US Open Tennis 2015: Predictions, Live Stream for Friday Night's Bracket

It's all about the tennis competition and going for the U.S. Open championship, right? 

In the case of Serena Williams, the defending champion and the winner of four consecutive Grand Slam titles, it's about even more than that. Serena, of course, is bidding for the calendar-year Grand Slam. That feat has been accomplished by just one other player. 

Steffi Graf took all four tennis tennis majors in 1988, and it would be a shocker if Serena did not accomplish her goal at this point. Maria Sharapova, whom many consider to be her top competition, had to withdraw from the U.S. Open due to a leg injury just as the competition was getting started.

Simona Halep, the No. 2 seed, is a sharp and aggressive player, but she would need to rise above her current standards and Serena would have to play ordinary tennis in order to have a chance at the upset.

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Two down ... five to go? #SerenaWilliams takes the next step vs Bethanie Mattek-Sands tonight http://t.co/LvzKuaemkp pic.twitter.com/wgNFV4m9HQ

— Live Tennis (@livetennis) September 4, 2015"

Serena goes to Arthur Ashe Stadium Friday night and will play Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the third round. From a competitive standpoint, this does not seem like a match that would give Serena much reason to worry.

Date: Friday, September 4

Live Stream: ESPN3 (11 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET)

Mattek-Sands is the 101st-ranked player on the tour, and she is unseeded in the U.S. Open. However, while Mattek-Sands may not have the game to compete with Williams, she can give her a run for her money when it comes to tennis fashion.

Serena and her older sister Venus have been at the forefront of women's tennis fashion since the late 1990s. However, Mattek-Sands has made a name for herself with her tennis outfits, which have been eye-catching to say the least. She once wore a cowboy hat at the 2005 U.S. Open, and her tennis dresses and knee-high socks have regularly caused double-takes from those in attendance.

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Proof That Bethanie Mattek-Sands Is Serena's Most Eccentric Obstacle http://t.co/oYNTCT1PAt

— ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) September 3, 2015"

Newsday's Jeff Williams dubbed her, "Betsey Johnson or Lady Gaga in tennis shoes."

So Mattek-Sands can give Williams a run for her money when it comes to fashion. She is also hoping to do the same on the court.

Player	Opponent	Stadium	Time (ET)	Predicted Winner
Milos Raoncic (10)	Feliciano Lopez (18)	Grandstand	5 p.m.	Raoncic
Rafael Nadal (8)	Fabio Fognini (32)	Arthur Ashe	9 p.m.	Nadal
Madison Keys (19)	Agnieszka Radwanska (15)	Louis Armstrong	6 p.m.	Keys
Serena Williams (1)	Bethanie Mattek-Sands	Arthur Ashe	7 p.m.	Williams

Mattek-Sands has played quite well in her first two matches. The 30-year-old from Rochester, Minnesota, defeated Kateryna Kozlova 6-4, 6-3 in the first round and was even more dominant in beating Coco Vandeweghe 6-2, 6-1 in the second round.

For the year, Mattek-Sands has an 18-15 match record. She has never won a singles title in her career, but after missing much of the 2014 season after hip surgery, she says she is playing better than ever.

"I think this is the best I've ever physically felt, mentally," Mattek-Sands told reporters after beating Vandeweghe. "All the parts are really coming together. I think the time off last year really helped me appreciate being on the court. I'm a competitor."

Williams has a 48-2 record this year and has earned five tournament victories. She was pushed hard in the second round by Kiki Bertens before winning by a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 margin.

Even if Mattek-Sands can continue to improve, Serena's dominating serve along with her ability to return serve with precision is likely to be the difference in this match.

On the men's side, Rafael Nadal will try to win his third consecutive match when he plays at Arthur Ashe Stadium at 9 p.m. ET against 32nd-seeded Fabio Fognini.

Nadal, the eighth seed in the tournament, has struggled to find his game through much of the year. However, he defeated 18-year-old up-and-comer Borna Coric in four sets in the opening round before disposing of Diego Schwartzman in straight sets in the third round.

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Nadal's army yearns to see him overcome struggles, return to old self (@bySLPrice) http://t.co/rCN3OruROu pic.twitter.com/KUakpTEmkW

— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) September 4, 2015"

If any player outside of the top three of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Andy Murray has a decent chance to win the tournament, it may be the artful Nadal.

When he is on his game, he has the creative repertoire and the power game to give the best players a run for their money.

Fognini is the 32nd-ranked player in the world and has a 13-14 match record this year. However, he defeated Steve Johnson in four tough sets in the opening round before rolling past Pablo Cuevas in straight sets in the second round.

If Nadal continues to play sharp tennis the way he did against Coric and Schwartzman, he should be able to survive and advance here.