2020 US Open Expert Picks: Our champions, dark horses and busts

To view the US Open draws, visit our men's tournament page here, and our women's tournament page here.

JOEL DRUCKER: Novak Djokovic

Experience, skill and fitness make for the perfect package. Eight times a finalist (3-5) and with his two biggest rivals gone, he should feel even more comfortable.

MATT FITZGERALD: Novak Djokovic

Seven finals in 9 years—enough said. His last 11 major losses have come to players besides Fedal, so any talk of asterisk inclusion with his 18th Slam bid is downright drivel.

STEVE FLINK: Novak Djokovic

He has won five of the last seven majors and badly wants a fourth crown at the Open.

CALE HAMMOND: Stefanos Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas is not one to shy away from the spotlight. It’s Djokovic or the field, and if one of the other 127 players rises to the occasion, it will likely be the Greek, who’s proven he has more than enough game to dominate on the big stage.

ED MCGROGAN: Novak Djokovic

The return to best-of-five set competition will only further Djokovic's lopsided case for the championship. John Isner might be the Serb's biggest obstacle in his half of the draw.

NINA PANTIC: Novak Djokovic

There’s a very obvious men’s favorite in NY. The world No. 1 is on a 20-plus match winning streak and certainly doesn’t look like he just had six months off the tour and a bout with COVID-19.

JORDAAN SANFORD: Novak Djokovic

Anything can happen at this US Open, but it’s hard not to choose the three-time US Open champion. With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal out of the way, the 33-year-old is going to capitalize on this opportunity to grab major title No. 18.

STEVE TIGNOR: Novak Djokovic

He’s had a stiff neck, and he may not like the quicker courts, but no one else in the ATP’s Top 30 has won a Grand Slam title. Djokovic has won 17.

JOEL DRUCKER: Naomi Osaka

Perspective and power make a great combination. With no significantly oppressive disruptors in her half of the draw, the 2018 US Open champ should be able to keep building confidence.

MATT FITZGERALD: Petra Kvitova

The lefty has enjoyed scattered highlights in the Big Apple, but is due to piece them together into a bigger moment.

STEVE FLINK: Naomi Osaka

She was victorious two years ago and is primed to do it again.

CALE HAMMOND: Naomi Osaka

Your guess is as good as mine in this unbelievably wide-open field. Serena is the oddsmakers favorite, as she almost always is, but Osaka has proven she can raise her level higher than anyone in the draw. If she survives a likely third-round clash with Coco Gauff, the draw will open up for the fourth seed. It would be a fitting victory for this exceptional tennis player turned even more exceptional human-rights activist.

ED MCGROGAN: Petra Kvitova

She may need to get past the player who beat her this week, Marie Bouzkova, and she could then face Osaka (or Gauff) in a quarterfinal that might double as the match of the tournament. Plus a semifinal and final. But it's felt for a while like Kvitova is due for another Slam win.

NINA PANTIC: Elise Mertens

The Belgian has quietly become a major threat, and she relishes the simple bubble lifestyle. Her bonus advantage is that her coach Robbe Ceyssens is also her boyfriend, so the three-guest team limit didn’t cost her much.

JORDAAN SANFORD: Naomi Osaka

The 22-year-old has been putting in work during the hiatus and it’s showing. She loves to pound away on hard courts, and she’s tough to beat when zeroed in on shot selection. The two-time Grand Slam champion has also been picking apart targets at this week’s Premier 5 event.

STEVE TIGNOR: Garbine Muguruza

With more than half of the Top 10 missing, it’s hard to know who to pick on the women’s side, but Muguruza has been to the final of a hard-court major this year.

JOEL DRUCKER: Frances Tiafoe

Reasonable draw, fast courts, tactical versatility and competitive zeal could give Tiafoe what he needs for a fine time in the Big Apple.

MATT FITZGERALD: John Millman

After the 2018 quarterfinalist brutally drew Nadal in last year's Flushing Meadows opener, the Aussie has everything to gain this time. He’s produced some of his finest tennis at the Open, with wins over Federer, Fabio Fognini and Nick Kyrgios.

STEVE FLINK: Milos Raonic

He has never been beyond the fourth round in seven previous appearances, but the big-serving Canadian and 2016 Wimbledon finalist is ready to make amends this year.

CALE HAMMOND: Filip Krajinovic

Winning the tournament is a tall ask for the absurdly talented Serbian, but I expect Krajinovic to reach the quarterfinals. If you haven’t seen him play, he is clean as a whistle off both wings, with deft feel to match his beautiful ball-striking.

ED MCGROGAN: Milos Raonic

It's hard to pick anyone else seeded below No. 19 after his dominant week in Cincinna-er, Flushing Meadows. The Canadian has already showed how comfortable he his on the new Laykold courts.

NINA PANTIC: Filip Krajinovic

The Serbian has got some momentum going into the Open, demolishing Dominic Thiem in “Cincy” and backing it up with a win and a competitive loss to Raonic.

JORDAAN SANFORD: Milos Raonic

The Canadian is finding his game at a time when so many are not. Raonic has some potentially dangerous opponents, but then again, all of his titles have come on hard courts. So, shouldn’t his first major title be on one?

STEVE TIGNOR: Milos Raonic

Raonic has a history of starting seasons well, and he has started the 2020 reopening well by making the semis in “Cincy.”

