US Open: Djokovic and Federer to struggle through
Published:
The US Open looks set to deliver the final many predicted before the tournament started with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on course to meet in the showpiece finale.
However, while odds of 1/10 and 2/7 respectively, suggest both men will advance to the final, the stats suggest both men will be given a strenuous work out in order to get there.
Here Ladbrokes News’ James Curtis looks at two outside bets worth considering ahead of the semi finals
After coming from two sets down to triumph against Gael Monfils veteran campaigner Federer could be feeling the strain by the time he walks out to face Cilic.
By contrast, the Croatian will feel fresh after breezing through his quarter final with Tomas Berdych in straight sets.
Federer has taken his time to get going on more than one occasion in New York this year too, having dropped his opener with Marcel Granollers in the third round.
The Swiss ace does hold a 5-0 head-to-head lead over Cilic and will more than likely go through, but with Croat taking a set in two of their last three meetings expect Fed-Ex to be forced to dig deep again.
Nishikori may be ranked outside the top 10 and Djokovic may be the 1/10 favourite to win but the Japanese sensation is in the semi-finals on merit after dispatching Stanislas Wawrinka last timeout.
The world number 11 has beaten Djokovic in the past – in Basel in 2011 – and while a victory may be beyond his at this stage a set does not look too much to ask for.
For all Djokovic’s dominance over the tennis world, he has not produced a single straight sets win at the semi-final stage or beyond and any of this year’s majors.
He bowed out of the Aussie Open in the quarters and has dropped sets to Rafa Nadal, Martin Gulbis, Federer, Grigor Dimitrov and Andy Murray sconce then!
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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