U.S. Open Men's Draw: Djokovic Favored, Alcaraz Not Far Behind

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00:00 (upbeat music)

00:03 - Djokovic is the favorite in Queens, even money plus 100,

00:06 but Carlito only 75 cents behind at plus 175.

00:11 Pam, as you look at the men's draw for the 2023 US Open,

00:15 is there a clear tier of two as the odds would indicate?

00:18 - Definitely it would be number one and number two,

00:21 Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

00:23 Alcaraz to me has a fairly easy path.

00:25 A lot of the media is saying that it's a very difficult path

00:28 to me, I see opposite.

00:29 His next match right now against Lloyd Harris,

00:32 who's been in and out of injury.

00:34 Alcaraz should come out with a straight set win.

00:36 We just saw him win via walkover, so he's refreshed.

00:39 He's not gonna be tested likely until the quarterfinal

00:41 against possibly Alexander Zverev or Yannick Sinner.

00:45 In my opinion, it's gonna be Carlos Alcaraz against Zverev.

00:47 And if that is the case, and I say that because I like

00:51 Zverev in a potential matchup against Sinner

00:53 in the fourth round.

00:54 Zverev over Sinner holds a three to one head to head record.

00:58 Sinner has a very shaky first round history,

01:00 but he did just fine in this tournament.

01:02 He lost the opening.

01:03 Sinner has, in my opinion, Sinner has the tougher draw,

01:07 but Zverev is 18 and seven overall here.

01:10 He absorbs pace, he has the experience,

01:11 he has the baseline power.

01:13 So that's somebody that can contend against Sinner.

01:15 Now, if that does come to fruition,

01:17 then I definitely love Alcaraz over Zverev

01:19 because of the way that he destroyed Zverev at Madrid.

01:22 A six, three, six, three, then six, one, six, two

01:24 in back to back years this year.

01:26 Madrid is Zverev's best tournament,

01:28 and he just made him look like a complete chump change.

01:31 Now, Sinner is the player that can definitely contend,

01:33 but I still like Carlos in that matchup anyway

01:36 because this is a best of five.

01:38 And what we have saw from how he just kind of dismantled,

01:41 I'll say that word, Djokovic at Wimbledon,

01:45 who's the best grass court player.

01:46 Yeah, nobody's gonna compete.

01:48 And then you have Djokovic,

01:49 who also has the easiest draw.

01:53 Djokovic last won this tournament back in 2018,

01:56 81 and 13 here.

01:57 Maybe, maybe we see Djokovic challenged

02:01 in the quarterfinal if it is Taylor Fritz,

02:03 American Taylor Fritz.

02:05 2021 Australian Open, Fritz pushed Djokovic to five sets.

02:08 Fritz is a much better player now.

02:10 He's more aware of when to push, when to hold back.

02:13 He has a better court sense.

02:14 He has patience now much better than he ever has.

02:17 So if it's not Fritz,

02:19 cash that ticket to Djokovic to reach the final ticket

02:22 because it's Djokovic against who?

02:25 From the top, which should be Carlos Aceras.

02:28 (upbeat music)

02:31 [MUSIC]

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