US Open Tennis 2016: Latest Odds and Predictions for Top Contenders

It didn’t end well for Serena Williams at last year’s U.S. Open.

After running through the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, all she needed to do was continue to dominate the field in her home country and she would have won the calendar-year Grand Slam.

The first part of the tournament was a success for the queen of women’s tennis, but that changed when she got to the semifinals. Italian veteran Roberta Vinci was on the opposite side of the net, and it didn’t seem as though she had the talent or athletic ability to stay with Williams.

While she may not have had the physical edge, Vinci played with intelligence, courage and determination. Not only did she stay with Williams, but she also registered a major upset, winning 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Vinci deserved credit, but it was clear that the American was not at her best. She made a number of unforced errors that led to her defeat.

One year later, Williams has a chance to win the title that eluded her in 2015. It won’t mean a calendar-year Grand Slam, but it would be her seventh U.S. Open title.

The U.S. Open’s Twitter account noted she will again enter the tournament as the favorite:

Williams is a plus-120 favorite (bet $100 to win $120) to win the tournament, according to Odds Shark. That’s not a surprise. Williams combines power, excellent groundstrokes and the best serve in the history of women’s tennis.

Williams is not at her physical peak as she …

continue reading in source www.bleacherreport.com