JOEL DRUCKER: Victoria Azarenka

She's paying her best tennis in several years. A potential second-round match versus compatriot Aryna Sabalenka will either send Vika home or keep her blissful in the bubble.

MATT FITZGERALD: CiCi Bellis

The 21-year-old has shined pre- and post-pandemic in an inspiring return from four arm/elbow surgeries. A potential second-round match with Lexington champ Jennifer Brady would be a whole lot of fun.

STEVE FLINK: Jennifer Brady

She could take on top-seeded Karolina Pliskova in the third round, but the American can topple anyone in the field.

CALE HAMMOND: Jennifer Brady

After an understandable letdown at the Western & Southern Open following her first career WTA title in Lexington, Brady’s confidence should still be through the roof. She’ll be well rested and can upset Pliskova. She’s a baller.

ED MCGROGAN: Cori Gauff

Unlike last year's Open, Coco isn't the talk of the tournament. She's shown to handle pressure just fine; without it, she could be even more dangerous.

NINA PANTIC: Jil Teichmann

The Swiss was very consistent during her final-round run in Lexington, and got three more wins under her belt in New York by coming through qualifying. She has a zen-like focus and will be unfazed by the new normal.

JORDAAN SANFORD: Jennifer Brady

The American might have taken a loss to Jessica Pegula this week, but that may serve her well, as it will give her time recover. The world No. 40 didn't drop a set in winning Lexington, and aggressive style is a threat to anyone.

STEVE TIGNOR: Jennifer Brady

The 28th seed won her first title earlier this month, and a third-round encounter with top seed Karolina Pliskova would be interesting.

JOEL DRUCKER: Alexander Zverev

Despite reaching his first Slam semi at this year’s Aussie Open, Zverev hardly inspires confidence. He can struggle on serve, succumb to nerves—and a first-rounder versus Kevin Anderson is no picnic.

MATT FITZGERALD: David Goffin

The Belgian’s first-round opponent, Reilly Opelka, has troubled the No. 7 seed in the past, though the American had to retire from his Western & Southern Open quarterfinal. Krajinovic also looms.

STEVE FLINK: Alexander Zverev

He has a tough first-round assignment against 2017 finalist Anderson. How long will he last?

CALE HAMMOND: David Goffin

For, let's say, vertically-challenged players, Opelka is one of the last guys you want to face, especially in the often rhythm-less first round. Goffin will have to hit every single return at, or above, his head. That’s a nightmare. If Opelka’s knee heals in time for this first-round clash, Goffin will be lucky to advance.

ED MCGROGAN: David Goffin

Even a hobbled Opelka could prove lethal against Goffin, who drew the short straw right off the bat.

NINA PANTIC: Alexander Zverev

The No. 5 seed has been dealt a brutal first-rounder in Anderson, a two-time Grand Slam finalist. Zverev doesn't have that many matches under his belt, and Anderson has had even less, so expect a messy—and potentially dangerous—encounter.

JORDAAN SANFORD: Alexander Zverev

The world No. 7 he has the tools to be the best, but for some reason he never brings his toolbox with him to the majors. In the past five years, the German’s best showing in New York was when he reached the round of 16 in 2019.

STEVE TIGNOR: Roberto Bautista Agut

The No. 8 seed is playing well, but he’ll face a tough opener against Tennys Sandgren, and, potentially, a tougher third-rounder against Raonic.

JOEL DRUCKER: Garbine Muguruza

She’s not the first multi-Slammer who just can’t find the magic in NYC. No positive signs during the pandemic, lost in the first round last year, and just 6-7 lifetime at US Open.

MATT FITZGERALD: Aryna Sabalenka

She got the better of countrywoman Victoria Azarenka in the first round last year. It's hard to envision Vika letting the sequel repeat history in the second round a year later.

STEVE FLINK: Madison Keys

The 2017 finalist and 2018 semifinalist will struggle this year, in my view.

CALE HAMMOND: Sofia Kenin

Good draws are important for Grand Slam success. For  Kenin to reach the quarterfinals she will likely have to defeat Leylah Fernandez or Vera Zvonereva, Ons Jabeur, and either Elise Mertens, Ekaterina Alexandrova, or Kim Clijsters. That’s a bad, bad draw.

ED MCGROGAN: Serena Williams

In the past four Grand Slam finals she's reached—all losses—Williams faced two stout opponents: the one across the net, and the one in her head. Her collapse this week against Maria Sakkari, following a close win over Arantxa Rus, feels like a harbinger of things to come. She puts too much pressure on herself at the Slams.

NINA PANTIC: Karolina Pliskova

She bowed out in round one of “Cincy,” and being the top seed in a major is new territory for the Czech. She won’t get any time to settle in as she’s first up against a very tricky player, Anhelina Kalinina.

JORDAAN SANFORD: Karolina Pliskova

The top seed took a first-round loss to Veronika Kudermetova at this week’s warm-up event. Pliskova’s consistency and match toughness isn’t quite there, and Brady looms in her quarter.

STEVE TIGNOR: Karolina Pliskova

She’s the top seed, but she lost her first match back in Cincinnati, and she may face a couple of players—Caroline Garcia, Brady—who could be trouble early.