US Open Tennis 2017: Latest Odds and Predictions for Top Contenders

This has been a stellar year for Roger Federer. A year after sitting out at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, he has come back to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.

Could Federer make it three Grand Slam championships in one year? If he can find a way to survive and advance for two weeks at the New York tournament, the answer is a definitive yes.

Federer is a +125 (bet $100 to win $125) favorite to win the U.S. Open, according to OddsShark. Longtime rival Rafael Nadal is the second choice in the tournament at +260, while Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev follow at +700.

Murray has been troubled by a hip injury this year, and it seems quite unlikely that he will be able to make it through two weeks of competition. Zverev recently defeated Federer in the Rogers Cup in Montreal, and he is part of the new guard that has an excellent chance of winning future Grand Slam championships.

U.S. Open Men's odds (seeds in brackets)

Roger Federer (3), +125
Rafael Nadal (1), +260
Andy Murray (2), +700
Alexander Zverev (4), +700
Nick Kyrgios (14), +1400
Marin Cilic (5), +1600
Grigor Dimitrov (7), +1600
Dominic Thiem (6), +2500
Juan Martin del Potro (24), +2800
Gael Monfils (18), +8000
Tomas Berdych (15), +8000
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (8), +8000

Neither Novak Djokovic (last year's second-place finisher) nor defending champion Stan Wawrinka are competing in this year's U.S. Open, and that gives Federer and Nadal stronger opportunities to win. However, if neither one is at their best, Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, Dominic Thiem and Juan Martin del Potro have an excellent chance of making a long run and potentially winning the U.S. Open crown.

The erratic Nick Kyrgios, who can beat anyone when he is at his best, could also become a factor. 

On the women's side, Garbine Muguruza is going to attempt to make it two Grand Slam titles in a row. Muguruza came from behind to defeat Venus Williams in the Wimbledon final, and she appears to be in good shape for the New York tournament.

Muguruza is the +600 favorite to win the event, according to OddsShark, followed by Karolina Pliskova at +700 and Johanna Konta at +800. Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep both have odds of +900 while Venus Williams is listed at +1400.

U.S. Open Womens' odds

Garbine Muguruza (3), +600
Karolina Pliskova (1), +700
Johanna Konta (7), +800
Maria Sharapova (unseeded), +900
Simona Halep (2), +900
Elina Svitolina (4), +1000
Angelique Kerber (6), +1200
Petra Kvitova (13), +1400
Venus Williams (9), +1400
Caroline Wozniacki (5), +1600
Madison Keys 915), +2000

Predictions

The men's side is missing some of its usual luster without Djokovic and Murray at less than 100 percent. Federer and Nadal have a better chance as a result, but both have felt the impact of age and years on the circuit.

Look for Zverev and Dimitrov to make significant runs and push the two veteran players to the limit. However, Federer will make it through to the quarterfinals and then use his experience and guile to survive and advance. 

We see Federer finding a way to make the championship round, and he will get through Zverev in the finals.

Muguruza is playing championship tennis at this point, and even though she is the third seed in the tournament behind Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep, we don't see her losing.

Look for Muguruza to dominate the tournament and beat Halep in the semifinals and Pliskova in the championship match.

Seeds provided by U.S. Open.org.