20 since the French Open where she beat Andrea Petkovic in the round of 32. Despite making it to the semifinals in Toronto the only quality opponent she beat was Victoria Azarenka who is another player who seems to still be searching for game. It is hard to believe she would be able to get past Sam Stosur in the third round despite being the higher ranked player.
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