Can anyone stop veterans Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal winning at the 2017 US Open?

Men’s Singles
There are more than a few big names missing from the men’s side of the competition this year. Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and defending champion Stan Wawrinka are all absent through injury, leaving the path clear for Federer (winner of the Australian Open and Wimbledon) or Nadal (yet again triumphant at the French Open) to close out a Grand Slam year that has felt more like 2007 than 2017.



For Federer, success in New York would mark his 20th Grand Slam title (and 6th US Open victory), in the process becoming the first man to reach that total in the Open Era. And his chances look good – the Swiss superman is at an Outright Index spread of 26.5-29.5 to Nadal’s 23-26, alongside a fixed odds price of 7/4 to the Spaniard’s 14/5.

So, who is there to challenge the resurgent duo? According to the Outright Index 20-year old Alexander Zverev – 4th seed and already through to the 2nd round – could build on his previous Grand Slam disappointments, and sits at a spread of 18.5-21.5. Then there’s beaten Wimbledon finalist, and 2014 US Open champion, Marin Cilic at 13-16, and Australian Open semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov at 8.5-11.5.

Women’s Singles
Like in the men’s side of things, the women’s tournament is missing its biggest star – Serena Williams – and has seen a pair of high profile 1st round exits in 2nd and 7th seeds Simona Halep and Johanna Konta. Unlike the men’s singles, however, this hasn’t really led to a couple of clear cut contenders.



Understandably, Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza is favourite, at an Outright Index spread of 19.5-22.5 alongside a fixed odds price of 7/2. However, if the Spanish youngster is to triumph, she needs to vastly improve on her previous US Open form – in her 4 appearances in New York Muguruza has only ever reached the 2nd round, in both 2015 and 2016.

Someone who has a slightly better history at the US Open is no. 1 seed Karolina Pliskova, at an Outright Index spread of 14.5-17.5 and a fixed odds price of 6/1. The Czech star lost in last year’s final to Angelique Kerber – the Belgian has an Outright Index spread of just 6.5-8.5 – and has had a decent enough 2017 season, reaching the quarter-finals in Australia and the semis in France.

Moving down the list and just behind Pliskova is the Marina Sharapova, who returned from her suspension with a shock win over Halep. That was the Russian’s first US Open victory since 2014, and leaves her with an Outright Index spread of 14-17 and a fixed odds price of 13/2.