Carlos Alcaraz captured his first Grand Slam title last year at the US Open, which means this year’s running will mark his first-ever title defense at a Slam. This time around, he’ll have to beat a field that includes 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
Let’s break down the best ways to bet on the men’s field at the 2023 US Open.
US Open Men’s Winner Prediction
Novak Djokovic (+120)
BetMGM Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Djokovic’s triumph over Alcaraz in the final in Cincinnati was nothing short of special. He won the mental war of attrition over the World No. 1, eventually breaking his spirit, frustrating him, and forcing him to go for low-percentage shots.
In doing so, he leveled their head-to-head at 2-2 and enters this tournament as a just favorite. While he may have underestimated how quickly Alcaraz grew into playing on grass a couple of months ago at Wimbledon, he surely will be prepared for everything this time around.
Djokovic’s quarter is something of a joke for him, and it’s positioned next to the easiest quarter in the field which is headlined by two out-of-form players, Holger Rune and Casper Ruud.
There should be nothing keeping him out of the final, and with Alcaraz needing to get by some tricky opponents including Jannik Sinner, I feel confident in calling a 24th Grand Slam and making this my tennis bet of the day.
US Open Men’s Contenders
Tennis odds used for this grand slam report are current as of Saturday, Aug. 26, at 9 a.m. ET at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Here’s how the top US Open favorites rank:
- Novak Djokovic (+125)
- Carlos Alcaraz (+190)
- Daniil Medvedev (+1000)
- Jannik Sinner (+1400)
- Alexander Zverev (+4000)
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (+4000)
- Holger Rune (+5000)
- Casper Ruud (+5000)
- Taylor Fritz (+5000)
- Frances Tiafoe (+6500)
There are probably only four serious contenders for this title: Alcaraz, Djokovic, Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev. It does seem that Alexander Zverev’s form has returned to where it was before his injury, and with some career wins over Alcaraz and Sinner, he could also bully his way into the semifinals here.
🎾 Get the full picture in our US Open Men’s Odds & Draw.
US Open Men’s Best Bet
Daniil Medvedev (+1000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
While Medvedev hasn’t looked like himself over the last couple of months, he’s still without a doubt the best value on the board.
He’s won the US Open before and finds himself in a quarter which, while filled with some trendy players, is ultimately packed with plenty of players who he’s beaten a lot in his career, like Andrey Rublev.
The Russian has been the most dominant hardcourt player in the world over the past three years outside of Alcaraz and Djokovic and is one of the smartest players in the field.
He’s been working on some new, more aggressive tactics this summer to try and combat the threat of Alcaraz, and he should have some ideas up his sleeve should the two ultimately face off in the semifinals.
Simply put, Medvedev is probably the most consistent player you can bet on outside of the top two guys here, and while it’s not very exciting to take him as the third favorite, I do think his price has drifted out far too much.
US Open Men’s Sleeper Bet
Alexander Zverev (+4000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
As the tournaments get closer, I find myself liking Zverev more and more. Sure, he’s in the quarter of death here with Sinner and Alcaraz lurking, but he’s beaten both of those guys before.
In the case of Sinner, he dismantled him right here at the US Open two years ago on Arthur Ashe.
Zverev looks really good right now and impressed in Cincinnati, where he defeated Medvedev en route to the semis.
Though he would eventually fall to Djokovic there, he did make that match awfully close with a 7-6, 7-5 scoreline and is playing just about as well as he could have hoped after injuring his ankle at Roland Garros last year.
The German has made the final here at the US Open before and looks better mentally than I’ve ever seen him. With a number this big, you’re just hoping he finds his way past Alcaraz and into the final, where you can hedge for profit.
