US Open tips: The stars are aligning for Novak Djokovic

The final major of the year is well underway and things could not be working out much better for Novak Djokovic.

The Serb – a voluptuary baller full of high voltage charisma - was already a heavy favourite in the eyes of the bookies to reach the men's final from the bottom half of the draw.

However, his path has been made much smoother after Grand Slam finalists Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud became two of the highest US Open men's seeds to fall after shock second round defeats.

Ruud made the final last year and harboured hopes of another deep run but lost 4-6 7-5 2-6 6-0 2-6 to Chinese World No 67 Zhang Zhizhen.

US Open Top Tip: Fritz to beat Mensik 3-1 at 5/2 (Planet Sport Bet)

Tsitsipas’ loss to Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker was perhaps less of a surprise given his poor form this summer, with the Greek seemingly happy to now accept that some days you are the pigeon on the ATP Tour, and some days you are the statue.

Djokovic sauntered through to round three with a routine 6-4 6-1 6-1 win over Spain's Bernabe Zapata Miralles, and it all means that he has been chopped to a shade of odds on with Planet Sport Bet, with Nole now 5/6 to win what would be a fourth US Open.

Carlos Alcaraz has been pushed out to 7/4 by the same firm, despite not looking like he is feeling much pressure as the defending champion. He is in a trickier section than his big rival Djokovic, but it would be a shock if the pair were not contesting the final a week Sunday.

One of the big movers in the outright betting is Taylor Fritz, chopped to 28/1 from 66/1 after a couple of dominant displays. Despite ensconcing himself inside the top 10 on the Tour, Fritz has been extremely disappointing at major level, losing to much lower-ranked players time and again in the Slams. He has too much talent not to put a big run together sooner or later, and it could happen in New York.

Fritz gets an intriguing test next up on Friday against Jakub Mensik, the Czech teen competing in his first major as a pro. Mensik battled through qualifying to get here and then became the youngest man since Borna Coric in 2014 to win a main draw match at the US Open.

He’s now the youngest player to make the US Open third round since 1990 (Fabrice Santoro), but the layers do not give him much hope of toppling Fritz. The American is 1/14 to win the match, so in the eyes of the bookies, Mensik’s got two chances. Slim, and none. And Slim just left town.

However based on his showings so far in New York odds of 1/14 may be doing this unpretentious Czech rabble-rouser a disservice, and I reckon the World No 206 has the talent and the cojones to at least grab a set from the World No 9. 
In a match where serve could dominate, Fritz to win 3-1 in sets looks worth a play at 5/2. 

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