US Open Tennis 2017: Odds, Predictions for Key Players in Draw

Wimbledon tennis champions Roger Federer and Garbine Muguruza are unsurprisingly the favourites with oddsmakers in their respective draws for the 2017 U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows in New York City on Monday, August 28.

Federer's strongest competition is expected to come from familiar foe Rafael Nadal. Meanwhile, Muguruza can expect to be challenged by Karolina Pliskova, Johanna Konta and Simona Halep.

Here are the latest odds at the time of writing for the top players in each bracket ahead of Friday's draw:

• Roger Federer: +125
• Rafael Nadal: +260
• Andy Murray: +700
• Alexander Zverev Jr.: +700
• Nick Kyrgios: +1400
• Marin Cilic: +1600
• Grigor Dimitrov: +1600
• Dominic Thiem: +2500
• Juan Martin del Potro: +2800

Here are the odds for the top players in the women's bracket:

• Garbine Muguruza: +600
• Karolina Pliskova: +700
• Johanna Konta: +800
• Maria Sharipova: +900
• Simona Halep: +900
• Elina Svitolina: +1000
• Angelique Kerber: +1200
• Petra Kvitova: +1400
• Venus Williams: +1400
• Caroline Wozniacki: +1600

Full odds per Rob Trites of OddsShark.

Big names are missing from both draws, most notably in the men's bracket, where Novak Djokovic is still absent due to an elbow injury. Djokovic not featuring, along with Andy Murray's struggles since being named World No. 1, mean the men's rankings are set to once again be dominated by Federer and Nadal.

Of the two, Federer is in peak form, having won at Wimbledon after claiming the Australian Open title. He may be 36, but there is no sign of the Swiss slowing down.

In fact, the man who has 19 Grand Slams to his credit can add yet another major by winning in New York City. Nobody is entering the tournament playing as well as Federer.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press/Associated Press

Most important of all, Federer is playing with an ease of manner his rivals just don't possess, according to Peter de Jonge of New York Times Magazine: "Federer has always played loose, but since Australia, he has attained spa-like levels of relaxation."

Federer has chosen the winter of his career to reassert his dominance. Expect the illustrious Swiss player to win yet another major.

He shouldn't count on facing old rival Nadal in the final, though. As Peter Bodo of ESPN.com pointed out, the Spaniard has struggled off clay: "The biggest impediment to the dream final may be the chronic struggles Nadal has had in the post-Wimbledon, hard-court season. It traces back to the early portion of his career, when he had yet to master the nuances of this surface."

If there is encouragement for Nadal, it will be in the thinned nature of the men's draw. Djokovic is out, as is the man who beat him in last year's final, Stan Wawrinka.

John Minchillo/Associated Press/Associated Press

The latter will be recovering from knee surgery, per Raz Mirza of Sky Sports. Meanwhile, a wrist injury has laid Milos Raonic low, per BBC Sport.

Expect Nadal to fall in the last eight, with a player such as precocious 20-year-old Alexander Zverev Jr. more likely to reach the final.

Murray has been far from his best in 2017, but he is still the second seed at flushing meadows, per Ben Snowball of Eurosport. What could hold the Scot back is his ongoing hip problem.

Murray has been warned by Tim Henman to only play if he is fully fit, according to Metro's Louis Sealey.

However, even if he is fully recovered, Murray has rarely had the serve-and-volley game to suit the hard courts at Flushing Meadows. Like Nadal, a place in the last eight looks like the best Murray can hope for this year.

Pool/Getty Images

It will be a different story for Muguruza, who enters this tournament as the class of the women's draw. A French Open winner in 2016, before triumphing on the Wimbledon grass this year, the Spaniard has mastered setting the pace in a match thanks to a varied range of shots.

Muguruza has also restored the power to her game, particularly on her groundstrokes. A win at the recent Cincinnati Masters only underlined her status as a worthy favourite at Flushing Meadows.

Her growing confidence is matched only by her desire to be involved in the biggest matches, a sentiment she expressed when speaking to Jamie Lisanti of Sports Illustrated: "It's a good position to be in. I don't see it as something negative. I just want to be ready and prepared to face all of these difficult matches. I know sometimes it seems difficult to carry, but I think it's a privilege to be in that position."

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Competition is fierce in a draw still somewhat in flux without dominant force Serena Williams available, but Muguruza should complete a terrific 2017 by capturing another major.

In fact, this year's U.S. Open will end with the same look as Wimbledon, namely with Federer and Muguruza holding the big prizes.