US Open Tennis 2019: TV Schedule, Picks for Wednesday Afternoon Draw
Aug 28, 2019
Roger Federer and Karolina Pliskova will be the big names to watch at the Arthur Ashe Stadium during Wednesday's afternoon action at the 2019 US Open.
Pliskova will kick off the action on the top court at noon ET (5 p.m. BST) against Mariam Bolkvadze, followed by Federer's match against Damir Dzumhur.
At the Louis Armstrong Stadium, play will start a little earlier, at 11 a.m. ET (4 p.m. BST). The first match of the day will be between Kei Nishikori and Bradley Klahn.
Here is a look at the afternoon schedule for the two top courts, as well as picks. For the full playing schedule, click here.
Arthur Ashe Stadium
(3) Karolina Pliskova vs. Mariam Bolkvadze, 12 p.m. ET/5 p.m. BST (Pliskova to win)
Followed by
(3) Roger Federer vs. Damir Dzumhur (Federer to win)
Louis Armstrong Stadium
(7) Kei Nishikori vs. Bradley Klahn, 11 a.m. ET/4 p.m. BST (Nishikori to win)
Followed by
(5) Elina Svitolina vs. Venus Williams (Williams to win)
Followed by
(10) Madison Keys vs. Lin Zhu (Keys to win)
ESPN3 will start their broadcast at 11 a.m. ET, before switching over to ESPN at 12 p.m. ET. British viewers can tune in via Amazon Prime, starting at 4 p.m. BST.
Federer survived a brief scare in the first round against Sumit Nagal, dropping the first set against the qualifier before breezing to victory in four sets.
Here are the highlights of that match:
The Swiss veteran committed an uncharacteristic 19 unforced errors in the opening set, but readjusted his aim to clinch the win. The 38-year-old has not lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam since the 2003 French Open.
Federer also lost the opening set in his first-round clash at Wimbledon, against Lloyd Harris, but grew into the tournament and made it all the way to the final. He hasn't won the US Open since 2008, the last of five consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows.
He is 2-0 for his career against Dzumhur, who has never been able to take more than three games in a single set off the third seed. Both of their clashes were in 2015.
Pliskova also had her struggles in the opening round, needing two tie breaks to advance past Tereza Martincova.
The 2016 finalist started the year in promising fashion with a semi-final at the Australian Open, but failed to make it into the quarter-finals at both the French Open and Wimbledon. Consistency has been a major issue, and things were no different in Round 1:
Surprisingly, she'll face Bolkvadze at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, while Venus Williams battles Elina Svitolina at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. The 39-year-old Williams lost just a single game in her opening-round win over Zheng Saisai, and could give Svitolina a major challenge this early in the tournament.
Sports reporter Matt Dowell couldn't believe the US Open opted not to put their clash on the biggest possible stage:
Say what you want, but none of the other 3 majors would ever put a match between a top 5 seed and a legend from their own country off the main stadium. #USOpen
Svitolina is coming off her first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon, but has never made it past the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.
US Open Tennis 2019: Replay TV Schedule, Live Stream for Tuesday's Draw
Aug 27, 2019
Sometimes, monumental upsets can happen in sports. But that wasn't the case on the first day of the 2019 U.S. Open.
As expected, many of the top players started this year's tournament with wins on the opening day, including world No. 1 men's singles player Novak Djokovic, who defeated Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-1, 6-4. The Serb was the highest-seeded player who opened play on Monday.
It wasn't smooth sailing for everybody, though. No. 3 men's seed Roger Federer lost his first set to Sumit Nagal, but he responded to secure a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
On the women's side, Serena Williams, the No. 8 seed, opened the tournament with a win over Maria Sharapova, who has previously been ranked as high as No. 1 in the world. However, Williams continued her dominance over the Russian by winning in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.
No. 2 seed Ashleigh Barty was the highest-ranked women's player who opened play Monday, and she bounced back from a first-set loss to Zarina Diyas to win 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Moving on from Monday's action, here's everything you need to know heading into Tuesday's slate of first-round matchups.
Tuesday Schedule
First round, Noon-11 p.m. ET, ESPN
First round, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. ET, ESPN3 and ESPN+
Encore coverage of first round, Midnight-8 a.m. ET (Wednesday), Tennis Channel
Tuesday Preview
Rafael Nadal may be best on clay courts, where he's won 12 of his 18 major titles, but he typically contends for the title at the other Grand Slam events, too. He is a three-time U.S. Open champion, last winning the tournament in 2017.
That was the last time the Spaniard won a non-French Open major, so he'll be looking to end a short drought at non-clay Grand Slam events at this year's U.S. Open.
Nadal begins play Tuesday when he takes on John Millman, who reached the quarterfinals at the tournament last year after a stunning upset victory over Federer.
Nadal has actually played better on hard courts this year, winning 17 of his 19 matches on the surface. And according to Francis Roig, one of his coaches, there are reasons for that.
"Rafa is feeling more complete now on the faster hard courts," the coach said, according to ATPTour.com. "He has much more confidence in his serve and has managed to boost the speed of both his first and second serves. This affords him many 'easy' points. He's also improved his all-court game and feels more sure of himself when approaching the net and volleying."
While Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, the top three seeds at the U.S. Open, have dominated Grand Slam play in the men's game in recent years—the trio have combined to win 11 straight majors over a three-year span—No. 4 seed Dominic Thiem is a contender to end that run.
The Austrian plays his first-round matchup on Tuesday when he takes on Thomas Fabbiano.
On the women's side, No. 1 seed Naomi Osaka will be in action as she opens tournament play with a first-round tie against Anna Blinkova.
Last year, the 21-year-old won her first Grand Slam title with a victory at the U.S. Open and then started the 2019 major season on a strong note with a win at the Australian Open. However, she didn't make it past the third round in each of the last two major tournaments, the French Open and Wimbledon.
Osaka defeated Serena Williams in last year's U.S. Open final. Now, she'll be looking to again prevent the American from winning her record-tying 24th career Grand Slam title.
US Open Tennis 2019: TV Schedule, Picks for Tuesday Afternoon Draw
Aug 27, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 23: Naomi Osaka of Japan fields questions during a press conference at media day prior to the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 23, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The latest batch of young stars will make their 2019 U.S. Open bows on Tuesday when Dominic Thiem, Naomi Osaka and Alexander Zverev get their tournaments under way.
Monday's opening slate of matches saw the likes of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Serena Williams advance to the second round. However, Angelique Kerber, Fabio Fognini and Guido Pella were among the seeded stars to exit at the first hurdle.
The favourites will hope to avoid similar slips on Tuesday when the action resumes at Flushing Meadows in New York.
Defending women's champion Osaka will be particularly motivated to make a successful start following recent disappointments in major tournaments.
The 2019 U.S. Open will not be broadcast on television in the United Kingdom, although Amazon Prime will provide live-stream coverage of the tournament.
12 p.m. - 7 p.m. ET, ESPN 7 p.m. ET onwards, ESPN (Primetime)
Preview
Austrian hopeful Thiem returns to New York looking to break up the hierarchy of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal.
The stage is set for defending champion Djokovic to challenge once more at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Federer and Nadal—who begins his tournament against John Millman in Tuesday's evening session—are also sure to be in contention.
Thiem, who begins his tournament against Thomas Fabbiano, has qualified for at least the third round in each of his five U.S. Open appearances and reached the quarter-finals in 2018.
The 25-year-old is yet to add a Grand Slam trophy to his record, but tennis analyst Darren Cahill noted he has been more competitive than most of the current field in recent years:
- Only 3 seeded players in the Top 10 in 2009 are back seeded in the Top 10 this year. They are Federer, Nadal and Djokovic
- No man under the age of 30 holds a Major title
- Thiem (25yo) is the youngest man playing to make a Major final
Sixth seed Zverev should make it past Radu Albot in their first ATP meeting on Tuesday. The German's U.S. Open record has gradually improved as he's competed down the years, and he advanced to the third round for the first time in 2018.
Eleven-time Grand Slam winner Rod Laver recently put Zverev and Marin Cilic, who faces a potentially tricky opener against Martin Klizan, in the conversation for this year's title:
Back at the @usopen for the final leg of my 69 Grand Slam. Great to catch up with @RafaelNadal , Alex Zverev and @cilic_marin - @LaverCup Team Europe teammates past and present. All capable of taking the throne at Flushing Meadows this fortnight. Rocket 🚀 pic.twitter.com/sLrYQVasJy
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) August 24, 2019
Her 2019 tournament is certain to feel different. Osaka exited this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon in the third and first rounds, respectively, and she's in need of a turnaround in form if she's to successfully defend her crown.
She recently highlighted the difference in seeing herself promoted as one of the headline acts in New York:
Osaka will face Anna Blinkova for the first time on Tuesday when she will look to send a message to the rest of the field and begin her title defence in style.
CFB Week 1, US Open Begins, AEW All Out, UCL Playoffs and More to Watch
Aug 26, 2019
This week in sports has a distinctly American flavor to it, with U.S. Open tennis starting Monday, U.S. Open Cup soccer awarding a trophy Tuesday, the U.S. women's national team resuming its victory tour Thursday and the calendar flipping to the final month of the regular season of America's pastime.
But even those events take a backseat this week to the complete return of the most American sport of them all: college football. Gather your friends and plan the tailgates—college football is here, and the chase for the four spots in the College Football Playoff is on. Let's ride.
Must Watch: College Football Week 1
After a doubleheader Saturday night, college football is officially back. This Thursday features a slate of 16 games, headlined by the return to the field of last season's national champions, the Clemson Tigers.
Four teams ranked in the preseason AP poll kick off Thursday night, including a major rivalry game out west (all times eastern):
Georgia Tech at No. 1 Clemson, 8 p.m. on ACC Network | New Yellow Jackets head coach Geoff Collins debuts against Heisman Trophy candidate Trevor Lawrence and the Tigers in the first football broadcast on ESPN's new ACC Network.
