US Open 2018 Betting Odds: Serena Williams Still The Favorite In The Women's Draw?

A familiar face is back atop the favorites for the upcoming U.S. Open. However, oddsmakers only give American Serena Williams a slim edge over some of the other top competitors.

According to SkyBet, Williams is the favorite at 11/2 but she is followed very close behind by Simona Halep (6/1) and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber (15/2).

The draw for Williams looks like a challenge and she had to cancel her Friday media appearance because her baby, Alexis Olympia, was “under the weather.”

Williams, who is currently ranked No. 26 and seeded 17th, has won the U.S. Open six times, with her last title at Flushing Meadows coming in 2014. Williams also was a finalist in 2001 and 2011. She was eliminated in the semifinals in both 2015 and 2016.

Williams, who gave birth to Alexis Olympia in 2017, has yet to win a title in 2018. Earlier this month, she was knocked out in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters by eighth-seeded Petra Kvitova, 6-3 2-6 6-3. In July, the 36-year-old reached the Wimbledon final, losing to Kerber, 6-3 6-3.

"This is a long comeback," Williams said after her loss in Cincinnati. "I just began, I just started — definitely at the very, very beginning. I'm getting there and I'm going to just continue to work hard and, hopefully, I'll start winning more matches."

Halep enters the U.S. Open as the world No. 1. Earlier this year the Romanian star captured her first Grand Slam with a victory in the French Open.

In last year's U.S. Open final, Sloane Stephens defeated Madison Keys, 6-3 6-0, in the first all-American U.S. Open women's final since 2002. This year, Stephens has the fourth-best odds at 8/1, while Keys is tied for the sixth-best odds at 18/1.

The semifinals were packed with Americans in 2017, with Serena Williams' older sister, Venus Williams, exceeding expectations and CoCo Vandeweghe reaching her second semis in the year.

US Open Betting Odds (SkyBet)

Serena Williams, 11/2

Simona Halep, 6/1

Angelique Kerber, 15/2

Sloane Stephens, 8/1

Petra Kvitova, 14/1

Garbine Muguruza, 18/1

Madison Keys, 18/1

Elina Svitolina, 18/1