Aug 30, 2021
Morning Coffee: Djokovic enters US Open as overwhelming favourite
Novak Djokovic can become the first male tennis player to complete the Calendar Slam since 1969 with a US Open men’s singles title. It’s more than just an opportunity. Djokovic is expected to do it. Here is the Morning Coffee for Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.
Novak Djokovic can become the first male tennis player to complete the Calendar Slam since 1969 with a US Open men’s singles title.
It’s more than just an opportunity. Djokovic is expected to do it.
At -150 to win the men’s singles title, Djokovic is on track to be the largest pre-tournament betting favourite to win the US Open since Roger Federer won it at -200 in 2007.
He’s +710 to win the title without dropping a single set.
Here is the Morning Coffee for Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.
US Open futures
The big three of Djokovic, Federer and Rafael Nadal have rotated as pre-tournament betting favourites in all but one major tournament dating back to 2005, per SportsOddsHistory.com.
The lone exception was the 2009 Australian Open, when Andy Murray was +200 to win it.
Federer and Nadal will both miss the remainder of the 2021 season due to injuries. Their absences contributed to Djokovic being an even bigger pre-tournament favourite.
On the road to tennis immortality.
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2021
These men stand between Novak Djokovic and the calendar Grand Slam. pic.twitter.com/q2cF1KqKqW
Daniil Medvedev (+430) and Alexander Zverev (+650) are considered the biggest obstacles in the way of Djokovic’s Calendar Slam pursuit as the second and third choices to win the men’s singles title.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (+1200) and Matteo Berrettini (+2900) round out the top five choices to win it. Canadian Denis Shapovalov is the seventh choice at 50-to-1.
Djokovic already held all four major titles simultaneously when he won four straight majors from 2015 Wimbledon to the 2016 French Open.
Now he has a chance to do something he’s never done.
Here’s what his road to the title looks like:
🚨 DRAW ALERT 🚨
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2021
Top seed Novak Djokovic has former US Open finalist @keinishikori & Wimbledon finalist @MattBerrettini in his quarter. pic.twitter.com/1asFBv3F1c
Meanwhile, World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty has the potential to do something that’s only been done twice before as the betting favourite to win the women’s singles title.
If Barty wins, she would join Serena Williams and Hana Mandlikova as the only players – female or male – to win each of their first three major titles on different surfaces.
Barty is +360 to win the women’s singles title. She’s +210 to reach the final.
No.1 Ash Barty since returning to the tour after being sidelined for 8 months last year:
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 22, 2021
Yarra Valley Classic 🏆
Miami Open 🏆
Stuttgart 🏆
Madrid Final
Wimbledon 🏆
Cincinnati 🏆
And Olympic bronze in mixed.
Tour leader in match wins (40) and titles (5).
14-1 vs. Top 20. pic.twitter.com/JuV2IzdRDS
Naomi Osaka is the second choice at +600.
Aryna Sabalenka (+1400), Iga Swiatek (+1400), Karolina Pliskova (+1800), Coco Gauff (+1800) and Barbora Krejcikova (+1800) round out the top five choices.
Canadian Bianca Andreescu is right behind them after her odds to win the US Open lengthened from +1400 to +2200 over the past two weeks.
Andreescu is +1600 to reach the final.
#USOpen preview from @bgtennisnation
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) August 29, 2021
🎾 Andreescu needing more matches
🎾 ⚡️Fast courts help Shapovalov
🎾 Auger-Aliassime needs to trust his legs
🎾 Predicting who will win 🏆@ESPN analyst visits @TSN_Sports set & chats with @MarkRoeTv 👇https://t.co/I2P7n4bPnH
Harris returns in Blue Bombers win
Reigning Grey Cup MVP Andrew Harris provided a spark for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in an 18-16 win over the Calgary Stampeders on Sunday.
A brilliant performance from Winnipeg’s rookie kicker might have been the difference.
Marc Liegghio went 4-for-4, including a 45-yard field goal with 37 seconds left in regulation to put the Blue Bombers ahead by two.
Rene Paredes missed a 52-yard field goal on the final play of the game as the Stampeders fell short but covered as a 6.5-point road dog.
It may not have had the most points, but it was a thrilling finish between the Stampeders and Blue Bombers on Sunday…@RodSmithTSN, Jim Barker, @DavisSanchez, @MiltStegallTSN & @MattDuniganTSN recap a wild finish and the remarkable QB play: https://t.co/wTptIPZ9Ks#CFLonTSN pic.twitter.com/CXwG8eDWJs
— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) August 30, 2021
Harris ran for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Winnipeg improved to 3-0 straight up at IG Field.
CFL favourites went 3-0 straight up in Week 4.
Meanwhile, all three games stayed under the total.
Twelve of the first 15 games of the season have stayed under the total.
Cantlay wins BMW Championship
Patrick Cantlay (+2500) beat Bryson DeChambeau in a six-hole playoff to win the BMW Championship on Sunday.
It’s the first time ever that multiple golfers shot -27 or better in a 72-hole PGA Tour event.
In the end, it was Cantlay that came out on top.
With the win, Cantlay will enter the TOUR Championship at 10-under par, which leaves him two strokes clear of Tony Finau.
Cantlay is also three strokes up on DeChambeau entering the finale.
The winner of the TOUR Championship earns a $15 million bonus.
The only player with three victories this season. 🏆 🏆 🏆 @Patrick_Cantlay has won @BMWChamps to claim the top spot in the #FedExCup Playoffs headed to East Lake. pic.twitter.com/HgYaZ402fY
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 29, 2021
MLB favourites stay hot
MLB favourites went a combined 29-15 over the weekend to continue their torrid pace in the month of August.
With their 12-8 win over the Orioles today, the Rays are now 18-1 against Baltimore this season.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 29, 2021
Tampa Bay is the 3rd team in Divisional Era (since 1969) to record 18 wins vs a single opponent in a season (others are CLE vs DET in 2019 & HOU vs SEA in 2019). pic.twitter.com/bc5WJ9LxFR
After a mini two-game win streak over the Los Angeles Angels, the Baltimore Orioles reverted to their losing ways with three straight losses to the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rays improved to 19-6 in the month of August.
The New York Yankees dropped back-to-back games against the Oakland Athletics, which allowed Tampa Bay to extend their lead atop the American League East to six games.
As of this morning, Tampa Bay is -350 to win the AL East. The Yankees are +310 to win the division.
The Rays will welcome the Boston Red Sox to town for a four-game set to open the week.
Meanwhile, the Orioles will visit the Toronto Blue Jays for a three-game set before heading to New York to face the Yankees to close out the week.
Baltimore is 21-45 on the road this season. The Orioles are currently the biggest underdog on board for Monday at +290 on the money line.
The Blue Jays are -360 to win with Robbie Ray scheduled to start the series opener.