Texas State at No. 12 Texas A&M, 8:30 p.m. on SEC Network
No. 14 Utah at BYU, 10:15 p.m. on ESPN | In what's likely to be the most intense game of the night, the Utes travel the short 50 miles to Provo to face their rivals in the Holy War. The environment for this one will probably be louder than loud.
Florida A&M at No. 17 UCF, 7:30 p.m. on CBSSN
Two ranked Big Ten teams highlight Friday's action, with No. 18 Michigan State hosting Tulsa at 7 p.m. on FS1 and No. 19 Wisconsin traveling to South Florida at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Then our first full college football Saturday commences with games from noon until well after midnight. Below are the matchups with top teams playing throughout the day. You can view the complete first weekend schedule here.
Florida Atlantic at No. 5 Ohio State, 12 p.m. on Fox | The post-Urban Meyer era begins in Columbus.
Duke vs. No. 2 Alabama, 3:30 p.m. on ABC | In the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Nick Saban's Crimson Tide begin a quest to return to the national title game.
No. 3 Georgia at Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network | The two-time SEC East champion Bulldogs open conference play on the road in Nashville against a Commodores team looking to make an early statement.
No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 16 Auburn, 7:30 p.m. on ABC | From AT&T Stadium in Arlington, where College GameDay will be Saturday morning, this Pac-12 vs. SEC showdown is the only ranked matchup of opening weekend.
And then for good measure, on Sunday the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners and their new starting QB, Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts, host Houston at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
Watch This: U.S Open Begins
The final Grand Slam major of the tennis season begins from the hard courts at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, on Monday.
Novak Djokovic has the top seed in the men's draw as he looks for his third major title of the year, but he'll be flanked by French Open champion and second seed Rafael Nadal as well as No. 3 Roger Federer, who won this tournament five times in a row from 2004 to 2008 but hasn't lifted the trophy since.
Djokovic begins play Monday in the afternoon session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Federer following in the night session. Nadal plays his first-round match in the night session Tuesday.
On the women's side, things get good right off the bat with No. 8 seed Serena Williams facing Maria Sharapova on Monday night. Williams is still looking for her all-time record-tying 24th Grand Slam title and should be glad to draw Sharapova, against whom she is 19-3.
2018 U.S. Open champion and 2019 No. 1 seed Naomi Osaka has struggled with consistency this season but remains a threat to repeat. Still just 21 years old, she plays in the first round Tuesday afternoon. Wimbledon winner Ashleigh Barty earns the second seed and begins her tournament Monday afternoon.
1. UEFA Champions and Europa League Playoff Rounds and Group Stage Draws
Everything will be set for the 2019-20 UEFA Champions and Europa League seasons by week's end, as the playoff rounds conclude with second legs and lead into the group stage draws for each competition.
Every second leg in the Champions League playoff round will kick off at 3 p.m. ET and stream on B/R Live, with one match each day also broadcasting on TNT. Find the matches below, with first-leg scores in parentheses.
Tuesday:
Red Star Belgrade (2) vs. Young Boys (2) on TNT
Krasnodar (0) vs. Olympiacos (4)
Rosenborg (0) vs. Dinamo Zagreb (2)
Wednesday:
Ajax (0) vs. APOEL (0) on TNT
Slavia Prague (1) vs. Cluj (0)
Club Brugge (1) vs. LASK (0)
Once the final six spots in the field of 32 are confirmed, a draw will determine the eight groups of four teams for the Champions League Group Stage. The draw starts at 12 p.m. ET on Thursday and will stream free on B/R Live. In addition to drawing the groups, the event will also announce the winners of UEFA's 2018-19 awards, including Player of the Year, Forward of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, Defender of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year.
All Elite Wrestling heads to Chicago for its second premier pay-per-view event, All Out, on Saturday night. Adam "Hangman" Page vs. Chris Jericho for the inaugural AEW World Championship headlines the nine-match card that also features Pac vs. Kenny Omega, Cody vs. Shawn Spears and Lucha Brothers vs. The Young Bucks.
Just as the calendar flips from August to September this weekend, the first Old Firm Derby of the season arrives Sunday morning. Celtic and Rangers are tied atop the Scottish Premiership table early on, with each team having won all of its matches so far.
The rivals and two biggest clubs in Glasgow kick off for the first time this season Sunday at 7 a.m. Stream the match on B/R Live here.
More to Watch This Week
1. U.S. Open Cup Final
The 106thedition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will crown a champion Tuesday night with a match between Atlanta United and Minnesota United. The United States domestic tournament final comes down to two MLS teams who entered the league as expansion sides in the same season back in 2017.
Atlanta earned its first win in club history in a victory at Minnesota during that opening season. Tuesday's match will be played at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Minnesota returned later in that 2017 season and left with a win, one of only a handful of teams ever to beat Atlanta on its home turf. The clubs' history makes for an intriguing cup final, as Minnesota looks to raise its first trophy, while Atlanta can earn its third.
Kickoff on Tuesday is at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
2. USWNT Victory Tour
If you've missed the United States women's national team the last couple of weeks in between stops on their victory tour, you're not alone. But cheer up because the Americans are back Thursday in a friendly against Portugal in Philadelphia, where there will be a record crowd.
