10 things to look for at the 2017 US Open

With the US Open starting on Monday, it is time for me to give my list of 10 things to look for at the final grand slam of the season. It should be noted that Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic, Victoria Azarenka, Samantha Stosur, and Serena Williams will all miss the event due to either injury or personal reasons.

#1. Can Rafael Nadal ride the #1 wave to the title? Rafael Nadal is now the #1 ranked player in the world as he heads into the US Open thanks to Roger Federer withdrawing from Cincinnati. Nadal hasn't won the US Open since 2013, but with a lot of top names out and the #1 ranking in hand, it's hard to not see Nadal as the favorite right now.

#2. How will Maria Sharapova fair? Maria Sharapova is making her return to the grand slam scene after being granted a wild card to the US Open. Her opponent in the first round is #2 ranked Simona Halep, so it's not as if she was given an easy draw. While the odds are stacked against her, don't be shocked to see Sharapova pull off the first round upset. If Sharapova can find a way to play into the second week, the ratings for this tournament will get a nice boost.

#3. Is this Roger Federer's tournament to lose? Roger Federer has won at Australia and Wimbledon this year. While it is true that Rafael Nadal has the #1 ranking, Federer is right behind him at #3. Given that Federer defeated Nadal in the Australian Open final and is coming off a Wimbledon title, one can make a pretty compelling case for Federer to be the favorite as well.

#4. Can Simona Halep finally break through? Simona Halep is the #2 ranked player in the world, but is yet to win a grand slam. She came close at Roland Garros, falling in the final to Jelena Ostapenko. With Serena Williams, Samantha Stosur, and Victoria Azarenka all out of the tournament, Halep will get another golden opportunity to win her first grand slam. Will she be able to take advantage? That's the million dollar question.

#5. Don't forget about Andy Murray. I feel like Andy Murray is getting overlooked in this event and in many ways it's easy to understand why. He's dealing with a hip injury and hasn't won the event since 2012. All the same, he is the #2 player in the world and has a pretty favorable draw. If the hip isn't too much of a bother, there's no reason to doubt Murray's chances of making a very deep run.

#6. Karolina Pliskova needs to back up her #1 ranking.  Karolina Pliskova has the #1 ranking in the world, but with no grand slam titles, her ranking appears to be hollow. It would be huge for Pliskova to back up her ranking with a title at the US Open. What does have to give Pliskova some confidence is the fact that she reached the final last year. She knows she can win at this event. She just needs to go out and do it.

#7. It's time Grigor Dimitrov does something. Grigor Dimitrov comes in as the #7 seed and #8 ranked player in thew world. Despite his lofty ranking and fame, Dimitrov so far has proved to be all sizzle and no steak. He's never reached a grand slam final and has only reached the semifinals at a grand slam twice (2017 Australian Open and 2014 Wimbledon). At 26 years of age, now is the time that Dimitrov has to start being a more serious threat at grand slams.

#8. Can Angelique Kerber return to glory? Angelique Kerber is currently ranked #6 in the world and hasn't been able to find the same success she had last season in which she won both the Australian Open and US Open. With both Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep looking vulnerable as the top two seeds, there's no reason to doubt Kerber's chances of walking away with the title.

#9. Look for Roger Federer to win it all: I would love to see Rafael Nadal win this event, but given that he hasn't won the US Open since 2013, it is hard for me to pick him to win it all. Federer on the other hand is in quite a groove and already has a hard court grand slam title under his belt this year. I got my money on Federer to win his 20th grand slam in New York City.

#10. Look for Madison Keys to shock the world:  I picked Madison Keys to win it last year and I'm going to double down and say that this is the year Keys breaks through to win her first grand slam. The combination of surface and location make her my favorite right now. She loves the hard courts and should thrive with the American crowd cheering her on. I know she's the #15 seed, but in the WTA, rankings don't really matter when picking grand slams. Madison Keys will win the 2017 US Open. Book it.

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