Subscribe
Follow Us
Ben Shelton takes on Dominic Thiem. Our U.S. Open odds series has our Shelton Thiem prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Shelton Thiem.
This is it for Dominic Thiem. The Austrian is 30 years old but will retire from professional tennis at the end of the 2024 tennis season. This means the 2024 U.S. Open is his last trip to the Big Apple and his last major tournament. This match against Ben Shelton could be the last major-tournament match he will ever play.
Thiem was a regular threat to win French Opens at his peak, reaching multiple finals and then running into Rafael Nadal, who stopped him on red clay, his favorite surface. If Thiem had been born five or six years later, such that he would have been 25 years old this year instead of 30, he likely would have been able to break through at Roland Garros and win a clay major with Nadal in his own state of physical diminishment. If Thiem was five years younger this year, he also would have been a prime threat to win the U.S. Open in 2024. As is, his older and more injury-prone body has little left to give.
Thiem's wrist injury, suffered in 2021, derailed his career. Few injuries are more devastating to tennis players, given the force with which they have to swing a racquet. Thiem tried to resurrect his career but could never turn the corner. He tired of the chase and is ready to call it a day.
Thiem's peak from 2018 through 2020 did not lead him to a French Open title, but it did lead him to major finals at three different tournaments — Roland Garros, the Australian Open, and the U.S. Open. In 2020, Thiem was able to cross the threshold at the majors, beating Alexander Zverev in a five-set U.S. Open final. Thiem will retire with a major championship, which is no small thing in the Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic era. Now we get to see if Thiem can prolong his major-tournament story by at least one more match in New York. Ben Shelton stands in his way.
Here are the Ben Shelton-Dominic Thiem U.S. Open odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
U.S. Open Odds: Ben Shelton-Dominic Thiem
Game Spread:
Shelton -7.5: +106
Thiem +7.5: -138
Moneyline:
Shelton -1400
Thiem +800
To Win First Set:
Shelton -410
Thiem +300
Total Games In Match:
Over 33.5: -110
Under 33.5: -120
Total Games Won:
Shelton over 19.5: -112
Shelton under 19.5: -118
Thiem over 13.5: -118
Thiem under 13.5: -118
How to Watch U.S. Open
Time: 12:15 p.m. ET/9:15 a.m. PT
TV: ESPN, ESPN Plus
Stream: (Click here for free trial)
Why Ben Shelton Will Win
Dominic Thiem just doesn't have much left in the tank. It isn't for a lack of effort. Thiem has tried to rebuild his body and his game, but it just hasn't happened. It hasn't clicked. Thiem is universally admired and respected. People throughout the tennis world fervently wanted him to successfully return to the tour after his wrist injury. Yet, that simply didn't pan out. Thiem is retiring for a reason: He can't compete at the elite level he used to attain. Shelton should win comfortably on that basis alone.
Why Dominic Thiem Will Win
Ben Shelton is talented but erratic. Shelton has endured some very difficult losses over the course of 2024. His inconsistency can emerge at any moment. If he isn't focused, Thiem could make a run at this match.
Final Ben Shelton-Dominic Thiem Prediction & Pick
Thiem is a spent force. Shelton might not win the match by a large number of games, but where you can probably make a better bet is the total number of games. As long as this match is a straight-setter, under 33.5 games is extremely likely to hit. The only way under 33.5 games doesn't win in a three-set match is if Shelton needs seven games to win at least two sets: 7-5, 7-5, 6-4 would be a 34-game match. However, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 is just 33 games. It's doubtful that Shelton would need seven games to win two sets. One? Sure. Two? Probably not. Under 33.5 is the play, because Thiem is unlikely to win one set here.
Click Here for more betting news & predictions
Final Ben Shelton-Dominic Thiem Prediction & Pick: Under 33.5 games