HISTORY! 🎟 44,100 🎟
You did this, Philadelphia ❤️ We can't wait to see you there!
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 22, 2019
It's the second of five matches on the victory tour for the squad, which will showcase many of the stars who led the team to back-to-back World Cup titles earlier this summer. The USWNT defeated Ireland 3-0 at the Rose Bowl at the start of August.
Thursday's match against Portugal begins at 7 p.m. and will air on Fox Sports 1.
3. European Headliners
A marquee matchup in each of Serie A and the Premier League spotlight this weekend in world football. Fresh off season-opening wins, Juventus and Napoli square off Saturday afternoon (2:45 p.m. on ESPN+). Cristiano Ronaldo is in search of his first goal of the campaign, while this match could mark the Napoli debut of newly acquired winger Hirving "Chucky" Lozano.
Then Sunday, Arsenal gets another early Premier League test when the team faces Tottenham just a week after falling to Liverpool. Both the Gunners and the Spurs will be coming off of losses, making their meeting a quite important one even a month into the season.
Arsenal and Tottenham will kick off at 11:30 a.m. on NBCSN.
4. MLB Playoff Races
Significant playoff implications are in play in a couple of weekend series in Major League Baseball. In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers go on the road to the team directly ahead of them in the Central Division and two teams ahead in the NL Wild Card, the Chicago Cubs. And in the American League, two teams right at the front of the wild-card race meet in Florida.
Each game of these two series will be televised locally and on MLB.TV. Check out the pitching matchups and start times for the weekend:
Friday:
Chase Anderson (MIL) vs. Jose Quintana (CHC), 2:20 p.m.
Zach Plesac (CLE) vs. TBA (TB), 7:10 p.m.
Saturday:
Zach Davies (MIL) vs. Cole Hamels (CHC), 2:20 p.m.
Shane Bieber (CLE) vs. TBA (TB), 6:10 p.m.
Sunday:
Adam Plutko (CLE) vs. Charlie Morton (TB), 1:10 p.m.
Gio Gonzalez (MIL) vs. Yu Darvish (CHC), 2:20 p.m.
Quick Catchup
1. Luck Out
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck shockingly announced his retirement from the NFL on Saturday night, citing injuries that have drained him mentally and taken away his love for the game of football.
Dearest mother — The quill has never felt more heavy. I have made the decision to holster my sidearm permanently. I shall battle no more. The decision is difficult, but, as the hogs taught me, I must be true to myself. I am coming home to care for you and the farm. — Andrew
River Ridge, Louisiana, used a relentless lineup along with sound pitching and defense to defeat Willemstad, Curaçao, 8-0 on Sunday afternoon to win the Little League World Series. The group is the first team from Louisiana and to win the LLWS championship and the first to win the title after losing its opening game in Williamsport.
On Sunday, Rory McIlroy won the Tour Championship and, under a new scoring format, the entire FedEx Cup. The Northern Irishman pulled away from Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele in the final round to claim his second FedEx Cup title, having also won in 2016. For the win this year, he'll pocket a cool $15 million.
Week zero in college football gave us a contender for moment of the year already. A Feleipe Franks interception began quite a bizarre last few minutes of the fourth quarter between Miami and Florida, leaving Gators legend Steve Spurrier dumbfounded. If he had a visor to throw, you know he would've.
US Open Tennis 2019: TV Schedule, Start Times for Monday Night Draw
Aug 26, 2019
Serena Williams, of the United States, returns the ball as she practices for the U.S. Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Monday's late U.S. Open action will be highlighted by the clash between rivals Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova before Roger Federer starts his bid to win the men's tournament against qualifier Sumit Nagal.
Stanislas Wawrinka will face Italy's Jannik Sinner in the Louis Armstrong Stadium, followed by Madison Keys' match against Misaki Doi.
The full draw for Monday's action can be found here. The late session will start at 6 p.m. ET/11 p.m. BST and will be broadcast across ESPN2 (U.S.) and Amazon Prime (UK). The action on the top courts starts at 7 p.m. ET/12 a.m. BST.
Monday's night session will kick off with a bang, with Williams and Sharapova facing each other at Flushing Meadows for the first time.
On court, the head-to-head has been one-sided:
Serena Williams leads Maria Sharapova 19-3 in career head-to-head matchups https://t.co/ovcHEYMtB5
There's no denying the two have a strong rivalry going, however. As detailed by SB Nation, it dates all the way back to Sharapova's win in the Wimbledon final in 2004, and it flared up after the Russian spoke about that meeting in her biography:
Sharapova hasn't beaten the six-time U.S. Open champion on the court since 2004, but she did win the last official meeting between the two, a walkover during last year's French Open.
India's Nagal will make his Grand Slam debut on one of the biggest stages in the world, taking on Federer in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
According to press officer Randy Walker, it was exactly the draw he was hoping for:
I was just talking to Sumit Nagal of India after he advanced through #USOpen qualies and he said he really wanted to have the chance to draw Roger Federer and... he got his wish!!
Federer has won five times in New York and remains a major threat, even at the age of 38. He pushed Novak Djokovic all the way in the Wimbledon final earlier this year and enters the U.S. Open as the third seed.
