With action getting back underway in New York for this year’s edition of the US Open, many are excited by the welcome return of spectators to Flushing Meadows after their absence last year was inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic, like many other big sporting occasions in 2020. Despite the matches being held behind closed doors, there was still an exciting tournament played in Queens at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre
There were plenty of talking points from last year that have carried on 12 months later as the tournament approaches the business end, with a plethora of talent on display making the 2021 US Open betting odds so hard to call — on the right day anyone can beat anyone and fans give that extra incentive to go all the way. While this year’s champion is still yet to be crowned, lets look back at how the 2020 edition of the US Open panned out and the big discussions from New York
Dominic Thiem wins men’s singles
In one of the best comebacks in recent times, it was Austrian Dominic Thiem that used all of his Grand Slam experience to overcome Alexander Zverev, 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6. The five-set comeback was Thiem’s fourth major final and he finally collected silverware by overcoming the German opponent. The physical presence and lighting fast serve of the 24-year-old put him in a strong position, dominating early proceedings as he had done in previous victories against Pablo Carreño Busta and 12th seed Borna Coric in previous rounds.
However, Thiem wasn’t in the mood to roll over easily and produced a miraculous turn of form which massively went against the US open betting tips, the tiebreak victory as the old guard watched on from the side-lines. The likes of Novak Djokovic being defaulted as an odds-on favourite, and Rafael Nadal pulling out ranked world number two, provided a platform for a new generation of tennis players to put their names in the limelight, an opportunity that Thiem grasped with both hands and didn’t let go.
Naomi Osaka overcomes Victoria Azarenka
Despite her tender age, Naomi Osaka has quickly established herself as one of the best female tennis players in the world and although she has been plagued by inconsistency and injury since her victory in New York, struggling at the Olympics in her home country of Japan, this was one of her moments that really caught the attention of many. She defeated Belarusian Victoria Azarenka to win the Grand Slam having lost the first set. It was an emotional time for Osaka, who spent the summer campaigning for racial justice, with most of the summer’s sports overshadowed by police brutality in America.
Although she was born in Japan, the 23-year-old was raised in California and appeared in a number of peaceful protests throughout the season. However, this didn’t distract her from the court in anyway, and if anything, acted as a catalyst to spur her on to victory — using experience she otherwise may not have had: “Two years ago I maybe would have folded, It’s been an important few months,” Osaka said.
“My life was always go, go tennis-wise, especially after the previous U.S. Open that I won. It definitely accelerated things, and I’ve never had a chance to slow down. The quarantine definitely gave me a chance to think a lot about things, what I want to accomplish, what I want people to remember me by.”
