US Open Tennis 2017: Schedule, Odds, Draw and Preview

The final Grand Slam of the year begins on Monday, as the 2017 U.S. Open takes place in New York.

Defending men's champion Stan Wawrinka will not be at Flushing Meadows due to a knee injury, but women's titleholder Angelique Kerber is ready to defend her crown.

Serena Williams' continued absence will leave the championship wide-open as the top stars fight for the major title.

According to The Independent, Novak Djokovic, Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic are all out through injury, as Andy Murray and Roger Federer struggle for fitness.

Per Rob Trites of OddsShark, here are the latest odds for the title:

Latest Men's Odds

• Roger Federer—5-4
• Rafael Nadal—13-5
• Andy Murray—7-1
• Alexander Zverev—7-1
• Nick Kyrgios—14-1

Latest Women's Odds

• Garbine Muguruza—6-1
• Karolina Pliskova—7-1
• Johanna Konta—8-1
• Maria Sharapova—9-1
• Simona Halep—9-1

For further odds, visit OddsShark.

For the full draw and schedule, visit the U.S. Open's official website.

Preview

Thomas Lovelock/Associated Press

Federer proved at Wimbledon there is life in his legs just yet as he stormed to the grass-court championship in London.

However, it is Nadal who has claimed his place as the world No. 1 once more, fresh from his comeback to top form this year.

According to the ATP World Tour, the Spanish icon has leapfrogged Murray at the summit and will be hoping to add a third U.S. title to his career haul.

Federer and Murray are not at full fitness, but the Swiss player is the bookies' favourite ahead of the action in Queens.

Wimbledon proved to be a punishing affair for a huge selection of world-class talent, and the fallout from London has seen the U.S Open become a battle of the fittest.

Djokovic's absence will enthuse the superstars of the sport, but his impact was minimal at Wimbledon, as he lacked mobility.

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Nadal has captured the Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid titles this year, but it was his victory and sumptuous performance at the French Open that confirmed his return to the top table.

The Spaniard will be difficult to beat in current form, and with Murray out of shape, it could be left to an outsider to cause a shock.

Per the U.S. Open, Nadal and Federer could face each other in the last four if they are successful in the earlier rounds.

Nadal is due to start his tournament against Dusan Lajovic, as Federer battles American Frances Tiafoe.

Tennys Sandgren is the first obstacle for Murray, but the Brit will need to force an upturn in his fortunes to make the final.

Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

A mouthwatering clash will kick off the women's competition as Maria Sharapova faces Simona Halep.

Halep is the No, 2 seed at the competition but she will have to battle the wildcard entry to advance.

Sharapova is finding her feet after a 15-month doping ban, and she has declared that she's missed competing.

Speaking on The Player's Tribune (h/t Tennis World USA), Sharapova said:

"I’m aware of what many of my peers have said about me and how critical of me some of them have been."

"If you’re a human being with a normal, beating heart... I don’t think that sort of thing will ever fully be possible to ignore. When it comes to tennis, good or bad — there’s really only one thing that I know for certain — I’ve missed it."

"Though these last two years have been tougher — so much tougher — than I ever could have anticipated... my passion for the game has never wavered. If anything, it has only grown stronger."

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Muguruza's huge improvements in performance have seen her installed as the favourite in the women's draw, but the Spanish star has not previously excelled at Flushing Meadows.

The renaissance of Venus Williams has been one of the stories of the past 12 months as she rolls back the years, but the 37-year-old ran out of gas in the final of Wimbledon as Muguruza prevailed.

This edition of the U.S. Open could be the most eagerly contested in recent memory, and the field will be wide open as the action begins on Monday.