Sinner became the first men's player born in 2001 to qualify for the main draw of a Grand Slam, and the Italian talent will try and land a major upset against 2016 U.S. Open champion Wawrinka.
The Swiss star has not performed well in Grand Slams this year, with one quarter-final appearance in France and two second-round exits. Sinner won his second Challenger in Lexington earlier this year and has moved into the top 150 of the ATP rankings.
Doi has made it to the second round of the U.S. Open just once and should not provide 2017 finalists Keys with a major challenge.
US Open Tennis 2019: Schedule, Dates, Times, Live Stream and Predictions
Aug 25, 2019
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, tosses the ball on a serve to Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
The men's and women's draws at Grand Slams typically turn into polar opposites.
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have controlled the men's tournaments over the past three years, while there has been no repeat women's champion since 2016.
Those trends will likely continue at the 2019 U.S. Open, with two of top three men expected to reach the final and the women's field more wide-open because of the plethora of contenders.
Although the brackets could play out in much different fashion, with more upsets likely on the women's side, the results could be the same as a year ago, with defending champions Djokovic and Naomi Osaka entering as the No. 1 seeds.
2019 U.S. Open Schedule
All Times ET.
August 26: Noon-6 p.m. (ESPN), 6-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
August 27: Noon-11 p.m. (ESPN)
August 28: Noon-11 p.m. (ESPN)
August 29: Noon-6 p.m. (ESPN), 6-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
August 30: Noon-6 p.m. (ESPN), 6-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
August 31: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
September 1: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (ESPN), 7-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
September 2: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
September 3: Noon-11 p.m. (ESPN)
September 4: Noon-11 p.m. (ESPN)
September 5: Women's semifinals (7-11 p.m., ESPN)
September 6: Men's semifinals (4-11 p.m., ESPN)
September 7: Women's final (4-7 p.m., ESPN)
September 8: Men's final (4-7 p.m., ESPN)
All TV matches can be live-streamed on Watch ESPN.
All non-TV matches can be live-streamed on ESPN3 and ESPN+.
Predictions
Novak Djokovic over Rafael Nadal
Djokovic has won four of the past five majors, including the last two played on hard courts.
In order to claim his second straight U.S. Open crown, the Serb likely has to down Nadal in the championship match.
At January's Australian Open, Djokovic defeated the Spaniard in straight sets to pick up his 15th career major.
In that tournament, Djokovic lost two sets, one to Denis Shapovalov in the third round and the other to Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round.
The 16-time Grand Slam champion produced similar results at Wimbledon, as he dropped two sets over six rounds before outlasting Federer in the final.
Djokovic could face Federer in the semifinals, and he holds an advantage over the Swiss, with six victories in the past seven matches, five of which occurred on hard courts.
The 32-year-old bested Nadal on hard courts in their past eight matches on the surface.
Nadal defeated Djokovic twice at the U.S. Open in 2010 and 2013, but he has been more dominant in the rivalry on clay.
Barring an upset in either bracket, which has been unlikely lately, the titans will square off in the men's final.
We are giving Djokovic the edge because of his recent major form and performances on the hard surface against the left-handed legend.
Naomi Osaka over Sofia Kenin
Over 10 former major champions are entered into the women's draw, with 23-time winner Serena Williams and Osaka headlining the field.
In 2019, 12 different women advanced to the semifinals at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.
The unpredictability makes for an entertaining tournament but turns predicting the outcome into a difficult business.
Osaka has an easier route to the semifinals than other contenders, with Kiki Bertens, whose lone major semifinal appearance came in 2016, as her top threat in the upper portion of the bracket.
The toughest draw comes in the third and fourth pods, where Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki, Sloane Stephens, Garbine Muguruza and Petra Kvitova reside.
Whichever woman makes it out of that section would have to face Osaka in the semifinals, which presumably gives the two-time major winner an advantage based off work load over the two-week span.
Even though she has not reached a final since conquering the Australian Open, the 21-year-old has a favorable draw and played well in New York a year ago.
On the other end of the draw, American Sofia Kenin is worth watching as a dark horse after she made it to the semifinals in Cincinnati and Toronto.
In Canada, the 20-year-old knocked off Ashleigh Barty, and in Ohio, she defeated Elina Svitolina and beat Osaka after a third-set retirement.
Kenin made a run to the fourth round at the French Open, and her recent results should provide her with a confidence boost.
Navigating the bottom half will not be easy, but she proved in recent weeks that the name on the other side of the court does not intimidate her. Kenin could face Madison Keys, Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova and Williams on her way to the final.
In the predicted final, we are going with Osaka's championship experience. In her most recent matchup with Kenin, she won the second set 6-1 before retiring with a knee injury.
A year ago, Osaka did not drop a set to Madison Keys or Williams to finish off her title, and we expect a similar dominance as she finds her form in New York.
