US Open Tennis 2015: Analyzing Top Contenders, Sleepers at Flushing Meadows

Can she do it?

Can Serena Williams continue her dominance during the 2015 season and complete the Grand Slam by winning the 2015 U.S. Open?  

That's probably the most significant question as players, coaches and fans gather in New York City for the late-summer classic.

Usually, London-based Wimbledon in July is the biggest tournament of the year. However, with Serena going for her Grand Slam, the interest in the U.S. Open is even higher than usual.

On the men's side, the dominance of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray is evident. It would be a big surprise if one of those players did not come away with the U.S. Open title. However, it doesn't always work out that way. Last year, Marin Cilic earned the championship and was one of the most surprising winners in U.S. Open history.

The focus and the spotlight will be on Serena every step of the way. While she is a physically dominant player who serves better and returns better than any of the other players on the women's tour, she is not a machine and can be beaten if she is not playing her best tennis.

"

Serena Williams defends her title at Cincinnati in straight sets, becoming the 1st to defend the title since it became a WTA event in 2004.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 23, 2015"

During the two weeks the tournament will be played, there's a very good chance she won't be at her best in every match. However, she has shown she can fight through and find a way to win when she can't muster up her best game.

Women
Men
Player	Status	Odds	Skinny
Serena Williams	Contender	Even	Simply the best and most dominant player in the game
Simona Halep	Contender	+1,200	Strong and tough, but struggles to beat Serena
Victoria Azarenka	Contender	+600	Hasn't won a tournament this year
Maria Sharapova	Contender	+900	Crowd favorite may struggle here
Belinda Bencic	Sleeper	+2,000	Getting better in each tournament
Garbine Muguruza	Sleeper	+2,000	Strong run at Wimbledon
Player	Status	Odds	Skinny
Novak Djokovic	Contender	+120	Best player on the men's side
Roger Federer	Contender	+700	Coming off sharp win in Cincy
Andy Murray	Contender	+300	Finally beat Djokovic in Rogers Cup
Stan Wawrinka	Contender	+1,200	Solid player would need monumental effort to win in New York
Kei Nishikori	Sleeper	+1,400	Can give top players a fight
David Ferrer	Sleeper	+12,500	Must overcome elbow injury

Serena is coming off of a victory at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, as she defeated Simona Halep, 6-3, 7-6 in the finals. Williams has won five tournaments this year and has earned more than $9.7 million. According to Odds Shark, Serena is the even-money favorite to win the tournament. That's a remarkably low return in an individual sport, but it speaks to her dominance.

Victoria Azarenka is the second choice with a plus-600 return on a $100 bet. That means a bettor would get $700 for a successful bet on Azarenka. However, she has not been as active as some of the top players on the tour and has not won a tournament this year. She has a 26-11 record so far in 2015, and she may not have as good of a chance to win as Halep (plus-1,200), Maria Sharapova (plus-900), Petra Kvitova (plus-2,000) or Caroline Wozniacki (plus-2,500).

Halep is the second-ranked player on the women's tour, ranking just ahead of Sharapova. Halep has won three tournaments this year and slightly less than $2.8 million. Sharapova has won two tournaments this year and more than $3.2 million, but she has not been competitive against Williams, and that could have an impact on her throughout the tournament.

It would be a shock if any of these players beat Williams and deny her the Grand Slam. However, there's a chance that 18-year-old Belinda Bencic (plus-2,000) of Switzerland could rise up and make a strong run in the tournament.

"

Is Belinda Bencic the future of women's tennis? Our analyst digs beneath the hype > http://t.co/BUqoLEPtls pic.twitter.com/dAYlUFfER0

— Live Tennis (@livetennis) August 19, 2015"

Bencic has won two tournaments this year and has earned more than $1.2 million. She beat Halep to win the Rogers Cup earlier this month, and that came a day after upsetting Williams in the semifinal.

John Minchillo/Associated Press

On the men's side, Djokovic remains the top player in the world, but he was beaten by Murray in the Rogers Cup and Federer in the Western and Southern Open.

"

How Roger Federer got sneaky good http://t.co/KBOpxX1IK5

— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) August 24, 2015"

Federer served extremely well in the Cincinnati-based tournament, as he was not broken in any of his matches. If he can serve as effectively at the U.S. Open as he did in the Western and Southern Open, he will be tough to beat.

However, if he has any letup, this appears to be Djokovic's tournament to win. His remarkable conditioning, athleticism and ability to win key points allows him to have the advantage most weeks. Djokovic has a 56-5 record this year, has won six tournaments and earned more than $10.6 million in prize money.

Djokovic is rated as the plus-120 favorite in the tournament, followed by Murray at plus-300 and Federer at plus-700. 

Long-shot players may want to consider David Ferrer of Spain, who has won three tournaments this year and just under $2 million in prize money. Ferrer is rated at plus-12,500 by Odds Shark. However, he is trying to battle back from an elbow injury suffered in June, and he may not be ready for a long run here.