US Open Tennis 2017: Updated Men's Bracket and Final Predictions

Rafael Nadal will pursue his 16th Grand Slam title on Sunday, when he takes on Kevin Anderson in the 2017 U.S. Open final.

The pair will meet at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Nadal attempting to close the gap on Roger Federer's record 19 Grand Slams. Anderson will be competing in his first major final, having never before surpassed a Grand Slam quarter-final.

Anderson came from a set down to beat Pablo Carreno Busta 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 on Friday before Nadal did the same as he saw off Juan Martin del Potro 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.

Date: Sunday, September 10

Time: 4 p.m. ET (9 p.m. BST)

TV Info: ESPN (U.S.), Eurosport (UK)

Live Stream: WatchESPN (U.S.), Eurosport Player (UK)

Sunday Preview

Anderson's enormous serve was out in full force against Carreno Busta, as it has been throughout the tournament.

According to the U.S. Open's official website, the South African rattled off 22 aces over the course of the match, taking his total to 114 for the competition, and he has won 83 per cent of points on his first serve.

He also showcased some powerful returning, per the Open's official Twitter account:

The 28th seed has also made history by reaching the final, as The Times' Stuart Fraser noted:

After beating Carreno Busta, Anderson shared an emotional celebration with his family by climbing into the box.

Per BBC Sport's Piers Newbery, the South African said: 

"I don't know if the team hug was appropriate after the semi-finals, but it felt like the right thing to do.

"These Grand Slams are tough, we are playing with some of the best players in history and it is nice that they gave us a run.

"It was an unbelievably tough match on one of the biggest stages in tennis. My emotion at the end kind of summed it up."

Anderson is playing some outstanding tennis, but he'll have his work cut out to upset the odds on Sunday.

After dropping the first set to Del Potro, Nadal responded in force, as he racked up nine games in a row. From there, he would be the only winner.

Even in the first set, he was showing remarkable speed and endurance—even by his standards, as Eurosport UK highlighted:

Unlike his opponent, the world No. 1 is an experienced head when it comes to competing in the latter stages of Grand Slams.

He boasts an impressive record in finals too, per the New York Times' Christopher Clarey:

When his 4-0 head-to-head record with Anderson is taken into account, it looks highly unlikely the outcome will be anything other than a Nadal win.

Anderson's efforts at Flushing Meadows have been nothing short of remarkable, but the final hurdle appears insurmountable.

Prediction: Nadal wins in straight sets.