US Open Tennis 2019 Draw: Breaking Down TV Schedule and Brackets
Aug 25, 2019
Serena Williams of the US (R) shakes hands with Russia's Maria Sharapova after winning their women's singles match on day nine of the 2016 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 26, 2016. AFP PHOTO / SAEED KHAN -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE / AFP / SAEED KHAN (Photo credit should read SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)
The 2019 U.S. Open begins with a high-profile first-round clash in the women's draw and has the potential to end with another epic between two of the best men's players in the world.
The matchup does not have the intrigue it had a few years ago since Sharapova currently sits at No. 87 in the world rankings and has made just one Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance since 2016.
Sharapova has struggled lately and has not fared well versus the 23-time major champion in her career, with three victories, one of which came by way of a retirement. But since the two carry so much name recognition, it will still be a match many get excited for.
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are expected to control the headlines out of the men's draw again, with the Serbian and Swiss on a collision course for the semifinals.
U.S. Open TV Schedule
August 26: Noon-6 p.m. (ESPN), 6-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
August 27: Noon-11 p.m. (ESPN)
August 28: Noon-11 p.m. (ESPN)
August 29: Noon-6 p.m. (ESPN), 6-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
August 30: Noon-6 p.m. (ESPN), 6-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
August 31: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
September 1: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (ESPN), 7-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
September 2: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (ESPN2)
September 3: Noon-11 p.m. (ESPN)
September 4: Noon-11 p.m. (ESPN)
September 5: Women's semifinals (7-11 p.m., ESPN)
September 6: Men's semifinals (4-11 p.m., ESPN)
September 7: Women's final (4-7 p.m., ESPN)
September 8: Men's final (4-7 p.m., ESPN)
All TV matches can be live-streamed on Watch ESPN.
Djokovic, Federer and Nadal's most-recent hold on the major championships has lasted three years.
The last person outside of the trio to capture a Grand Slam crown was Stanislas Wawrinka at the 2016 U.S. Open.
In fact, the last of the four majors has featured the most variety in champions over the past decade, with Juan Martin del Potro, Andy Murray and Marin Cilic winning as well as Djokovic and Nadal.
The 38-year-old Federer has the longest drought in New York of the marquee threesome, with his last championship coming in 2008.
Even though he has not won the tournament in 11 years, the 20-time Grand Slam champion is relaxed about his prospects, per ATPTour.com.
“I'm not putting extra pressure on myself. I know it's going to be tough," Federer said. "I'm not coming in as the overwhelming favorite like maybe I did back in 2006 or 2007. I'm very much aware of how I need to approach this tournament mentally. What I'm very proud of is I've had a very consistent last year and a half, two years, ever since my back locked up on me in Montreal. I struggled here as well, struggled for quite a while."
Federer suffered an unexpected fourth-round defeat to John Millman in 2018, but it is highly likely he advances past that stage before his draw gets tougher.
If the bracket holds to form, Kei Nishikori will await Federer in the quarterfinals before a potential semifinal clash with Djokovic.
The matchup with the Serbian would probably be one of the most-hyped contests of the competition since the two took part in a historic Wimbledon final at the start of July.
Nadal is the top-ranked male in the bottom portion of the bracket. The Spaniard could square off with Cilic, the lone Grand Slam champion in his section, in the fourth round, while young stars Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev could pose a threat later on.
Thiem reached the last two French Open finals, but he has not gotten past the quarterfinals in New York, while Zverev is working toward his first Grand Slam semifinal appearance.
John Isner and Taylor Fritz are the two seeded Americans in the men's field. Isner has qualified for a major semifinal once at Wimbledon in 2018, while Fritz has yet to make it past the third round.
The last four matches between the Russian and American have come at major tournaments, but the last victory in favor of Sharapova was due Williams' injury retirement in the round of 16 at the 2018 French Open.
Sharapova's two other victories occurred in 2004 before Williams pulled off a string of 18 consecutive wins, including seven straight-set triumphs in a row.
Once a victor is determined Monday, the focus of the women's draw should turn back to an overall perspective.
Osaka, Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep have major titles in 2019, and the top seed is one of four previous U.S. Open champions in the field. Williams, Angelique Kerber and Sloane Stephens are the others.
Osaka, Halep and Stephens are located in the top half of the bracket along with previous major winners Garbine Muguruza and Petra Kvitova.
Barty and Kerber could land in a fourth-round clash, with Williams possibly facing the winner of that match.
Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina and Madison Keys, all seeded in the top 10 and looking for their first majors, reside in the bottom half of the draw.
One of those women could add to the list of champions since Williams earned her 23rd Grand Slam at the 2017 Australian Open. Since then, six players, including Osaka a year ago in New York, won their first major.
Fifteen-year-old American Coco Gauff might not be ready to challenge for a title yet, but she will earn attention after her surprise run to the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Gauff is positioned in a tough spot with a potential second-round matchup against Carla Suarez Navarro and Osaka possibly waiting in the third round.
US Open Tennis 2019: Bracket Predictions, Odds for Top Players, Prize-Money Info
Aug 25, 2019
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 22: Goran Ivanisevic watches Novak Djokovic of Serbia practice for the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 22, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The final tennis major of the year begins on Monday, when the world's best players will be aiming for glory at the 2019 U.S. Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
Top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic will be out to retain his title and claim the 17th Grand Slam of a glittering career.
