US Open Tennis 2012: Many Questions Remain with Tournament Favorites

I guess you could say I am a rarity. I am a life-long tennis fan.

Today, tennis does not get the attention in used to in sports circles. Maybe it is the lack of American dominance on the courts. Maybe it is the lack of identification with the younger generation of kids and 20-somethings who would rather play inside than out.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that tennis is a sport that has been dominated over the last decade (at least on the men's side of the net) by foreign-born superstars who eat, sleep and breathe the sport.

I remember the days of John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors. The love of the game of Billie Jean King and Chris Evert. The dominance of Steffi Graf and the failures of Jennifer Capriati.

Yes, I guess you could say I am a fan.

And now, seeing the talents across the board, I am still a fan, but it's because of the sport, not as much my idols like Andre Agassi, McEnroe, Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang.

They are gone but not forgotten.

And the U.S. Open is the stage by which I love watching this take place. There is nothing like night tennis with Pete Sampras crying or Agassi astounding us all. And New York, serving as the backdrop for sports history, makes it all the more special.

The top seeds and favorites this year are clearly some of the best athletes the sport has ever seen and there is something special about the event in Flushing under the lights that continues to make me a fan.

This year's draw should provide a great many answers to questions tennis fans have.

Can Andy Murray follow Olympic gold with a Grand Slam title?

Does Roger Federer still have enough in the tank as the new No.1 player in the world to score another major title?

What does the loss of Rafael Nadal, who is dealing with injuries, do to the men's draw?

And those are just directed at the men. Remember, there is still a great chance that someone like David Ferrer, or Tomas Berdych or even American John Isner could make history at this event.

After all, isn’t this the place where Sampras dispelled the Agassi myth and proved boring tennis can beat style and substance?

On the women’s side, I still think it is Serena Williams’ tournament to lose. Even with the possibility of a Williams/Maria Sharapova final match, which would be a repeat of the recent 2012 Olympic gold-medal match, there are still plenty of great tennis players on the women’s side to make some noise.

And by the way, Williams being seeded fourth overall in this tournament is a joke in my opinion.

Can Victoria Azarenka prove her top seeding is warranted?

Can Samantha Stosur win again in New York from the seventh position?

Does someone like Kim Clijsters, who is seeded 23rd here and in the same draw as Azarenka and Stosur, make some noise like she always does?

What happens with players like Venus Williams, or Caroline Wozniacki or even Ana Ivanovic? Can they all summon enough energy and game to compete and take the title?

The great thing about the U.S. Open is there is always someone pulling off an upset, making a charge and capturing the tennis world with their racket and ground stroke. And just when we think we have figured out who will come home with the Grand Slam title, we are quickly twisted into a frenzy that our prediction was misled.

In other words, the top seeds may be the ones we are rooting for, but in all honesty, their paths to the final match are usually long and winding.

And always filled with drama.