The 2015 US Open begins Monday, August 31. What I would like to do is preview the event by listing 10 things to look for over the course of the best fortnight in tennis. Enjoy!
#1. How will Marin Cilic do defending his title? The 2014 US Open was unique in that the men's champion wasn't somebody named Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, or Murray. The winner was Marin Cilic, who currently is seeded #9 in the men's main draw. It'll definitely be interesting to see how Cilic plays knowing that he has a grand slam title to defend.
#2. How will the absence of Maria Sharapova affect the women's draw? Maria Sharapova withdrew from the US Open earlier today, making Serena Williams' half of the draw a little bit easier. It will be interesting to see if anybody takes advantage of Sharapova's absence and makes a deep run to the semifinals. #7 seeded Ana Ivanovic is projected to do so at the moment.
#3. Kei Nishikori has a nice draw: Kei Nishikori, currently seeded #4 in the men's singles draw, is projected to face #7 seeded David Ferrer in the quarterfinals and #1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Facing Djokovic isn't the nice part of the draw, but having David Ferrer in his quarter of the draw is very nice. Look for Kei Nishikori to once again threaten at Flushing.
#4. Can Eugenie Bouchard get something going? Eugenie Bouchard has had a terrible season so far, losing in the first round of both the French Open and Wimbledon. She needs to finish 2015 on some sort of a positive note. What helps her out is that Maria Sharapova was going to be in her section, so perhaps she'll be the one to benefit from Maria' absence.
#5. Will Andy Murray carry over positive momentum from Montreal? Andy Murray snapped an eight-match losing skid to Novak Djokovic in the final of Montreal. Will this mini breakthrough for Murray will carry over into the US Open?
#6. How will Serena Williams handle the pressure? The biggest story of the 2015 US Open without question is Serena Williams' quest for a calendar grand slam. It'll be interesting to see how she handles the pressure and the media over the course of the event. Especially early on in the tournament.
#7. Will Rafael Nadal get anything going? Rafael Nadal is currently seeded #8 in the US Open men's draw and is having the worst season he's had since he reached the world #1 ranking. It'll be interesting to see if he can survive into the second week and be a threat.
#8. Will Sloane Stephens get a boost from the American crowd? Sloane Stephens is another young player in the women's draw who is having a down year. Perhaps she'll make a deep run and thrive on the home crowd.
#9. Look for Novak Djokovic to win the men's singles title: I don't expect the winner of the men's title to be somebody surprising. I think Novak Djokovic will get his groove together and win the US Open for the second time.
#10. Look for Serena Williams to capture the calendar slam: I got my money on world #1 Serena Williams to deliver the goods and capture her fourth grand slam of the year. It's her world right now and I don't see anybody stopping her.
---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy to keep up with tennis!
For a printable bracket of the men's draw, click here
For a printable bracket of the women's draw, click here