He will face competition from former champions Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, while Russia's Daniil Medvedev is one to watch after beating Djokovic at the Western & Southern Open inCincinnati.
The women's draw looks wide-open and is packed full of serious contenders. Six-time winner Serena Williams is the favourite just ahead of 2019 Wimbledon champion Simona Halep.
French Open winner Ashleigh Barty, defending champion Naomi Osaka and 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Madison Keys are also fancied by the oddsmakers.
There is a grand total of $57,238,700 available in prize money at the 2019 U.S. Open, per the tournament's official website.
The winners of the men's and women's singles titles will take home $3.85 million each, while the runners-up are set to pocket $1.9 million.
Winner: $3.85 million
Runner-up: $1.9 million
Semi-finalists: $960,000
Quarter-finalists: $500,000
Round of 16: $280,000
Round of 32: $163,000
Round of 64: $100,000
Round of 128: $58,000
U.S. Open Bracket Predictions
Djokovic has won four of the past five Grand Slams and is the man to beat at the U.S. Open. The Serb's most recent major win came at Wimbledon in June when he beat Federer in the longest singles final ever:
The defeat will have been a painful one for Federer. He had two championship points during the match but could not see off the top seed, and his wait for a 21st Grand Slam continues.
However, the Swiss star said "this is probably the best I've felt in years" heading into the tournament after a caravan holiday with his family, according to Jonathan Jurejko at BBC Sport.
There is no doubting Federer's quality, but his loss at Wimbledon may have left the 38-year-old doubting whether he still has the capacity to beat Djokovic over five sets.
One player in the draw who has recent experience of beating Djokovic is Medvedev. The Russian overcame the Serb in Cincinnati on his way to claiming the title:
The 23-year-old has been in superb form ahead of the tournament and looks in good shape to make an impact in New York.
Meanwhile, Nadal can not be discounted despite his most recent win at this tournament coming all the way back in 2010.
The Spaniard won his 18th Grand Slam at the French Open in June, and a triumph in New York would put him just one behind Federer's record of 20.
Nadal has also impressed in the run-up to the U.S Open, thrashing Medvedev in straight sets to win the Canadian Open title.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 08: Naomi Osaka of Japan poses with the championship trophy after winning the Women's Singles finals match against Serena Williams of the United States on Day Thirteen of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Ten
The women's draw is difficult to predict given the depth of competition. There have been three major champions in 2019, and it would be little surprise to see that trend continue.
Williams may be the favourite but faces a tough first round match after being drawn against 2006 champion Maria Sharapova:
The 2019 women's tournament is set to kick off with a bang, as Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova meet for the first time in US Open history. 💥
The pair have a long and intense rivalry and will meet for the first time since 2016 in what promises to be a blockbuster start to the tournament.
Bianca Andreescu is one player who heads into the tournament in fine form. The 19-year-old won her first title at Indian Wells in March and backed that up with victory at the Canadian Open.
Sportsnet's Faizal Khamisa highlighted her meteoric rise:
A year ago today Bianca Andreescu was ranked 209 in the world. Today she’s ranked 14. A look at her incredible last year, through numbers.pic.twitter.com/OhNezeRqJs
Andreescu has enjoyed wins over Karolina Pliskova, Kiki Bertens, Angelique Kerber and Elina Svitolina in 2019 and looks set to make an impact as she searches for her first Grand Slam.
US Open Tennis 2019: Odds, Predictions for Key Players in Draw
Aug 23, 2019
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 09: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his win over Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during the men's final of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium on September 9, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic is the bookmakers' pick to successfully defend his crown at the 2019 U.S. Open, which gets under way at Flushing Meadows in New York on Monday.
The path looks clear for Djokovic, 32, to defend the trophy for the first time in his career—a potential fourth U.S. Open crown overall—despite veterans Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer still presenting stiff competition.
Naomi Osaka doesn't look as certain to retain the women's top prize. She is behind favourite and five-time tournament-winner Serena Williams—who will take on Maria Sharapova in a first-round headliner—and 2015 semi-finalist Simona Halep in the odds.
Top seed Osaka, 21, faces Russian Anna Blinkova in her opener and has been drawn a potential third-round matchup opposite American starlet Cori Gauff, 15.
Williams hasn't won a major since the 2017 Australian Open, but she enters as 4-1 favourite to end that drought in New York.
Djokovic will be on the hunt for his third major of the year before heading to the ATP Finals in November.
The world No. 1 has reached more U.S. Open finals than in any other Grand Slam with nine appearances, winning in three of those (2011, '15, '18).
He beat Nadal, 33, in the Australian Open final in January and edged Roger Federer, 38, to win Wimbledon for a fifth time.
Interestingly, Djokovic could run into Daniil Medvedev—who recently beat him en route to the Cincinnati Masters crown—in the quarter-finals, via Tennis TV:
Nole has a knack of transforming into his most clinical self in Grand Slams, and his title wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year stand as evidence of that.
Fourth seed Dominic Thiem and sixth seed Alexander Zverev don't yet look the finished product in major tournaments, with the elite clinging on to what could be their last days of dominion.
