US Open Tennis 2015: Schedule, Dates, Times, Live Stream and Predictions
There will be no shortage of drama at the 2015 U.S. Open, making the final major championship of the year an event you don't want to miss.
The top storyline in the women's draw will be if Serena Williams can complete the Grand Slam with all four titles in a single calendar year. She clearly has the ability and the confidence, but dozens of other competitors will try to knock her off her pedestal.
There is greater potential for parity on the men's side, although top-seeded Novak Djokovic remains the favorite. Still, competitors like Roger Federer, Andy Murray and others have a chance to take home the crown.
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No matter who wins, this is likely to be an exciting couple of weeks in New York City. Here is a helpful guide to make sure you can follow all of the action.
U.S. Open Viewer Info
Dates: August 31 - September 13
Where: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing, Queens, N.Y.
Total Purse: $19,852,700
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
| Aug. 31 | 1-6 p.m. | First Round | ESPN |
| 6-11 p.m. | First Round | ESPN2 | |
| Sept. 1 | 1-11 p.m. | First Round | ESPN |
| Sept. 2 | 1-6 p.m. | Second Round | ESPN |
| 6-11 p.m. | Second Round | ESPN2 | |
| Sept. 3 | 1-5 p.m. | Second Round | ESPN |
| 5-11 p.m. | Second Round | ESPN2 | |
| Sept. 4 | 1-6 p.m. | Third Round | ESPN |
| 6-11 p.m. | Third Round | ESPN2 | |
| Sept. 5 | 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | Third Round | ESPN2 |
| Sept. 6 | 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | Round of 16 | ESPN2 |
| Sept. 7 | 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | Round of 16 | ESPN2 |
| Sept. 8 | 12-11 p.m. | Quarterfinals | ESPN |
| Sept. 9 | 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Quarterfinals | ESPN |
| 8-11 p.m. | Quarterfinals | ESPN2 | |
| Sept. 10 | 7-11 p.m. | Women's Semifinals | ESPN |
| Sept. 11 | 3-11 p.m. | Men's Semifinals | ESPN |
| Sept. 12 | 3-6 p.m. | Women's Finals | ESPN |
| Sept. 13 | 4-7 p.m. | Men's Finals | ESPN |
Men's Preview
The U.S. Open has featured a number of surprises in recent years, most notably Marin Cilic's run to the title last season. While the rest of the Grand Slams have been dominated by the "Big Four" in the sport, this one has featured some new blood.
As a result, the door remains open for another shocker from Stan Wawrinka to Kei Nishikori to Grigor Dimitrov.
That said, a betting man would probably look no further than the trio of Djokovic, Murray and Federer when trying to predict a winner in this tournament.
Djokovic is the clear favorite after dominating the bigger events over the past few years. The No. 1 player in the world has won two Grand Slams already this year and three of the last five overall. His 2015 record of 56-5 with six titles is incredibly impressive.
However, it's also hard to overlook Federer, who is coming off a win at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. This event helped him move back to No. 2 in the world rankings after defeating both Murray and Djokovic in straight sets.
After the win, the 34-year-old veteran told the media, "I feel like I’m playing better than at 24," via Douglas Robson of the Washington Post.
Even Djokovic was impressed at his rival's recent play, via ESPN's Peter Bodo:
"He's playing some of the best tennis of his life. Many people did talk about his career coming to an end after that season [2013] that was below his standard, but he came back stronger. [...]
He's using every possible opportunity to come to net. He makes things happen very fast. "[Andy] Murray, [Rafael] Nadal, myself ... we like a little more time. I think he knows that. Tactically, he's trying to take time away, and he's very fit as well.
"
Both Murray and Djokovic were likely tired after competing a week earlier in Montreal, and excelling at the U.S. Open is a different story. However, Federer has performed well enough to surprise people and win his first Grand Slam title since 2012.
Predicted winner: Roger Federer
Women's Preview
Anyone has a chance to win this tournament, but it is clearly Serena Williams' event to lose. The 21-time Grand Slam winner has won all three majors already this year as well as each of the last three U.S. Open titles.
ESPN Stats and Info notes how well she has performed when listed as the No. 1 seed, as she is here:
Dropping just a single set in this event in the last two years is nothing short of incredible. Williams has been the best player in women's tennis for more than a decade, and at this moment she is far and away the best in the sport. The fact that she has twice as many points toward the world rankings as No. 2 Simona Halep (12,721 to 6,131) shows just how dominant she has been.
The problem is the path to another title won't exactly be easy, as Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated pointed out:
Russell Fuller of BBC Sport provided a look at the possible opponents throughout the tournament:
Sloane Stephens has been inconsistent but notably defeated Williams at the 2013 Australian Open en route to the semifinals. Belinda Bencic is one of only two women to beat the No. 1 seed in tournament play this season with a three-set victory in Toronto earlier this month.
Despite these potential road blocks, Williams has the ability and focus to reach her goal and win her fourth Grand Slam of the year.
Predicted winner: Serena Williams
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