Tennis analyst Enrico Maria Riva pointed out the disparity in Grand Slam titles between Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and the rest of the field:
That said, Djokovic and second seed Nadal again look like encouraging picks to meet in the final. The Spaniard won here as recently as 2017, but that was in the midst of Nole's out-of-form period, and the Serb now presents a much stronger threat.
The excitement is palpable in the women's bracket ahead of the first clash between Williams and Sharapova in more than three-and-a-half years, per tennis writer Jose Morgado:
Serena Williams vs Maria Sharapova is a #USOpen R1. It's happening. It's here.
Sharapova, 32, is yet to make it past the round of 16 in any of the six tournaments she's participated in this year, per theofficialWTAwebsite.
Williams was forced to withdraw before the two were set to clash at the 2018 French Open due to injury. Technically, Sharapova is on a streak of 18 consecutive losses to the six-time U.S. Open winner, with the former having last beat her rival at the 2004 WTA Championships.
The favourite could cruise through the first few rounds, but 12th seed Anastasija Sevastova, No. 2 Ashleigh Barty and third seed Karolina Pliskova are each potentially on her schedule before the final.
A return to Flushing Meadows is also sure to dredge up memories of last year's controversial final defeat to Osaka, when Williams broke her racket and had an argument with the umpire, via ABC News:
Osaka built on her maiden major win at last year's U.S. Open by clinching another in Melbourne, Australia, in January, but she's since failed to get past the third round in two Grand Slams.
Her first-round exit at Wimbledon was a particular disappointment, and the world No. 1 hasn't displayed the kind of title-winning form necessary to suggest she'll keep the crown in New York.
US Open Tennis 2019: Odds and Predictions for Year's Final Major
Aug 21, 2019
MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 16: Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot to Lucas Pouille of France during the Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 16, 2019 in Mason, Ohio. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic returns to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York as the bookmakers' favourite to successfully defend his title at the 2019 U.S. Open, beginning on Monday.
French Open winner Rafael Nadal is the only other men's player to have won a major in 2019, while Djokovic has featured in seven of the past nine U.S. Open finals.
Serena Williams leads the odds in the women's singles despite having having clinched the most recent of her six U.S. Open titles in 2014.
Naomi Osaka was crowned champion in New York last year and returns as the top seed, but Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova are just some of the top names out to block her defence.
Novak Too Hot to Stop, Serena to Fall Short as Favourite
Djokovic will return to Grand Slam action six weeks after he defeated Roger Federer to become Wimbledon champion for the fifth time in his career, and his chances look more favourable this time around.
It's no secret the Serb often produces his best on a hard court; his official ATP Tour profile shows Djokovic has won 555 matches on the surface and has a win ratio of 0.840, a close second to his grass record (0.841).
Daniil Medvedev is a surprise feature among the men's front-runners for the U.S. Open title, although a semi-final win over Djokovic on Saturday en route to the 2019 Cincinnati Masters title showed why he's a contender, via Tennis TV:
The 23-year-old Russian has been making steady strides in his results this season, and Djokovic was complimentary of his talent following the upset, per journalist Sasa Ozmo:
Djokovic: Everythining is fine with the arm, no pain at all, no physical problems. Medvedev played bravely, phenomenally. #CincyTennishttps://t.co/4vvqF5rqN9
Nevertheless, Djokovic tends to find an extra gear at the U.S. Open and will approach the tournament with more caution. He has won three of the four finals he's reached in 2019, and it's difficult to see who can stage an upset in New York.
The same can't be said for Williams. She returns to Flushing Meadows in pursuit of her seventh U.S. Open crown, which would see her move clear of Chris Evert as the most successful champion in this competition in the Open era (Molla Bjurstedt Mallory won eight titles in the amateur era).
Osaka, 21, won a 2018 U.S. Open final against Williams that went down in infamy for the latter's clash with the umpire, per Don Van Natta Jr. of ESPN.
One year on, The Times' Stuart Fraser doesn't believe the 37-year-old has accepted her share of the blame for that incident:
Just watched "Serena vs The Umpire", the ESPN documentary on the "backstory" of last year's US Open controversy. Nothing new, to be honest, including little sign of any responsibility being taken by the Williams camp.
Osaka is a better-known player than she was 12 months ago, but early-round exits in the French Open and Wimbledon this year suggest being among the favourites does not always sit comfortably with her.
Pliskova, 27, is third seed for this year's Open and has made it to at least the final eight of the previous three tournaments. She lost to Angelique Kerber in the 2016 final, followed by back-to-back quarter-final exits against CoCo Vandeweghe and Williams in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
More recently, the Czech defeated Kerber in the 2019 Nature Valley International final at Eastbourne before falling to Karolina Muchova in the fourth round at Wimbledon, keeping her at No. 3 in the WTA rankings:
Pliskova is yet to win a major but frequently shows the potential is there. The U.S. Open looks like her most favoured Grand Slam, and she could emerge as a surprise contender for the crown.
Prediction: Novak Djokovic to win men's singles, Karolina Pliskova to win women's singles
